Forget New Hampshire, let’s pay a little attention to what’s happening in West Virginia.

While the national media and the latest generation of political junkies are close paying attention to one-time “community organizer” Barack Obama, community organizers in Appalachia are in a life and death struggle against the coal industry.

After winning a lawsuit last October that shut down a mountaintop removal coal mining operation, longtime anti-Mountaintop Removal activist and community organizer Maria Gunnoe and others received death threats. Maria has been under some tremendous threat to person and property as a result of courageously standing up the coal industry.

Individuals angry with her organizing efforts, legal challenges, and victories, have been harassing her, her family, neighbors and friends for months. She is committed to stand her ground and remains in her family home, but has had to implement a variety of security measures to do so. She has been asking for donations for her to continue these security measures.

Maria is making a great difference for her community and the climate, so please make any kind of donation possible to support her ($5, $10, $20 etc etc).

If you want to donate for the security fund, please send a check to or money order to:
Maria Gunnoe
PO Box 46
Bob White, WV 25028