What Now?
Flint, Michigan residents demanded answers for twenty months with more than 274 complaints [which were made public on Wednesday] submitted to city officials about the water conditions in their homes.
Sadly, their voices went unheard, and their complaints went unnoticed until a whistle blower report by a pediatrician about ‘lead in the water’ began to mount up, along with concerns of the color, taste and smell of the water, hit a national newspaper outlet.
Gov. Snyder [a republican] has issued a public apology to calm the unrest of the [predominantly black and poverty stricken] Flint residents, but that’s not enough – says one resident. Angry residents are now testing their children for lead, and the people of Flint are calling for Snyder’s removal from office.
” Everybody knows that this would not have happened in predominantly white Michigan cities like West Bloomfield, or Grosse Pointe, or Ann Arbor. Everybody knows that if there had been two years of taxpayer complaints, and then a year of warnings from scientists and doctors, this would have been fixed in those towns ” – Michael Moore
Read: Depraved Indifference Toward Flint
Melissa Mays spoke with Dr. Oz and CNN yesterday where she talked about her children’s failing immune system due to the lead poisoning that is in her children’s blood stream. “My youngest son literally has no immune system, his white blood cells is at level 4 ” .
Patty Warner says its a whole ‘new normal’ when she wakes up without the use of tap water.
So How Did This Happen?
In an effort to fix the city’s fiscal woes, the city switched their water supplies in April of 2014 which increased from $1 million to $2 million a year. So, here you have residents paying a higher tax for what is suppose to be clean water, yet residents health were crippling by the minute with every digest of the city’s ‘bad water’.
” At Points, The Water Was Found To Have Bacterial Contamination, And Then Disinfectant Use To Kill The Bacteria Caused A Chemical Contamination. Even After Those Problems Were Solved, Many Residents Said The Water Was Bad. – NY Times “
.Katrina stemmed from a natural disaster. #Flint was caused by uncaring, irresponsible men in power. No comparison. No regard 4human lives.
— Tichina Arnold (@TichinaArnold) January 20, 2016
Why we worried about the Oscars? We need to be worried about what’s going on in Flint and Chicago. Mlk didn’t die for shows and trophies.
— Young Jeezy (@Jeezy) January 19, 2016
Former emergency manager, Darnell Earley says the city’s decision to switch their supplier was made prior to his appointment, and thus he shouldn’t be blamed. This seems quite fishy considering that he worked for the governor.
Mayor, Karen Weaver strongly urged for more resources and support be given to the residents of Flint. During her trip to Washington D. C where she met with the President she issued the following to the press.
I’m Glad That We’re Getting The Attention We Deserve. This Is Something That In April That Would Have Been Going On For Two Years That We Haven’t Had Clean And Affordable Water In The City Of Flint.
Our Kids Have Been Damaged By This Lead Poisoning That’s Been Going On And What We’ve Been Doing Is Asking The State To Be Accountable… There’s Money There, And Flint Needs To Be Made A Priority About How These Funds Are Distributed. There’s Been Some Resignations Going On, And There Has Been Some Good First Steps, But That’s Not Enough.
This Is Something That Nobody Should Have To Deal With, Everybody Should Have Clean Water, And Its Just A Travesty! You Know, It’s Ironic When You Live In The Great Lake State, And We Don’t Have Access To Clean Water…. It Continues To Be A Disaster For Us Because We Don’t Know At Which Point We Will Be Able To Drink The Water Yet, So I Hope Other Cities From Around The Country Take Note About What Has Happened In Flint. Start Monitoring Your Water, The Infrastructure, And Don’t Let This Happen Where You Live.
When I think of my daily parenting routine, getting my kids up at sunrise, ordering them to brush their teeth, making them breakfast, preparing their lunch, bathing them before dinner; all of which includes the use of WATER, I’m appalled. Not to mention how often I use and drink water throughout the day. It’s heartbreaking to hear, so I can’t imagine how the people of Flint are coping without WATER. SMH!
As you bathe your children today please recognize the residents of #Flint have been washing their children with bottled water & baby wipes.
— Jeanette Jenkins (@JeanetteJenkins) January 19, 2016
This is not a natural disaster, this is not a mistake, this is clearly some real dirty work going on! unacceptable! Explain Governor? #Flint
— Big Sean (@BigSean) January 19, 2016
In addition to the National Guard, and first responder’s who have been going door-to door to Flint residents to hand out bottled water, a few celebrities have assisted in the donation efforts.
Rapper, Meek Mill donated 60,000 bottles of water to Flint residents on Thurs [Jan. 21] . In response to why he felt the need to donate Meek responded; ‘Its Just Water ‘
Cher has donated over 180,000 bottles of water.
Rapper, Big Sean [a native of Detroit] donated $10,000 of his own money, and has started his Sean Anderson foundation to help the kids in Flint. So for more than $14,000 have been donated thus far. To learn more/ or donate head over to crowdrise.com/bigsean or click here
A group of American Muslims called ‘Who Is Hussain’ has donated 30,000 bottles of water to a donation of drive.
Mayor, Weaver has called upon other celebrities who were birthed in the City of Detroit to lend their support. Eminem, Anita Baker, Stevie Wonder, Kid Rock and more have been called to duty.
Michael Moore: Flint poisoning is a ‘racial crime’ https://t.co/xPTplq76wM
— TIME.com (@TIME) January 21, 2016
One Love PLUMS!