Chicago and Midwest Regional Joint Board (CMRJB) members in 13 states have responded in mass to the emergency in Flint, MI. Some locals have held bake sales, while others collect as many cases of water as possible. Solidarity is alive and well with our members, and the crisis in Flint has become a reason to solidify our membership. Through our social media we have been able to reach people outside of the Midwest. This electronic solidarity has helped us get donations from New York, California and Canada, which are then used to buy water and other essentials that are needed by the community in Flint.
Flint is a city north of Detroit, with a population of around 100,000 people. Out of those 100K about 9000 children have been poisoned because of the actions of Governor Rick Snyder. He was elected under the same premises that the governors of Michigan’s surrounding states were chosen by the people. The current state administration is engaged in class cleansing in Michigan’s major cities. Detroit was first and then it trickled to Flint. As with the Detroit, the city of Flint was forced to declare moral and economic bankruptcy in order to enable the capitalist politicians to take control of the whole state.
Carlos Kemp a resident of Flint for the past 42 years said it best, “The governor and everyone around here wants us to get sick, die or move away from Flint so they can then give our homes to their rich friends.” This is not a far-fetched idea.
As a matter of fact this is something that has already been tried in major cities. Take for example Chicago’s Cabrini Green, once a thriving African American community close to Chicago’s downtown. Its downfall? Being close to downtown. Cabrini Green is no longer around, and neither are the majority of people who lived there, even though promises were made of new homes and mixed-income housing. Cabrini Green is now a vast residential complex with multi-million dollar apartments and shops that cater to those who live in Chicago’s Gold Coast.
“The governor asked for $30 million to fix the problem, and lower our water bills. But no one seems to want to start fixing the problem and there is no reason why we should pay a water bill. It’s crazy!” Carlos frustration is shared by tens of thousands of residents who have now zero trust in their local, state or federal government, and there’s nothing that we can say to blame them for doing so. The local administration refuses to push, and Obama only uses Flint as talking points, but has yet to take serious action.
No city in our country is safe from this type of capitalist attack. Lead poisoning can and will come to other cities and the only way to stop that from happening is by exposing politicians who do not care about children or their future. No city or state is immune from the Flint tragedy, and we are to blame. The working class is much larger than the people who create these types of emergencies, and that is why all of us need to together, stand up, and fight against any policies that attack our children. Our children can never, again, be used as an excuse to save money.
