Appalachian Stereotypes and Mountain Top Removal

The fight to save Appalachia from absolute devastation by mining companies has, thus far, been a losing battle. As the photographs recently published in Vanity Fair and Audubon so vividly proclaim, Appalachia—the great hidden forest of the United States—is still being laid to waste, mile by mile, despite the work of valiant activists. Although there have been numerous obstacles, the primary reason for failure is wrapped up in the image of Appalachia in the public consciousness. This single hurdle—the image of Appalachia—stands behind, buttressing numerous obstacles to ending mountain top removal mining.