Periodically we hear complaints about how news sources do no more on so many stories than just printing press releases from government agencies, politicians or political campaigns. We also hear of stories the European press covers in greater depth than found in the U.S. The term media conglomerate has become a part of this conversation. The latest data I've seen spoke of 20 companies owning 796 of U.S. newspapers–and at least some of those companies also own magazines and/or radio and/or TV stations. The first story in MI apparently got little attention until one or more residents brought it to Rachel Maddow's attention…but it wasn't MI's first major pollution story in recent years that may have gotten too little attention nationally, so I include the second for some of the context.
Today is a day honoring MLK whose words on silence included:
"Your life begins to end the moment you start being silent about the things that matter."
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the vitriolic words and actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence of the good people."
"History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people."
"There comes a time when silence is betrayal."
May this help motivate us to speak up to the right people when we learn things giving us cause for concern.
15 Responses to “Pollution Health Concerns in Michigan”
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cross posted to Care2 at:
http://www.care2.com/news/member/663679641/3946828
Related petition at:
https://environmental-action.webaction.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14300&utm_campaign=Flint_water&utm_medium=email&utm_source=email_17853&track=email_17853
Here's another petition, this one aimed at transparency (not that the Governor is likely to provide it, but he should be using the Fifth Amendment rather than executive privilege to justify that, IMO):
https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1184&s_src=1184&sp_ref=169969568.214.143720.e.0.2&s_subsrc=taf_email
Thanks and I agree with your take on the legal nuance.
One more petition, this one because Flint is still making citizens pay their water bills as if they were getting water and not poison.
https://www.dailykos.com/campaigns/1581?detail=action
Flint – Once again, not cutting corners in the first place would have been cheaper. I'm not ignoring the human cost; I care about that; but since the Republicans apparently don't, I am trying to put it into their language.
Detroit – Pet coke – sounds so innocent, doesn't it? Every girl and boy should have a pet. Where do these people come up with these things? Pet coke? Dilbit?
LOL!
The current version of a pet rock perhaps?
https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy;jsessionid=07B2F7DA2ADA540D3BF84FF0ED90ADCE.app204a?pagename=homepage&page=UserAction&id=1184&autologin=true&s_subscribed=y
is a petition from Common Cause
Thanks, Judi, signed all the petitions that I could.
Thanks Edie!
All petitions in the above boxes signed.
Gov. Synder needs to be arrested and sent to prison!
If a private citizen had done what Gov. Synder has done, that person would already have been arrested.
Thanks Jim!
We're always pointing at China when another video appears with people walking through thick city smog or standing next to strangely colored rivers, and then they always draw the excuse card saying they're still catching up economically and are still in the process of putting in safeguards against pollution, but that they're working on it. What does your excuse card say, America? What reason, except for selfish greed, can the Kochs or gov. Snyder possibly offer for the total disregard of the health, even the life, of the residents of Detroit and Flint?
Signed all the petitions they allowed me to sign.
Thanks Lona!