Concerns over Flint water crisis shared at Michigan Civil Rights Commission
hearing
Roberto Acosta | racosta1@xxxxxxxxx
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Roberto Acosta | racosta1@xxxxxxxxx
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on April 28, 2016 at 7:15 PM, updated April 29, 2016 at 5:06 PM
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FLINT, MI – Flint residents shared their continued concerns about the quality
of water, worries of racism, and continued fear of whether the liquid coming
out of their tap is safe to drink during the first Michigan Civil Rights
Commission hearing over the issue in the city.
After an opening statement at the Thursday, April 28 hearing at the Riverfront
Banquet Center by Arthur Horwitz, commission co-chairman, on some of the
background of the body in the city during the 1960s, he said the conclusion was
there's an "environmental injustice" taking place in Flint.
"We're paying eight times the national average for water that's pure poison,"
said Clarissa Camez, one of more than two dozen people that spoke to the
nine-member
commission that voted in January to hold meetings in Flint. "Why would anyone
who wants to have clean, safe drinking water choose to have (the Flint River)
be their primary source of drinking water?"
Others focused on the perceived aspects of the issue by those who live in the
city.
"I'm here in awe that in 2016 in the United States we have this type of
problem," said Flint resident Jonnie Faye Townsend.
She called the city's water crisis as issue of "classicism, ageism, and
systemic racism" and expressed frustration as many in the crowd did over the
ongoing
issue that's now reached into its third year as of this week.
"When I heard on the news Flint was not worth doing anything on the water
problem, that hurt my heart," said Townsend, who said the scars some have
reported
on their body extend into a psychological damage that some are afraid may never
be healed.
Flint resident Tony Palladeno Jr. lugged a case of water up to the commission
and placed it on a table around six feet off the ground, asking them to pass
it down to get a feeling of what it's like for those living in the city every
day.
"I cannot even imagine what life is like with that case of water each day and
trying to bathe, cook, and live having to haul that," said Commissioner Linda
Lee Tarver, as the water was passed back and forth between the group.
Commissioner Mumtaz Haque said "It was very emotional listening to all the
testing, and also to just absorbing them" of the residents that raised their
voices at times, shed tears, or were overcome with anger over the situation and
discussed growing tired of lots of talk but a perception of little action.
Resident Elaine Connor just wants something to be done that can fix the problem.
"When we get up in the morning, we have to think about every move we make," she
told the commission, from taking a shower to brushing teeth, and everyday
chores. Connor also urged attention for older people in the community dealing
with the water woes.
"If adults are sick, who is going to take care of the children?" she said.
If the commission finds someone is responsible of violations they can order a
stop to those actions and order them to take corrective action.
