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[WedgeX]

Courtesy the Detroit Free Press.

The Flint drinking water crisis has its root causes in historical and systemic racism, the Michigan Civil Rights Commission said Friday in a hard-hitting report that calls the public health catastrophe " a complete failure of government" and recommends a rewrite of the state's emergency manager law and bias training for state officials.

The report, unanimously adopted at a meeting of the commission at the Northbank Center in downtown Flint, also calls for the creation of a "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" — a model that was used in South Africa after apartheid — as a way of rebuilding government trust and credibility by listening to and addressing specific concerns raised by Flint residents.

...

"Would the Flint water crisis have been allowed to happen in Birmingham, Ann Arbor or East Grand Rapids?" the commission asks in the 135-page report.

"We believe that the answer is no, and that the vestiges of segregation found in Flint made it a unique target."

In a letter to the people of Flint that forms a preface to the report, the commission says Flint residents "have been subjected to unprecedented harm and hardship, much of it caused by structural and systemic discrimination and racism that have corroded your city, your institutions, and your water pipes, for generations."

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission thankfully comes from a more progressive political time in Michigan.

The Michigan Civil Rights Commission was created by the Michigan Constitution of 1963 to carry out the guarantees against discrimination articulated in Article I, Section 2. As further stated in Article V, Section 29, the state constitution directs the Commission to investigate alleged discrimination against any person because of religion, race, color or national origin and to "secure the equal protection of such civil rights without such discrimination". Public Acts 453 and 220 of 1976 and subsequent amendments have added sex, age, marital status, height, weight, arrest record, and physical and mental disabilities to the original four protected categories.

 

[Realyst]

Yep. Pretty blatant case of it, too. I mean, how has the state government NOT put every available resource it has into fixing this issue? They STILL have contaminated water!

 

[killer rin]

Just spend the fucking money and fix the damned problem already. Stop arguing about who's fault it is, you can jail the fuckers who let this happen later. People are being poisoned for crying out loud.

 

[Foffy]

Look at how fast California acted with the damn.

Then consider it's been months since many in Flint have had drinking water in the normal sense the rest of Americans do....

 

[Glix]

Who could have seen this coming?

 

[Chie Satonaka]

Just spend the fucking money and fix the damned problem already. Stop arguing about who's fault it is.

So, you might have missed the point, but like, there's a reason this didn't happen.

 

[Madness]

If Trump wants some goodwill, why not send some millions in aid and clean water to good ole' probably 8th genetation American citizens in Flint, Michigan... but he won't because he doesn't care about poor black Americans.

 

[PandaPandaPanda]

i'm still amazed that this is a thing. I had to google on when this started and it says April 2014. It's been almost 3 years.

It's probably not even on Easy D's or Congress's list due to the area too

 

[Shao Kahn on the Lawn]

Look at how fast California acted with the damn.

Then consider it's been months since many in Flint have had drinking water in the normal sense the rest of Americans do....

Not months. It's been years since Flint has had proper water infrastructure.

 

[Tranqueris]

Well.. At least Rick Snyder can't run for office again next year.

 

[theignoramus]

Can the citizens of Flint bring lawsuits against state government? What's the ACLU doing about this?

 

[FinaruDensetsu]

Look at how fast California acted with the damn.

Then consider it's been months since many in Flint have had drinking water in the normal sense the rest of Americans do....

Yeah but California is also a bad ass state.

 

[Strike]

Is anyone really surprised though?

 

[Glix]

Can the citizens of Flint bring lawsuits against state government? What's the ACLU doing about this?

You sweet summer child

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/09/19/flint-michigan-loses-power-suit/90682380/

 

[MyleMan1010]

As a Michigan resident, it sort of bothers me when people say, "would this happen in Birmingham, Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids?" Of course not. Those cities are quite wealthy with great tax bases and people pay their water bills. Yes there are racial tones involved, but economic constraints and government ineptitude are as much to blame. Saginaw, Bay City, Ypsilanti and many other cities have just as many minorities and their water is fine.

 

[SerTapTap]

We prefer the term 'economic anxiety' now, eh?

 

[Glix]

As a Michigan resident, it sort of bothers me when people say, "would this happen in Birmingham, Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids?" Of course not. Those cities are quite wealthy with great tax bases and people pay their water bills. Yes there are racial tones involved, but economic constraints and government ineptitude are as much to blame. Saginaw, Bay City, Ypsilanti and many other cities have just as many minorities and their water is fine.

Yes there are racial tones involved..but no there arent?

