Sorrow Bear

Debbie: I heard that there is a great problem with Strip-Mining. The tops of mountains are actually being removed to get to the coal buried deep inside. Some people are losing their homes. Some people have had their homes damaged. Some people have had their homes vandalized in an effort to make them agree to sell their land and move away. Toxic sludge is damaging their drinking water. Many other bad things are happening. The one comfort is that all those people have a voice. They can speak out and help the world to understand what is happening.

But what about the animals? Who will speak for the animals who are also having their homes destroyed? Who will speak for the animals who have lost their lives due to strip-mining? For example, have you ever seen the YouTube Show called "The Bears of Shumate Hollow" created by Ed Wiley?

Several Black Bears got buried in their dens or routed out of their homes. Many cubs were left as orphans. The bulldozer workers were not allowed to move bears to safety as they were only supposed to move dirt.

Thanks to strip mining and other man-created disasters, animals are losing their homes and sometimes their lives.

Where are you going to put the animals who do survive? In the zoos? In nature preserves or sanctuaries? Will the animals be forced to wander and forage for food in the suburbs? Those animals are walking that Trail of Tears. Who will be their voice? Who will speak for them? At least the Indians were given some land. It wasn't great land. But it was land. Where will the animals live once their homes have been destroyed? How will they even find out where to go? How will they get there? Who will help them?

What about the horrible flood that happened in Buffalo Creek? 125 people of all ages were killed by the flood, and over 4000 people were left homeless. What about the animals? In the frenzy to help the people, did anyone think to help the animals?

With natural disasters, many people and animals lose their homes. But with man-created disasters, it is just not fair. Who will speak for them? Who will save them? Who will protect them? Anybody? Anybody? Help, please. Help them! Help us help them!

Imagine if the animals could speak. If some of the animals who lost their lives in Shumate Hollow could speak, what do you imagine they would say? Is there a Black Bear from Shumate Hollow who would like to tell his or her tale?

Sorrow Bear: I will step forward and take part. I am a bear mother who was buried in her den at Shumate Hollow. I died knowing that my two cubs were either going to die in the den with me or were going to have to fend for themselves outside the den with no mother or father to watch over them. You can call me Sorrow Bear. I wish to tell my tale.

Debbie: I am so sorry, Sorrow Bear. Please share your story with us.

Sorrow Bear: I was just waking up from my long winter's nap in Shumate Hollow, my two cubs nestled at my side. They had been born in the month of January. It was April now. I was feeling a little groggy; however, I heard a strange sound outside. Pushing my cubs deeper into the den for safety, I stuck my head out of my den. I looked all around in puzzlement. It didn't even look like the same place. The trees and bushes and grass were gone. Just about everywhere I looked was nothing but dirt. Plus, that sound seemed to be getting even louder. I moved further out of the den and looked all around. That's when I saw it. There was a large motorized vehicle coming toward me, with a huge shovel-like object up front. It was pushing dirt and large rocks out of the way. I didn't know it was called a bulldozer, but that is what it was. It was getting closer and closer. There were no trees to run and hide behind or to climb to escape this monster. Besides, I couldn't desert my precious little cubs. I ran back inside. I gathered my cubs as close to me as I could get. I planned to protect them at all costs. Suddenly, my den started caving in. Dirt and debris came pouring down on my head. I could hardly breathe. I thought about trying to push my cubs out of the den to keep them safe. Then I remembered that there was that mean motorized monster out there. More and more dirt and debris fell on my head. My cubs and I were being buried in all that dirt. The sound was more muffled now as dirt was falling into my ears, my mouth, my nose. I heard my cubs bleating in fear. I so longed to save them. They opened up to breathe in air. They gulped dirt instead. Then they stopped making any kind of sound at all. I knew they were dead. I cried out my agony and anger and fear and sorrow. Dirt filled my mouth and my throat. So much dirt fell in that I could not even close my mouth against it. I too was no longer able to make any kind of sound or movement at all. I died knowing that I had failed as a mother. It was my duty to protect them from all danger. And I failed my babies. I failed myself. I was so filled with sorrow that I forgot that I ever had any other identity than this. My name is now and forever will be Sorrow Bear. Who will speak for me? Who will speak for my baby cubs? Who will speak for other mother bears and their cubs? Who will speak for all bears everywhere? Will it be you? What about you? Or you? Please let it be you. Please speak for me. Please speak for all bears everywhere. Please.

Debbie: I will speak for you. I will share your story with as many people as I can. Do you mind answering some questions?

