Dail Cantrell, who has done so much over the years to keep us in the fight to stop the Rogers Group, had to be at a school board meeting last week when we met at the Museum of Appalachia. So he wrote this letter for us, and Trish Warren read it at the opening of our meeting.
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I was in court the other morning shortly after the most recent hearing opposing the Roger’s Group’s attempts at reopening the abandoned quarry. Several of the local attorneys asked me if we were just “tilting at windmills.” It was their learned opinion that a little Baptist Church, and a small group of citizens, had no way to oppose a multi-billion dollar entity like The Roger’s Group. They then asked the question why I still cared so much.
I remember being a small child back in the early 70’s when the quarry was opened to complete the work on Interstate 75. Our family were members of Bethel Baptist Church, and where we lived we could hear the almost constant blasting of rock.
The people who owned the quarry, and the County Commission, promised the church, and the citizens that it affected at the time, that once the Interstate was finished the quarry would be permanently closed.
The people who owned the quarry; the local government officials; and the people that were most affected by the opening of the quarry were all able to come together without the aid of lawyers, or courts, and reach an agreement that was in the best interest of everyone. For the next twenty (20) years people honored their word.
On August 5, 1994, a business entity identified as Turner & Company, Inc., obtained options to purchase four (4) pieces of property, one (1) of which contained the abandoned quarry site. No one knew at the time that this entity was a front for The Roger’s Group, or that anyone was thinking about opening the quarry.
That winter I received a call from two (2) people who I loved very much. One was Lena Newman, a matriarch at Bethel Baptist Church. For years she ran Vacation Bible School and was my all-time favorite Sunday School teacher. The other was Carl Keith, my dad’s first cousin, and the Chairman of the Deacons at Bethel Church. They called me on a Sunday afternoon to come to a meeting where a representative from The Roger’s Group made the first public proposal about reopening the quarry.
The church was packed that evening, and the attorneys for The Roger’s Group put on a “dog and pony show” that talked about how great the quarry and the asphalt plant would be for our community. Fortunately, no one bought it. When the meeting was over Ms. Newman and Mr. Keith asked me if I would help the citizens oppose the quarry. We didn’t have any money, and that evening we began our twenty (20) year fight to protect the community in which we all live, and we all love.
The Roger’s Group has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars with public relations firms; attorneys; and bullying tactics trying to get this small group of citizens to give up their fight. Every legal victory that we obtained was met with a press release from The Roger’s Group talking about how our efforts were futile, and that the quarry would be opened soon. Year after year went by, and still we persevered. And the quarry remained closed.
Time has claimed many of the original group that opposed the quarry. We have lost Ms. Newman, Mr. Keith, and several other members of the community that fought so hard for so long. Thankfully, others have stepped up to take their place, and the fight continues.
When it became apparent to The Roger’s Group that we were going to win in the courts, it changed its tactics and went the political route. They were able to convince a group of City Councilmen to allow them to “spot zone” the property, and attempted to annex across the Interstate. Even with the political tide turning against us, this small group of citizens still fought.
I still believe in this fight. I believe in this cause, and I believe that what The Roger’s Group is attempting to do is wrong. There is no other word for it. All of the excuses, legal wrangling, and attacks will not change the fact that what they are attempting to do is wrong.
The reason that I still fight is because of the people who fought before me. The reason I still fight is because I trust the wisdom of my elders, the teaching of my pastor and professors, and the passion of those who want to protect their home. It is how I honor them.
The reason I still fight can best be summed up by the famous quote: “All that’s necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men to do nothing.”
At the end of the day I will be measured and judged by what I chose to do during the time that I was here. Twenty (20) years ago I chose to fight, and even though I am older, more tired, and my hair is a lot more gray, I still believe in what these citizens and this church are doing to protect their homes.
As long as we continue to fight we have a chance.
Sincerely, Dail R. Cantrell
