Netroots Nation: Attendees Fight For Taxing Wall Street, Demand Detroit Stop Messing w/Water Rights

Townhall ^ | July 19, 2014 | Matt Vespa

[2ndDivisionVet]

On the second day at Netroots, which was held in Detroit, Michigan, about 300 attendees at this liberal conference took to the streets to protest the proposed water-shut-offs. The city has begun cracking down on residents who haven’t been paying their water bills; 42,000 have seen their water turned off since July of 2013.

The Atlantic reported on July 17 that residents are paying plumbers $30 to turn their water back on illegally. Although, while Netroots participants were there to be the voices for these people, the folks affected are remaining quiet:

Residents targeted by the shut-off campaign have been reluctant to speak up. Some have stayed quiet because they’ve resorted to illegally hiring plumbers, and others—who are without water and relying on neighbors and friends for drinking water and showers—are afraid child-protective services may intervene, as a lack of running water is grounds for social services to immediately take children out of parents’ care.

Even those without children remain reticent. Some feel tarred by a general notion of shame and culpability for not being able to meet such a bare necessity as water.

According to a leaflet handed to me at the rally by the Detroit Workers’ Voice, which describes itself as a “Marxist-Leninist Study Group” below its header, the water shut-offs are a concerted effort to hurt the poor.

“And while [Kevyn] Orr tries to tighten the noose around city workers, the water department authorities, with his blessings, have launched a new phase in their attacks against the poor, the leaflet read. “In the past couple of months, the city has cut water service to over 11,000 residents and threatens cuts to tens of thousands more. The main victims are those with financial hardships who may owe as little as $150 dollars for a 60 day period.”(continued)

[Fungi]

You mean everything—water, food, health care, housing, gas—should be free? Looks like everyone wants to be an illegal crossing the border. Atlas is shrugging more and more.

[cripplecreek]

Residents targeted by the shut-off campaign have been reluctant to speak up. Some have stayed quiet because they’ve resorted to illegally hiring plumbers, and others—who are without water and relying on neighbors and friends for drinking water and showers—are afraid child-protective services may intervene, as a lack of running water is grounds for social services to immediately take children out of parents’ care.

Sounds like somebody is making excuses for the people not showing up.

[Drango]

Did any of them demand a pony?

[Billthedrill]

Always good to hear what Nutroots has on its tiny collective mind. “Free stuff for everybody” is about par for the course. BTT

[Farmer Dean]

Sounds like the parasite class is getting organized.

[cripplecreek]

Really Congressman John Conyers? Really?

[GeronL]

So the Nutroots really thinks water is free? Have they asked their parents about that?

[cripplecreek]

Actually it sounds like the organizers are organizing but none of the “oppressed” bothered to show.

[RetiredTexasVet]

Is that “netroots” or “nutroots”?

[TexasFreeper2009]

lol

You have no “RIGHT” to have free clean water delievered to your home for free!

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE!?!

[cripplecreek]

BTW I'm not buying the 300 number either. This photo is from when democrat candidate for governor of Michigan was speaking today.

[reg45]

If the Detroiters want free water, they can grab a bucket and walk over to Lake St. Clair.

[RedMDer]

There’s plenty of free water in the Detroit river. Bring a bucket.

[RedMDer]

LOL! Great minds and all that. :)

[<1/1,000,000th%]

The protestors are paying for the water?

[cripplecreek]

I’m seriously enjoying trolling nutroots on twitter.

#NN14 I’m gonna go out and take a dump in the river and send it downstream to Detroit. Enjoy your water.

[cripplecreek]

Charlie LeDuff Canoes the Rouge River (Most Polluted in Michigan)

[RedMDer]

FReepers! Let's go!
Every donation counts!

[RWB Patriot]

Random Detroit resident: “What?! You expect moi to...to...to actually do work? You’re insane!”

When such people call for free stuff, what they really mean is “I want servants!”