Thirsty for Democracy: The Poisoning of an American City
I wanted share a link to a special - Democracy Now report - that aired this week on the water crisis in Flint Michigan. The piece was produced by Laura Gottesdiener a good friend and movement ally who is also the author of "A Dream Foreclosed" published by Zuccotti Press, which detailed the struggles of African Americans faced with foreclosure during the financial crisis. To view the Democracy Now piece click here .
As many of you know, who are addressed in this message I have been working with folks in cities such as Detroit, Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia along with rural areas in New Mexico, Alabama, Georgia, California and West Virginia on the Human Right to Water. I find it particularly disturbing that a country that promotes itself as the symbol
of democracy and a leader of human rights to the "free world" will put an emergency manager in a city, thereby removing democracy from the people and be allowed to make decisions that can have disastrous effects on the lives people for future generations.
While I'm an not openly calling for a revolt or revolution-- I do say we have to stand up to decision makers whether they are appointed or elected and demand policies that will not allow our democracy to be taken away-- that uphold the principles and values of human rights. We must not allow corporations to take our public goods as if they are some higher
authority and have no one to answer to. They have to answer to us!
In particular, I hope our allies in Africa, Brazil, India, Asia, Europe, Mexico and Canada who are addressed in the message understand that we need to stand side by side. Our struggle is your struggle. Your struggle is our struggle. You should also understand the US in NOT what it promotes itself to be--- if it is denying people safe drinking water and democracy.
Don't believe the hype!
#WaterisaHumanRight
#RealDemocracy
Thirsty for Democracy: The Poisoning of an American City
Complete Democracy Now! Special on Flint
Watch our full 49-minute report featuring voices from the front lines of Michigan’s water wars. Lead contamination in the water supply of Flint, Michigan, has forced residents to drink, cook with and even bathe in bottled water while still paying some of the highest water bills in the country. In this Democracy Now! special report, we go from Flint to Mecosta County, Michigan, where Nestlé, the world’s largest water bottling company, is pumping millions of gallons of water from aquifers that feed Lake Michigan.
To view the Democracy Now piece click here