The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) and the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) will examine the real causes of the Flint water crisis—and who is responsible for the poisoning of the population. Workers need the truth, not more lies and evasions!
After ignoring and covering up the crisis for two years, Democratic and Republican politicians are now pointing fingers at each other in order to conceal their joint responsibility for a monumental crime. The US Congress and the Michigan administration of Governor Rick Snyder are holding sham “investigations” while candidates for president have descended on Flint to exploit this tragedy to boost their political fortunes.
Democrats, for their part, seek to place sole responsibility at the feet of Governor Snyder and the Republicans. In this manner they cover up the role of Flint’s mayor, city council and Democratic emergency manager as well as the Environmental Protection Agency under the Obama administration.
Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, in particular, has sought to attribute the crisis to “institutional racism,” even though over 40 percent of the city’s residents are white and many of the local politicians involved in the conspiracy are African-American. The purpose of this ruse is to provide cover for the Democratic Party and conceal the fundamental economic and class issues underlying the crisis.
The fact is all workers, regardless of race, are facing the same attacks on their living conditions.
The meeting will discuss the relationship of the crisis in Flint and the policies of deindustrialization, deregulation and privatization carried out by both big business parties and their agencies. We will trace the connection between the lead water poisoning and a socioeconomic system, capitalism, that subordinates the needs of the population to the profit interests of the banks and corporations.
Meeting details:
SEP & IYSSE public meeting
The political and social Roots of the Flint water crisis
Thursday, March 10, 7:00 p.m.
University of Michigan, Flint Campus
Murchie Science Building (MSB) Room 109
415 E. Kearlsey Street; Flint, MI 48503
Speaker: Jerry White, writer for the World Socialist Web Site