If terrorists decided to poison the drinking water of a particular town or city in America, the persons involved would surely face criminal charges and possibly the death penalty once they were caught. That same form of punishment should also be given to public officials who intentionally poison their citizens.
In an effort to reportedly save money, Michigan’s state-appointed emergency manager switched Flint’s water from the Detroit water system to the Flint River two years ago. But the city failed to treat the corrosive river and it damaged Flint’s old pipes. As a result, lead contaminated the drinking water. Instead of solving the issue, government and city officials pointed fingers at each other and the people in Flint continued to drink poison.
Since the initial water switch, 87 residents have been confirmed for Legionnaires disease and 10 people have died. Two years prior to the water switch, only 21 people in Flint were diagnosed with Legionnaires. The disease is a type of pneumonia that can affect one’s lungs when exposed to contaminated water.
Also, there have been elevated levels of lead in children in the last 18 months according to health officials. Children who are exposed to lead can become sick with the flu, develop behavioral issues and learning disabilities. The effects of lead can take years to appear.
Race has also become a major issue. With Flint being over 50 percent Black, it’s one of the only cities in Michigan where the governor can appoint an unelected official to control the city. The residents of Flint have been stripped of basic civil rights and, now, they are being poisoned by people whose salaries are funded by taxpayers.
Gov. Rick Snyder has served as the state’s leader while all of these atrocities have occurred. He has allowed racist policies to exists until the nation had to witness the tragedy of residents being poisoned. President Barack Obama issued a State of Emergency for Flint on Jan. 16. However, justice won’t be served for the people of Flint until Gov. Snyder resigns and faces criminal charges for intentionally poisoning American citizens.