 

[Slayven]

As a Michigan resident, it sort of bothers me when people say, "would this happen in Birmingham, Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids?" Of course not. Those cities are quite wealthy with great tax bases and people pay their water bills. Yes there are racial tones involved, but economic constraints and government ineptitude are as much to blame. Saginaw, Bay City, Ypsilanti and many other cities have just as many minorities and their water is fine.

Clean drinking water in a suppose first world country shouldn't be tied up in red tape.

 

[Cyanity]

If Trump wants some goodwill, why not send some millions in aid and clean water to good ole' probably 8th genetation American citizens in Flint, Michigan... but he won't because he doesn't care about poor black Americans.

Because he's a fucking idiot. Let's be honest here.

 

[Angelus Errare]

Systematic racism is the reason? I for one am shocked!

 

[rootbeerafloat]

no shit

 

[Slayven]

Systematic racism is the reason? I for one am shocked!

Undefeated since 1492

 

[Tain]

rot in prison piece of shit rick snyder

 

[Aylinato]

As a Michigan resident, it sort of bothers me when people say, "would this happen in Birmingham, Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids?" Of course not. Those cities are quite wealthy with great tax bases and people pay their water bills. Yes there are racial tones involved, but economic constraints and government ineptitude are as much to blame. Saginaw, Bay City, Ypsilanti and many other cities have just as many minorities and their water is fine.

So because the state fucked flint up it's the fault of flints tax base? How does that logic work, ever?

 

[MyleMan1010]

Yes there are racial tones involved..but no there arent?

I'm saying there is more than just race. But race is a part.

Michigan has had many issues with local government officials being awful human beings. I grew up in Saginaw where our mayor torched her car to get the insurance money while we were in the middle of a gang war. Then there is Detroit who had a water scandal of their own. They started shutting off the water of residents who were very behind on their bills. Then it came to be known that the Pro sports arenas were also behind on their bills. The city wasn't properly enforcing penalties for late payment until they were well in the red. There is no reason the Detroit Lions or Detroit Tigers should have been hundreds of thousands of dollars behind on their water bills. The city of Detroits local government was a joke and they were taken advantage of. Flint has been a similar type of circus. Unfortunately good people have been terribly affected by it. Thankfully people across the country have done some great things to get the people of Flint clean water.

 

[BrutishMrFish]

rot in prison piece of shit rick snyder

Is there even a chance of that happening at this point?

 

[MyleMan1010]

So because the state fucked flint up it's the fault of flints tax base? How does that logic work, ever?

Areas where people are well employed have tons of tax revenue. Areas in poor economic standing do not. That's why the "rich" areas look nice and the "poor" places do not. It's tough to make ends meet in Flint. So it takes an effective local government to get things done. Flints water problems started because they tried to cut corners and save on the water system and it backfired. That would never happen in an area with a ton of tax revenue like Ann Arbor or Birmingham.

 

[Phu]

Clean drinking water in a suppose first world country shouldn't be tied up in red tape.

Especially in the Great Lakes state.

 

[Hydrus]

Look at how fast California acted with the damn.

Then consider it's been months since many in Flint have had drinking water in the normal sense the rest of Americans do....

The dam was supposed to be fixed 12 years ago. They didnt act fast with anything.

 

[parrotbeak]

The bullshit thing is that it happened already and it's still happening in Standing Rock and will happen in the future. People will look back years after the damage is done and say oh shit that was racist, but then keep letting it happen again.

 

[commedieu]

I'm saying there is more than just race. But race is a part.

No one said its just literally race though. But its a significant, beyond significant part of it.

So why the rush to downplay? I think most people understand the inference behind the cities mentioned. They could have said any city... and the message would be clear. Its happening to a poor black area that has a history of racism..

 

[dreamghost]

There is no justice. Not for the least of us. You know there billing flint residents again for that lead filled water.

They knew about this for months. They not only did nothing as people died of legionaries disease or had strange rashes and other problems. And thousands of children were poisoned.

In a first world country no less. (remember America were #1... yeah right)

If I could leave this state I would.

 

[SpecX]

The dam was supposed to be fixed 12 years ago. They didnt act fast with anything.

True, but as soon as shit went bad, Brown was on it and already requesting federal assistance. Once these storms pass the dam spillway will be fixed. Flint citizens have been poisoned and they still have yet to fix the issue.

 

[TheLaughingStock]

Disgusting. When are we going to hold people accountable and deliver justice for the blacks? The fact we haven't solved the financial side of this crisis and made things right through the courts is ridiculous. So many of the leaders in this country are awful people and terrible at what they do.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Well, no shit and if it kills some people who don't even vote for them anyway it's win/win.

