This is an excerpt from the CNN website...

Rescued miners give thanks

Bush to meet with miners, salute 'spirit of America'

August 5, 2002 Posted: 12:26 AM EDT (0426 GMT)

SOMERSET, Pennsylvania, (CNN) -- The town that held its breath for 77 hours as the nation watched a week ago lifted its voice in thankfulness Sunday.

Families and friends of eight of the nine miners lifted to safety in the early hours of last Sunday joined some of those involved in the rescue at the flooded Quecreek mine for a special service at Christ Casebeer Lutheran Church, about 100 yards from the rescue center.

Ten miners helmets represented the nine miners and God. The lamps on each one was turned on as "Morning Has Broken" was sung by a soloist.

The congregation heard readings from Psalms, Romans and St. John's gospel by local ministers from several denominations.

At one point, Rev. Dennis Doebler of the Christ Casebeer Lutheran Church turned to the miners and said, "It is you that give us faith," and the congregation broke into applause.

Hundreds of rescue workers toiled for three days to lower the water and drill rescue shafts to the nine men cut off in a flooded seen.

It was only after the rescue shaft broke through to the men that rescuers on the surface could drop a radio phone to the men and discovered that all nine were alive and in good shape."

OK, up to this point, I'm thinking, "Hey, what a nice expression of faith. These men are giving thanks to God for their miraculous rescue."

But, the article continues...

"Over the weekend, the Walt Disney Co. bought the rights to the miners story. Eight of the miners stood behind the altar for pictures after the service.

"They have sold all of their rights," attorney Barbara L. Weiss, who represents the miners, told CNN in a telephone interview Saturday.

The Associated Press reported that each man would receive $150,000.

It was also announced Sunday that President Bush would meet with the men and their families Monday in a visit to Pittsburgh designed to salute the "spirit of America," a senior administration official said."

I find it a bit humorous that these guys sold-out to Disney. Maybe the article's cynical author wanted to help us make the conclusion that selling-out is part of what makes the "spirit of America." This leaves me wondering, though:

1) Was the interreligious ceremony suggested by a team of Disney writers?

2) With these miners pocketing checks from Disney, who is paying all of the costs incurred by the rescue effort? Pennsylvania taxpayers?

Enjoy,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), August 04, 2002

Answers

top

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), August 04, 2002.

PS,

Just to make things clear, I would have probably done the same thing as each of the miners (ie. pocket $150,000). I just thought that the article was pretty funny.

Enjoy,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), August 05, 2002.

The 'spirit of America' has to be dig at the money. I can hardly take the high moral ground on money issues but its definetly one for the "only in America" file.

) Was the interreligious ceremony suggested by a team of Disney writers? Nothing would surprise me.

2) With these miners pocketing checks from Disney, who is paying all of the costs incurred by the rescue effort? Pennsylvania taxpayers?

Those taxpayers should sleep easy.That rescue effort has paid for itself. The local rescue services have had their 15 mins of fame- something to tell the grandkids about. Its put Pennsylvania on the map, and lets be honest when was the last time it made the world pages! Think of the tourism- Pennsylvania adventure capital of the world!

It reminds me of the movie "Blackhawk Down" in a cynical way. Think of the immeasurable boost 300 million(?) Americans felt when they saw those men being lifted out, how can you put a price on such patriotic fevour!

I of course wouldnt be surprised if it was a CIA idea to boost public moral before a little war in Iraq. But Emerald is our resident conspiracy man!

Blessings

-- kiwi (csisherwood@hotmail.com), August 05, 2002.

I think the word I was looking for was morale not moral1

-- (csisherwood@hotmail.com), August 05, 2002.

I can't speak for these miners because I have not been in their shoes. I have no idea what it must have been like for them knowing that they may die without ever having seen their families.

As you know, they all wrote good-bye letters to their families. Mining is a tough job, I certainly would not want to have to make a living that way.

So, they sold their story to Disney for $150,000 each...I don't think miners are rich people and $150,000 is a lot of money and they could probably use it. I'm sure many do not even want to continue with that kind of work. They all have families and kids to educate.

I think you are being quite judgemental here. The true spirit of America is how the rescue team came through for these men, how they did not give up, how the country 'prayed' for the miners and how the power of prayer works.

They did not forget to thank God, did they? They didn't just take the money, they thanked God first and God Bless them and God bless our country for all the people that stood by and never gave up hope for one minute.

They are grateful people and the rescue workers, and those who stood by and prayed are a good example of a united America. I say God Bless them and their families, God Bless all those who prayed, who did not give up hope - they are a good example for us all.

I pray they put that money to good use, I pray that their children can now get a good education so they do not have to do that kind of work for a living. I wish they received more, but I think they are grateful for the gift of life and the power of prayer!

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), August 05, 2002.

MaryLu writes:

"I think you are being quite judgemental here."

MaryLu, you may want to reread my last post...the one where I said I'd do the same thing. If I were being judgmental, I certainly wouldn't have said that.

Thinking about these miners, if there is an injustice that the miners are underpaid (as most will agree), then why don't all miners get more money for their children's education, not just nine guys who survived this hellish ordeal?

This reminds me of something that a friend forwarded to me a month ago regarding the 9/11 victims.

"What's a Military Family Worth? by Rush Limbaugh, March 11, 2002

I think the vast differences in compensation between the victims of the September 11th casualty, and those who die serving the country in uniform, are profound.

