This Is Directed to Diane Sawyer. Yes, Harlan Co. Ky. has a high drug rate. An like any place in America there is poverty. I know at the beganning of the show you spoke of the sterio types in these town you reported on. Then you turned around an made Southeastern Kentucky look like all of us that live here are like these few familys that you drug out out of the mountains. I'm very affended by the familys you profiled. An I want you to understand why. I always looked up to you, An let me tell you something Ms. Sawyer I have battled a suvier drug addiction. I broke my back an was told that oxycotin was not additive, but since then I have beat that addition. An managed to raise two children, buy a home for them. An provided them with a great lifestyle. I have had hard times, but I have always had the bills payed, an food on the table, cheerleading uniforms, bookfair, whatever I have provided. I might not have much. I have always provided I have faith in God an I have never Concidered myself poor. So, thank you for not showing the success storys of our town. Thank you for making the sterio type worse. Next time you deside to do a story thank about the Chidren of The Mountains that look at ther parent an ask " Does america think we are all like that?"

i do not think all of america thinks the state or eastern ky is like the show.  i knew there were people like this in our very own state of kentucky.  plenty of people do not.  my husband was watching too, along with the kids, they seem to be shocked that this was happening right here.  anyway, i hope everything in your life will continue to improve as well as the poor lil' children of ky.

I grew up in Harlan, Kentucky and graduated from HHS in 1999.  I graduated from Southeast Community College in 2000.  Now I live in the Philadelphia area.

There are no social problems that exist in Southeastern Kentucky that do not exist here in the fifth largest city in America.  In the inner city is where poor education, high school dropouts, poverty, poor health, drugs, and even such things as child abuse and incest are MAJOR problems.  A lady I work with also works as a social worker in Center City Philadelphia, and she said that incest is especially a huge problem there becuase of kids who are left without supervision and perverted adults who take advantage of younger relatives.

Don't sensationalize Kentucky and further stereotypes that we have been trying to shake for decades. 

      You know will, I came from a great family. If you graduated from Harlan High. you probaly know my family. They taught there for 25 years. Last name Haley. An they have always stood by my. I never was hooked on Mountain Dew. But if they want to break the sterio type. They should have to do a retraction on a real success story I could tell them a frw. Oh yeah, why did they not meantion that narcotics rot out your teeth. That is a scientific fact. You know when I was doing drugs, my children always had plenty of food, clothes, dipers, ect. Did you notice in the segment when them children was doing without food. Every adult had a cigarette hanging out of there mouth? Almost sounds like social sevices should be making sure the food stamps ain't being sold. An are going just on the children they are for. That was my breaking point in the drug world. I seen people taking there childrens money, giving away there children ,an prostution for a few dollars at a time. It's a sad life for the children. Thankfully I had GOD in my heart an I loved my family, an they they loved me. I was one of the lucky people. Not just in Harlan Co., but it the world!  

In addition to putting your faith in God, you should try a little faith in spell check.

For here in Illinois. I do apalogize for not usng spell check. I mean that's one of the most important things in the world. I mean it should be right up  there with war, world hunger,  the drug addiction,  an the horrible things that there doing to the envirament. Or was it the fact that I mentionad the Lord Jesus Christ. Are yiu a atheist. If so don't worry I'm not trying to push my religion on you. I just know how good he has been to me. An if the people of the world would find something good an pure to believe in this world would be a better place. Don't you?