This longtime mess has finally been fixed
I am sure everybody remembers the Flint, Michigan water tragedy. I remember hearing about this and feeling profound disbelief that such a thing could even happen in our country. The fact is an entire city was lied to, ignored, and their lives put in jeopardy. Few disasters make me as angry as the Flint tragedy. It was a massive and deliberate screw-up of epic proportions.
As time went by, the issue was kept in the spotlight due largely to Rachel Maddow, who refused to let it die. And now there is some good news for the people most touched by the crisis.
The financial settlement for the Flint victims has been given final approval. Per CNN, US District Judge Judith E. Levy approved the settlement, which is in the amount of $626 million.
This money will be provided for scores of Flint residents who were personally affected by the horrific water crisis. Many had exposure to various contaminants, including lead, and many were sickened because of this.
This comes after seven years. That’s a long time. But it is a win and will do a great deal of good for the survivors.
And as an aside — if you are a reader and are looking for a book that breaks down what happened in Flint, consider adding a book to your to be read list. That book would be “The poisoned City: Flint’s Water and The American Urban Tragedy” by Anna Clark. It is an extraordinary book, and there is so much that was unknown to many.
I am happy for the survivors with this financial settlement. It does not take the nightmare of what they went through away, but hopefully, it will do good in helping many moves forward with their lives.