No one is really talking about it either because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11th.

Well, I just can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of this country.

If you lost a family member in the September 11th attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.

If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.

Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs.

If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry.

And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.

Keep in mind that some of the people that are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough.

We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11th families are getting.

In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.

You see where this is going, don't you?

Folks, this is part and parcel of over fifty years of entitlement politics in this country.

It's just really sad.

"Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotion but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime."-Adlai E. Stevenson, Jr.

Every time when a pay raise comes up for the military they usually receive next to nothing of a raise.

Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low rent housing.

However our own U.S. Congress just voted themselves a raise, and many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress onetime to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month and most are now equal to be millionaires plus.

They also do not receive Social Security on retirement because they didn't have to pay into the system.

If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7 you may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed you in harms way receive a pension of $15,000 per month.

I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting.

'When do we finally do something about this?'"

Enjoy,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), August 05, 2002.

"We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11th families are getting."

Heck yah! And if my daughter was raped and murdered, I would demand the same check. Why should those (9/11) families become millionaires off of international terrorists, when families all over don't even get the funeral paid for when their children are *terrorized* by nationals!?! I don't want to make light of what happened on 9/11, but lets not look so much at the micro-scale and more at the macro. The reason there is this big pay of is because of the size of the incident, correct? But primarily because it all happened at once. Now, over a period of say 1 year; how many children are brutally raped, suffer, and then are murdered? I don't want to sound like I'm insensitive. I truly grieve for those hurt because of the 9/11 attack. However, they are turning something bad into something worse when they make it a profit deal. Just another way to earn a buck.

God, give those hurt during 9/11 the grace to use their money in a way that will not only benefit themselves, but those who are still attacked by terrorism (of all kinds) today. Amen.

In Christ.

-- Jake Huether (jake.huether@lamrc.com), August 05, 2002.

Jake writes:

"The reason there is this big pay of is because of the size of the incident, correct?"

I guess the main reason for the high payments for the 9/11 victims' families is because of the generosity of the all the people who (out of compassion) sent in money to the fund.

But, this is the world we live in.

Every loss of life is a tragedy. Why don't the families of kidnapping victims get $1,000,000?

Every crime (spousal abuse, child abuse, rape, robbery, etc) is a tragedy. Why doesn't every abused spouse get $1,000,000? Why doesn't every rape victim get $1,000,000?

Every physical ailment is a tragedy. Why doesn't each victim of diabetes get $1,000,000?

Are cash payments the solution to everything we Americans face? Can turning tragedies into money-making opportunities help in the healing process?

I wish I had a magic wand so I could make all the injustices of the world go away. I wish that I (or anyone) had a clue how to get rid of the inequities that are in this world.

Jesus isn't coming as a revolutionary who promises economic equality to all (as many socialist/leftists may wish). This is a false expectation. Just as, 2000 years ago, the Jewish people expected their savior to come as a great king/general.

Jesus Christ brings us all infinite love from the God, and the invitation for eternal peace and joy with God in Heaven.

In Christ,

Mateo

-- (MattElFeo@netscape.net), August 05, 2002.

First off, I copied this from a parish bulletin (that is, I PARAPHRASED it, all you get is what my feeble memory stored or recreated).

The athiest and the bear:

An athiest was walking in the woods, appreciating the beauty that evolution had wrought when he heard a rustling behind him, and turning around saw a large and hungry grizzly bear running right at him! He started running, and went up a hill, but the bear kept gaining. He went down a hill, but the bear STILL kept gaining. He was extremely frightened at this point, and when he turned his head to see how close the bear was, he turned his ankle on a tree root and fell. As the bear was looming up on him, he said, "Oh God, save me!"

Suddenly time stopped, the bear froze, the river quit flowing, the wind quit blowing, and the man heard the Lord say, "So man, your whole life you have denied me and convinced others of your brothers to do the same, do you really want me to save your life now?"

The crafty man looked up at the charging bear and thought for a minute and said, "no, that would be asking too much, but if you could, make the bear a Christian." The Lord replied, "As you wish."

Time resumed, the angry bear halted his charge and an angelic look came on his face he walked right up to the man who seemed unsure of the bear's intent, but appeared quite relieved when the bear folded it's paws in prayer.

Being an athiest, the bear's prayer didn't make sense to him. He had heard of the "Our Father", but why did the bear pray, "Bless us o Lord for these Thy gifts for which we are about to receive...?"

Frank

-- Someone (ChimingIn@twocents.cam), August 05, 2002.

You're absolutely right, Mateo. Thank you.

Frank,

That was funny! I almost laughed out loud at work. Thanks!

In Christ.

-- Jake Huether (jake.huether@lamrc.com), August 05, 2002.

Sorry, Mateo...kind of rushed through the reading this morning.

Everyone has a price, Mateo....greed is the name of the game - 9/11...

I am not a very good debater so I will not go on with my opinions....

I will stick to my little prayers and comments now and then... :)

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), August 05, 2002.

Sorry, Mateo...kind of rushed through the reading this morning.

Everyone has a price, Mateo....greed is the name of the game - 9/11...

I am not a very good debater so I will not go on with my opinions....

I will stick to my little prayers and comments now and then. :)

MaryLu

-- MaryLu (mlc327@juno.com), August 05, 2002.