We also shouldn't even still have an Emergency Manager law.

As a Michigan resident, it sort of bothers me when people say, "would this happen in Birmingham, Ann Arbor or Grand Rapids?" Of course not. Those cities are quite wealthy with great tax bases and people pay their water bills. Yes there are racial tones involved, but economic constraints and government ineptitude are as much to blame. Saginaw, Bay City, Ypsilanti and many other cities have just as many minorities and their water is fine.

Well, not exactly in the same manner, Saginaw and Bay City already get their water from Lake Huron, it's mind boggling that anyone in charge/those managers in Flint thought using the Flint River as a source first place was a good idea given the dumping history with GM, that'd be like the Tri-cities (well, except Midland which is still predominantly white with a lot of old, white Republicans) getting their water from the Tittabawassee/Saginaw River despite knowing all the shit that was dumped into it for decades by Dow and GM. That's before taking into consideration the idiot in charge not authorizing that additive to neutralize the corrosive nature of river water.

This state is just another example of why running a state like a business is disastrous.

 

[Frozenprince]

Children are still being poisoned and cannot bathe in their own homes.

Children.

 

[theignoramus]

You sweet summer child

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/09/19/flint-michigan-loses-power-suit/90682380/

That's the city of Flint though. Private citizens could surely sue, no?

 

[Illucio]

Is there even a chance of that happening at this point?

If he was black like Patrick was he'd be in jail already.

 

[Vicetrailia]

Children are still being poisoned and cannot bathe in their own homes.

Children.

Black children though, so that makes them adults.

 

[parrotbeak]

Black children though, so that makes them adults.

Maybe they should get jobs and move to a better city.

 

[dreamlongdead]

The total lack of disregard for these people is sickening. We don't even see them as human.

We're so apathetic to our neighbors.

 

[Jackpot]

Stolen from Reddit

America in 2016. 3 siblings picking up their daily allowance of bottled water from the Fire Dept in Flint, MI.

 

[Black Republican]

Stolen from Reddit

even if Trump "faked it", he could atleast address and send federal help to flint,no?

 

[WedgeX]

Stolen from Reddit

That's a damn iconic shot. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hey_monkey]

Areas where people are well employed have tons of tax revenue. Areas in poor economic standing do not. That's why the "rich" areas look nice and the "poor" places do not. It's tough to make ends meet in Flint. So it takes an effective local government to get things done. Flints water problems started because they tried to cut corners and save on the water system and it backfired. That would never happen in an area with a ton of tax revenue like Ann Arbor or Birmingham.

And if it was not a poorer area and primarily minorities affected, even if it had happened for the reasons above, it would have been fixed. But we don't care about poor people and we certainly don't care about Black people. God bless fucking America.

You're right that it's a matrix of factors. But systemic racism itself is a matrix of factors. There are other cities in America struggling with water problems - not as bad as Flint, but bad - and ain't it funny how they all have certain things in common.

 

[WedgeX]

And if it was not a poorer area and primarily minorities affected, even if it had happened for the reasons above, it would have been fixed. But we don't care about poor people and we certainly don't care about Blacl people. God bless fucking America.

You're right that it's a matrix of factors. But systemic racism itself is a matrix of factors. There are other cities in America struggling with water problems - not as bad as Flint, but bad - and ain't it funny how they all have certain things in common.

Good point. When the sinkhole in Fraser opened up in December, it took Snyder a mere two weeks after Macomb decided it was an emergency to declare a state of emergency. And it only affected 22 families. Where as Snyder knew about Flint for the better part of a year before declaring a state of emergency.

 

[hey_monkey]

Good point. When the sinkhole in Fraser opened up in December, it took Snyder a mere two weeks after Macomb decided it was an emergency to declare a state of emergency. And it only affected 22 families. Where as Snyder knew about Flint for the better part of a year before declaring a state of emergency.

Yep. And it is! But consider this, re: Flint - the amount of money it would have taken to fix that situation, to really fix it, is going to pale next to what it will take to fix it PLUS lifetimes of services for the younger people and children who faced long-term exposure. Unless, of course, we don't do anything about that, either.

 

[Plinko]

Michigan is slipping deeper and deeper red and has been for a decade. The government is controlled by republicans and with how rural much of the state is, it probably isn't going to ever change. This shouldn't be a surprise at all.

 

[junpei]

I would say specifically that this falls under environmental racism but yeah it's textbook systemic racism.

 

[User Name Here]

Don't worry about Flint, guys. These fine folks have all the issues there covered.

But seriously, they need to go ahead and take the time to redo the infrastructure there.