Sorrow Bear: Yes, I will answer as many questions as you care to ask?

Debbie: Where are you now?

Sorrow Bear: I am in Bear Heaven.

Debbie: What is Bear Heaven like?

Sorrow Bear: I'm not certain what the real Bear Heaven is like as I live on the outskirts of Bear Heaven.

Debbie: Why can't you go to the real Bear Heaven?

Sorrow Bear: I was invited to go. I was even urged to go, but I just can't. I failed as a mother. I was not able to save my cubs. I was not able to save myself. I do not deserve to go to real Bear Heaven.

Debbie: Sorrow Bear, Dearheart, it was not your fault. There was nothing you could have done to save your dear little Bear cubs. There was nothing you could do to save yourself. It was not your fault at all. Do you understand that? Does that make sense?

Sorrow Bear: Yes, I hear what you are saying. That is the same things delegations of Bears from the center of Bear Heaven have tried to tell me as well. But I just can't. Not right now anyway. Maybe someday. But not now. How can I rest when I know that there are dozens, perhaps hundreds of Bears in danger due to that thing called Strip-Mining and Mountaintop Removal? Even the Grizzly Bears, who always scared me when I was alive, are in trouble. I am choosing to stay on the outskirts of Bear Heaven until you and others can get the word out to save the Bears, all the Bears, Save the Mountains, and Save the Earth.

Debbie: That is a heavy sacrifice you are making, but I think I understand a little of what you are feeling. By the way, where are your Cubs now?

Sorrow Bear: At first, they were on the outskirts of Bear Heaven with me. But when those delegations of Bears came to invite us to come join them in the center of Bear Heaven, I saw my Mama Bear, my Grandmother Bear, and my Great Grandmother Bear among them. I decided my cubs would be much better off if they could go with my kinfolk to the real Bear Heaven. I gave them a hug good-bye. I told them I loved them. Then I told them to go.

Debbie: Have you seen them since?

Sorrow Bear: Yes, my kinfolk come back every now and then to visit. They bring my baby cubs along as well. They are getting bigger now. They are looking fine. They may have died on Earth, but they are alive up here in Bear Heaven.

Debbie: That is good news. Does anybody else live on the outskirts of Bear Heaven with you?

Sorrow Bear: Yes, some of the other Bears who have died in Shumate Hollow and other man-created disasters live here, at least for a little while. I guess you could say that I am turning into a welcoming committee of one. I welcome them. I try to make them feel at home. I listen to their stories. Always, always, a delegation appears who invites them to go to the center of Bear Heaven. Some go. Some decide to stay.

Debbie: Are you still the only one?

Sorrow Bear: No, there are three of us now who try to help the other Bears when they lose their lives due to some natural or man-created disaster. I like those other two Bears very much. One of them calls himself Martyr Bear because he died trying to save his baby cub from a hunter. The other one calls herself Holy Bear. She died due to being poked through with so many holes and other forms of torture due to animal testing.

Debbie: Sorrow Bear, can you and Martyr Bear and Holy Bear feel the love of the activists who are trying to help you?

Sorrow Bear: Is that what that is? I was wondering what to call that force field that sometimes trickled in and sometimes poured in. When I first came here, I was literally on the very edge of Heaven. Then a field of warmth filled the space where I was. It was so warm and so comforting that it literally pushed me away from the edge and in the direction of the center of Bear Heaven.

To be continued . . .

Resources:

Ed Wiley's YouTube show called "The Bears of Shumate Hollow - http://youtube.com/watch?v=prrUXAgvol0

Ed Wiley's Blog on creating a positive change - http://auroralightsblog.blogspot.com/2007/07/black-bears-bulldozed-in-west-virginia.html

Coal River Mountain, WV: Coal River Wind Project - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Ce7I6nXIw

Gauley Mountain, WV: the town of Ansted - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cW9dni4r9y8

Toxic West Virginia: Mountaintop Removal- Episode 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziuFW-7h1LM

Mountain Top Removal- Kayford Mountain, West Virginia - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhmmXlpg2H0

Song of Buffalo Creek Disaster. Coal dam break leads to flood - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntDd_P_ed1Y

Modern Marvels: The Buffalo Creek Disaster - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMcKyLcQWvQ

A Survivor's Narrative - Buffalo Creek Flood Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87xKIIALOII

A Survivor's Narrative - Buffalo Creek Flood Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sn9Fd3TieCs

A Survivor's Narrative - Buffalo Creek Flood Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgdFcLvQfe4

A Survivor's Narrative - Buffalo Creek Flood Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kzWoYJ1PRk