Coker, who grew up in Shaw, said he “100%” expected the researchers to find the presence of parasites in residents’ test samples. He attributed the town’s decades of water problems to white flight that started in the 1960s, and which left Shaw without the tax base to fund infrastructure maintenance.
In 1971, Black residents in Shaw successfully argued before a federal court that local officials practiced discrimination by not providing services like sewage, drainage and water in predominantly Black neighborhoods. The court ordered Shaw officials to submit a planned “program of improvements that will, within a reasonable time, remove the disparities that bear so heavily on the black citizens of Shaw”.
But more than 50 years later, Black communities across the south, including Shaw, have worse access to clean drinking water and functional sanitation systems than wealthier, whiter communities. “The water is brown, people don’t cook with it, they don’t drink it,” said Chiquikta Fountain, executive director of Delta Hands for Hope.
Shaw’s mayor, Evereth Stanton, denied any issues with the tapwater, noting that Shaw’s tested water samples were in compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, though he acknowledged: “You’ll get a smell when the chlorine runs out.” He added that Shaw officials were upgrading the town’s chlorination system.
The American Society of Civil Engineers gave Mississippi’s wastewater infrastructure a D- on its latest Infrastructure Report Card, citing a $2bn backlog in needed repairs or upgrades. “That increases the possibility of wastewater leaks into the environment, endangering the public,” the authors wrote.
So, so much better than the capitalist bastards, eh?
He attributed the town’s decades of water problems to white flight that started in the 1960s
And what caused the white flight?
“And what caused the white flight?”
Racism, of course. Mind you it’s my view that everyone is a racist within one or other meaning of that term. And judging by revealed preferences of course, not by mere words.
Thus those who fled were racists and so were those who chased them out.
Strangely I’ve not seen the British press use “white flight” about our own circumstances though I assume there’s plenty of it going on. I do wonder whether enough white flight from London to, say, Scotland and Wales might save those little countries from socialism. A long shot, I suppose.
Another example. The seccession of a paler part of Baton Rouge to form a new city St. George. Originally because residents (and its something like 80,000 ) wanted their own school board to address the atrocious quality of the public schools and the general spaffing of their taxes. Had to go to State Supreme Court but it happened.
Channel 4 used the term back in 2016, in a documentary centred around West Ham moving from the Boleyn to the London Stadium. Flight was to Essex, which turned out to be the traditional route, as it had happened before.
Somewhat amusingly, the flight in 2016-ish was made up of those who had previously stayed, mixing with earlier immigrants, so if you like, mixed race.
“About 63% of Bolivar county residents are Black, many the descendants of enslaved people. Today, the county’s median household income is just under $29,000”
Which is about £23k at current exchange rates. Median UK household income is £34.5k (and I bet considerably lower if one were to take out London). And purchasing power tends to be about parity anyway, what costs £1 in the UK will cost $1 in the US.
So the poorest sh*thole in the US, where the former slaves live, and the water supply is contaminated with parasites still has an income level that wouldn’t be out of place in large parts of the UK.
We really are f*cked.
Indeed so. And don’t forget, US calcs of household income are before bennies, not after.
I notice toward the end of the article they take a shot at President Trump, predicting he won’t do anything about this. Two thoughts:
A small town’s water/sanitation issues should be the focus of President Trump? Put aside national defense, foreign affairs, inflation, the economy, over-regulation, the national debt, etc.
Hopey McChange was President for 8 years, somehow he didn’t fix this problem for black people?
Dm – I’m surprised you asked, there’s massive internal migration from England to Scotland to temporarily escape the metastatic benefits of Diversity.
Whole villages in Perthshire where they talk like Desmond Carrington.
I thought Mercans all used bottled water. That’s the impression I get from American media, and from American visitors being bemused at the concept of drinking tapwater.
Esteban – They were quoting this guy:
Dr Rev Jason Coker, the founder of Delta Hands for Hope, an education non-profit in Shaw that connected the researchers with residents
Surprisingly (given the area), Dr Rev Jason is white, but I think we can still spot a fake Christian shitlib grifter when we read his job description.
“Education non-profit” my arse.
Delta Hands for Hope’s logo is the black power fist, but done in tasteful rainbow colours. Subtle.
Flint, Michigan’s water problems really began when the state took over water provision from the city.