March on Zeb Mountain!
STOP STRIP MINING TENNESSEE’S WATERSHEDS!
United Mountain Defense, Mountain Justice and Three Rivers Earth First! ask you to march with us for Appalachia. This is a call for you to take a Sunday out of your life to help preserve some of the oldest mountains and watersheds on Earth. March with us in solidarity against the watershed annihilation machine known as mountain top removal. This is a call not for any organization or group—but for the Mountains of Tennessee.
When: Sunday, July 20th at 1:00p.m.
The march will begin with a family friendly gathering and prayer in the parking lot. Participants will then march 1/8 of a mile to the gate of National Coal. A prayer will be lead at the gate and at this time citizen who feel called to participate in non-violent civil acts of conscience will have the opportunity to walk across the gate of National Coal. If you would like to follow the examples of Martin Luther King, Gandhi, and Thoreau by participating in this part of the march then you must come to the non-violence training the day before.
Non-Violence Training will take place on Saturday, July 19th at 1:00p.m. at the University Of Tennessee in the Earth Science Building Room 400.
Where: March at Zeb Mountain, Campbell Co. TN
Directions from Knoxville and points South:
* Take Interstate 75 NorthTake Oneida/ Huntsville Exit/ Hwy 63
* Go West of Interstate 75 about 6 miles
* Turn Right on Hwy 297 @ Pioneer Post Office
* Go 3 miles turn left onto Lick Fork Rd
* Find a parking spot
Directions from Lexington and points North:
* Take Interstate 75 South
* Take Oneida/ Huntsville Exit/ Hwy 63
* Go West of Interstate 75 about 6 miles
* Turn Right on Hwy 297 @ Pioneer Post Office
* Go 3 miles turn left onto Lick Fork Rd
* Find a parking spot
Directions from Asheville and points East:
* Take Interstate 40 West
* Take Interstate/ bypass 640 West around Knoxville
* Take Interstate 75 North
* Take Oneida/ Huntsville Exit/ Hwy 63
* Go West of Interstate 75 about 6 miles
* Turn Right on Hwy 297 @ Pioneer Post Office
* Go 3 miles turn left onto Lick Fork Rd
* Find a parking spot
Directions from Nashville and points West:
* Take Interstate 40 East
* Take Interstate/ bypass 640 East around Knoxville
* Take Interstate 75 North
* Take Oneida/ Huntsville Exit/ Hwy 63
* Go West of Interstate 75 about 6 miles
* Turn Right on Hwy 297 @ Pioneer Post Office
* Go 3 miles turn left onto Lick Fork Rd
* Find a parking spot
Send housing requests or questions to umdvolunteerhouse@yahoo.com
ZEB MOUNTAIN
National Coal is the strip mine corporation blowing up the three peaks of Zeb Mountain for the coal beneath. National Coal has a terrible record of over 50 violations on Zeb Mountain—including one for illegally mining through two streams. National Coal has wrecked the watershed of Zeb Mountain—and the New River Watershed is next if we don’t stop them.
https://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8259449
SUNDQUIST WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
National Coal has bought over 75,000 acres in the nearby Sundquist Wildlife Management Area and has the repeatedly stated intention on increasing its rate of blowing up mountains in this Watershed. Sundquist WMA is 84,000 acres of public access property offering public hunting opportunities for deer, turkey, grouse, and small game.
The Sundquist is a Watershed for the New River. The New River flows into the Cumberland River, which is Nashville’s drinking water source. Some geologists have suggested that this is the oldest watershed on Earth. National Coal is intent on blowing up a watershed that is one of Tennessee’s state capitals sources of drinking water.
https://www.southeasternoutdoors.com/outdoors/hunting/wma/sundquist/sundquist-wma.html
NATIONAL COAL STRIP MINE CORPORATION
National Coal suggests that they are not practicing the “bad mining practices of the past.” National Coal says that they are a kinder gentler strip miner. National Coal would have you ignore the 150-year history of mining in Tennessee.
National Coal suggests that they are not like all of the bad evil strippers in Kentucky, WVA, and South West Virginia. They shake their heads at how bad it is there. National coal would have you ignore what their industry is doing in the other states.
National Coal suggests that they can do a great job “improving” the New River Watershed by blowing it up. National Coal would have you ignore the incredible damage they have done to Zeb Mountain. They would have you ignore your lying eyes.
March with us and stand up to these corporate bullies who with arrogant almost colonialist swagger assume the right to blow up the watersheds and mountains of Tennessee.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
1. Bring an instrument—and learn how to play “Rocky Top”—Tennessee’s state song. Write your own new lyrics to Rocky Top or learn ours.
2. Dress up! Yep—we want you to come in your Sunday best. During the civil rights movement people wore suits and ties all the time—so can we.
3. When all else fails wear orange! We are the people of Tennessee and the song Rocky Top is about us, and so is the color orange. Just by wearing orange you can show that you are from Tennessee—and understand the importance of our mountains to our heritage.
4. Respect. Show respect for the people who drive by, for the people who live here, for the miners—for yourselves and the people you organize with. There will be animal rights activist and hunters, Christians and Atheist, Peace Activist and Military Veterans at this march. Show respect for the mountains by showing respect for the diversity of people that come to defend them.
5. Bring signs showing support for Tennessee’s mountain heritage, watersheds and the Sundquist WMA. We need art, banners, musicians and you. Especially you.
6. Help by playing a support role for the march. We are looking for mature, intelligent individuals to sever as a support team. We need people to serve in the following roles: media liaisons, police liaisons, medics, legal support, artists and musicians, and care team. Please contact us at umdvolulnteerhouse@yahoo.com or 865 689-8976 if you want to volunteer.
The organizations sponsoring this event are committed to nonviolence. Please come, but come with the understanding that this march has a specific focus with specific goals. By participating in this March you are agreeing to our non-violence guidelines and to follow the direction of the organizers of this march. We have formed strong alliances with allies and it is important that we maintain that trust beyond this single march.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
unitedmountaindefense@yahoo.com – general questions
umdvolunteerhouse@yahoo.com – housing, volunteer opportunities, rsvp
Phone: (865) 689-2778
Website: unitedmountaindefense.org.
This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!” Martin Luther King
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