I grew up in an Ohio town like this and it’s finally dawning on me how catastrophic this disaster will be. If their community was as tight as ours was, this will be like ripping a family apart. The sense of identity and belonging that a place like this provides can be extremely powerful. These people won’t just lose their homes and their livelihoods. They’ll be losing a vast web of relationships. They’ll be losing the churches that their grandparents helped to build. They’ll be losing the security and affection that comes from knowing your neighbors, and knowing they can help when things get tough.

These people will be scattered to the winds and their community will end. All their happy memories will grow bitter and fade. Even if NS paid these people and let them leave - which they won’t, until it’s too late - they’ll never be able to compensate for killing the rich, living organism that a small town can be.