The story they won’t tell By Randall Risner They are the gate keepers of history, the deciders of our place in history. By and large they are not of us nor do they understand us but these sages are so sure of their superiority over us that they brush aside any attempt we might make to write our own history. Therein lies the problem, those that even bother to write about Appalachia often do so through the fog of prejudice. They often come here to see who we are but they see only what they expect and see and not the rich diversity of our culture. The image of an uncouth ignorant hillbilly is so ingrained in their psyche that they never see us for what we are. We Appalachians are the offspring of hardy pioneer stock who had the courage to push into the wilderness. We wrote history on the Frontier and we were first in the service of our Country. We are unmatched in the fields of music and art. Some of the greatest men and women of our time are rooted here in these hills. The story they want tell is that Eastern Kentucky has a history just as riveting as the fabled Bluegrass. They want tell you that our culture is more compelling and less diluted than they can admit. If only we can replace the stigma of being Appalachian with the fact that we are a people entitled to great pride in our heritage that hold the keys that can unlock enormous economic impact for our state and our region. When we can do that maybe our history will receive the respect it deserves. I will relate an insight on how we continue to be slighted. There was a program on TV last week concerning Col Ezekiel Field Clay the Confederate Commander at the battle of Puncheon. I understand it was very informative right down to the fact that Col Clay got his right eye shot out in battle. What it failed to inform viewers was where that battle took place. I would give odds that had his injury occurred at Gettysburg it would have been mentioned. The fact that it happened on Puncheon creek must have seemed unworthy to tell. The program told of his capture and where he was taken but not that he was captured on Puncheon Creek or that Col Clay was taken to Johnson’s Island POW Camp on Lake Erie near Sandusky Ohio by Magoffin’s very own Elijah Patrick, that wasn’t mentioned either. Time has proven that they are not going to tell our story because they can not. They neither know nor understand us enough to do so. We must claim our own identity and tell our own story. That is why our reenactments are important; they are living history of what happened here. That is why we seek to build a Civil War Park at South Magoffin; among the many benefits it will tell our story. But we can not blame everything on them. We must shoulder some of the blame for how we have been portrayed. Every time someone trashes our environment they fuel the flames that burn us. If we truly desire respect from the rest of the Country we must respect the natural wonder we live in. Hundreds of thousands of visitors with millions of dollars to spend want to come here to spend it if we will allow them the pleasure of a clean safe environment. Don’t say it can’t be done. I remember going to the Smokey Mountains nearly 40 years ago and seeing squalor, you will not see that now so it can be done. The Red River Gorge is another example, when I first went there I was advised not to leave my car unattended and certainly not visit the remotest areas alone. That has also been remedied so it can be done. The story they want tell is our story, the telling is up to us. Let us make it a true reflection of what it means to have roots that run generations deep in fertile Appalachian soil. We can do it in subtle ways by not trashing our beautiful hills and we can do it in bold ways like welcoming visitors to the Dawkin’s Trail. We can share our history at the Battle of Puncheon/Half Mountain Park and best of all we have every right to be proud to be called Appalachian.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 03:51:14 +0000
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