Coal rally: A ​‘call to arms’?

Regardless of where you come down in the great debate over political civility, it’s clear that there will be, at least temporarily, increased awareness of, and sensitivity to, the use of violent metaphors.

So when you conflate your pro-coal rally to an armed conflict, it’s reasonable to expect that people are going to take notice.

Following a tip, Ken Ward Jr., a reporter for the Charleston Gazette, grabbed a screenshot of this banner from the Friends of Coal website promoting a ​“rally for coal” at the West Virginia state capitol:

Ward contacted Bill Raney, the president of the West Virginia Coal Association, who insisted the phrase ​“A CALL TO ARMS!” was just a ​“figure of speech,” and ​“there probably wasn’t that much thought put into it.”

After some thought was put into it, the banner was changed thusly:

Admittedly, ​“Alert! Alert! Alert!” doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. But it shows it is possible to motivate people without sounding like you’re getting ready to invade Normandy.

(h/​t Randy Francisco)