The Poisoning of Flint Was Not an Accident - It Was a Crime

[KamaAina]

I wish Pitt would come back.

http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/34553-the-poisoning-of-flint-was-not-an-accident-it-was-a-crime

What does lead do to the human body? Infants and small children can suffer brain and nervous system damage, weakened immune systems and general physical collapse that can lead to death. Pregnant women have a higher risk of stillbirth or miscarriage. A raft of studies has pretty much concluded that lead can cause cancer. It causes cardiovascular diseases and kidney damage which, like cancer, can also kill. The people of Flint, Michigan, are now subject to all of these impacts and more, due to the lead in their water.

The people of Flint and other surrounding towns have been drinking, cooking with and bathing in lead-poisoned water for two years. More than 8,000 children have been exposed along with tens of thousands of other people. This was not an accident. This was a crime committed against a predominantly Black, predominately poor population that Michigan's Republican Gov. Rick Snyder couldn't give less of a damn about.

The story in short: In order to "save money," Governor Snyder's hand-picked emergency manager (read: hatchetman) decided to change Flint's water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River. That "save money" claim, however, has been brought into serious question by reports that Flint would have actually saved money if they stayed on the Huron line. There have been allegations that Governor Snyder made the switch in order to undermine the Detroit Water and Sewerage Department so he could ultimately privatize it. Others suggest his motivation was founded in a desire to open up new areas for fracking. The governor has made no comment on these allegations. One thing seems clear: This decision appears to have little to do with "saving money."

If you tried to jump into the Flint River, you'd bounce off the surface. General Motors used the river as its personal dumping ground for decades; it is highly polluted, and more importantly is highly acidic. When Flint River water began flowing through Michigan's ancient water supply system, it stripped the lead right off the pipes and delivered it to thousands of homes.

[Octafish]

1. Pitt's article is well written.

Guy keeps getting better with time.

Miss him, too, KamaAina.

[appal_jack]

2. I am reminded of a Dead Prez song from 2000:

Imagine havin no runnin water to drink
Chemicals contaminate the pipes leadin to your sink
Just think, if the grocery stores close they doors
And they saturate the streets with tanks and start martial law
Would you be ready for civil war?
Could you take the life of somebody you know
Or have feelings for if necessary?

Out of their three hypotheticals from sixteen years ago, one-and-a-half have happened to the citizens of Flint (I consider the imposition of unelected emergency managers a gentler form of dictatorship, with no tanks or other martial fanfare needed).

How much more can citizens be expected to take?

I DON'T want a civil war. I want a responsive, democratic, Constitutional republic. But every spread of the fascist cancer embodied by Gov. Snyder and his ilk makes violence more likely.

I agree that Pitt should come back.

k&r

-app

[questionseverything]

3. it is a crime and the fbi should be on it

is there any federal investigation?

[hfojvt]

4. is the lead in their water

worse than the lead I was exposed to as a kid?

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/01/raw-data-lead-poisoning-kids-flint

edit, I noticed that some articles say the average water bill in Flint is $140 a month. Damn.

And also that the city/water department is not in good shape.

[KamaAina]

5. And they're still billing people!!!