Register editor
West Virginia Republicans were on edge Tuesday night at the prospect that Don Blankenship had a fighting chance to become their Senate nominee. If the name rings a bell, its because Blankenship was the big-time CEO of Massey Energy, the coal mining company found responsible for the 2010 Upper Big Branch Mine explosion that killed 29 miners. Massey served a year in prison for his companys negligence, and was released last year.
Ever since, hes been seeking revenge, saying it was politicians that blew up that mine and then put me in prison.
Blankenship ran on an anti-establishment platform, claiming he was Trumpier than Trump. Blankenship also accused Senate leader Mitch McConnell of having ties to drug cartels. McConnell is married to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, whose father, a Chinese immigrant, founded the New York shipping company, Foremost Group. In 2014, cocaine was discovered on one of its tankers traveling from Colombia to the Netherlands.
Hence, Cocaine Mitch, and his China people, according to Blankenship.
Fortunately, Blankenship was soundly defeated.
But that doesnt mean his tactics were. No one in leadership, for example, including McConnell, called out Blankenship for his racial slurs.
In fact, political operatives are urging their candidates to turn up their fury on the trail, according to a recent article in the Washington Post.
Why?
Because those feelings of anger and frustration spur people to vote.
THERES A REAL
danger to society if kindness and compassion dont make the headlines.
I hate to think what the Register would be like if all we did was print doom and gloom. In a look back at just this weeks papers, for instance, we gave in-depth interviews with the 10 Iola High School students graduating as valedictorians. Humboldt High Schools journalism program made our front page for its amazing run at winning the sweepstakes at state. We celebrated the news that Morans Marmaton Market is about to open. We highlighted the efforts of Iolan Alana Kinzle to create a memorial garden on the courthouse square. We featured pictures of school concerts, honor flights to Washington, D.C., time capsules and field trips. And we noted the successes of local ball teams and track and field events.
No, we dont go out of the way to print good news. We dont have to.
Its all around us. And dont let politicians tell you any different.
Collectively, we have the power to dictate the tenor of public discourse. In 2016, we allowed it to nosedive.
