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Jewel Meer
The Flint Michigan Water Crisis
At first glance the Flint Michigan Water crisis may be interpreted by the general
public as a horrific travesty that occurred. Although it is a travesty it is much more
than that. It is a clear example of the systematic racism and class discrimination
that causes deterioration and break down of our American society. It also exposes
the penny pinching ways of the government and big businesses with disregard to
the most valuable resource on earth, human life. One of the most disturbing and
notable facts of this incident is that the state and government officials, prior to the
water system being switched to Flint River from the Detroit water system, had full
knowledge that the Flint River was once used as a dumping ground for Flint based
General Motors. Knowing this and still deeming the complaints from residents as
“overreacting” and doing bare minimal testing to justify it is outlandish. Marc
Edwards a civil and environmental engineer brought his entire team of
environmental workers to test the water after the growing complaints from the
residents, it did not even come from the concern of government officials. The
results concluded that there were lead concentrations of 13,200 ppb (parts per
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Billion), more than twice the level the Environmental Protection Agency classifies
as hazardous waste. Yet the problem continued for an appalling 17 months.
Most of Flint has residents living in poverty and the obvious neglect from
state officials brings the question to me did the government and major corporations
put saving money in higher regards to the lives of the impoverished? Is the
government blatantly showing us that if you are living in poverty you deserve the
bare minimal treatment and denied essentials to life like clean drinking water?
Would this exact same situation occur in a place with a majority Caucasian
