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Detroit Residents Fight Back Over Water Shutoff: 'It's A Life-or-Death Situation' [Just Like Food!]
Guardian (UK)R ^ | July 21, 2014

Posted on 07/21/2014 8:17:06 PM PDT by Steelfish

Detroit Residents Fight Back Over Water Shutoff: 'It's A Life-or-Death Situation'

The beleaguered city says a water shutoff is essential to recoup $89m in overdue bills. But the decision outraged thousands of Detroiters – who have taken matters into their own hands

Of 178 homes whose water was shut off last week, 79 had restarted their supplies, triggering $21,750 in fines on top of what the residents already owed.

When the coast is clear, and the trucks from the contractor shutting off water for the city of Detroit have rolled away, the men with water keys come.

They offer residents whose supply has just been shut off a tempting deal. For $20, they will use their tools to turn the water main back on immediately, and illegally, sparing the household the agonising days spent without showering, cooking or flushing that have already been endured by at least 16,000 of their neighbours so far this year.

It is only the most desperate action being taken in response to the beleaguered city's aggressive campaign to recoup $89m in overdue water bills by abruptly cutting the supplies of people behind on their payments. Amid growing anger, Detroit officials agreed in court on Monday to a two-week pause, to allow poor customers to come forward and show that they genuinely cannot afford to pay. But then the shutoffs will resume.

“You're going to do what you have to do to get water back on in your home,” said Valerie Blakely, a community organiser and mother of five whose overdue bill stands at more than $1,000. “As far as I'm concerned, what the city is doing is the illegal activity. You're not going to come and put us in a life-or-death situation and not have us act like we are fighting for our own survival.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; News/Current Events; US: Illinois
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To: Steelfish
Detroit Residents Fight Back Over Water Shutoff: 'It's A Life-or-Death Situation' [Just Like Food!]

So if I understand your position here, it's that if something is a life necessity, then not only can you not deny it to someone, but you have an affirmative duty to provide it regardless of ability or willingness to pay or any other factors, whether or not you get anything out of it with which to feed your own family, is that right?

So then, what life necessities have you been forced to provide for others without your consent? None? How come this duty only flows in one direction?

41 posted on 07/21/2014 9:29:37 PM PDT by Still Thinking (Freedom is NOT a loophole!)
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To: Steelfish

Valerie Jean (@iamlove1111) tweeted at 9:58pm - 19 Jul 14:

I Do Mind Dying... #AllPowerToThePeople #DetroitLightBrigade #WaterIsAHumanRight #WageLove instagram.com/p/qqC4NrxlsH/ (https://twitter.com/iamlove1111/status/490692278571524097)

Valerie Jean (@iamlove1111) tweeted at 9:15pm - 19 Jul 14:

#WageLove #WaterIsAHumanRight #DetroitLightBrigade #AllPowerToThePeople #ThisIsWhatLoveLooksLike instagram.com/p/qp97U-Rlj0/ (https://twitter.com/iamlove1111/status/490681391785320448)

https://mobile.twitter.com/search/?q=%23DetroitLightBrigade&s=hash


42 posted on 07/21/2014 9:30:02 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: Steelfish
Listen, man,” he added, leaning in and growing visibly angry. “These people are Americans. We will not blink an eye to send trillions of dollars overseas to wage warfare in an illegal war. But we can't come up with the money that it takes to keep a community in water, when it's in the throes of an economic catastrophe that was caused by Wall Street?

This is how it works, this is what will happen when the reckoning comes to America. Nathan's second Maxim comes into play:

the reform of failed socialism is inevitably more socialism.


43 posted on 07/21/2014 9:30:38 PM PDT by nathanbedford ("Attack, repeat, attack!" Bull Halsey)
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To: Steelfish

Call up Obama and ask for some of his stash. He gots plenty.


44 posted on 07/21/2014 9:31:11 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: Steelfish

OK, How about everybody in the USA say F-off to water bills.

What say you Hussein?


45 posted on 07/21/2014 9:33:18 PM PDT by eyedigress ((zOld storarned m chaser from the west)/?s)
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To: Steelfish

Can’t they go hock some stuff with Les and Seth at American Jewelry & Loan?


46 posted on 07/21/2014 9:36:43 PM PDT by Veggie Todd (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. TJ)
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To: kcvl
Five kids later and she can't pay her bills but she does have time to protest. Check out her nails, those don't come cheap. And she can afford a camera to take pictures of the people trying to turn off her water.

The clothes that all those folks are wearing look awfully clean. Must be some water in their lives somewhere.

47 posted on 07/21/2014 9:38:33 PM PDT by Veggie Todd (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. TJ)
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To: Steelfish

Don’t these people have any friends?

At the end of last month, I gave $200 cash to a young single mother of three who works with me so she could buy the kids some food. (She also needs to buy herself some damn food. She eats last.)

It was no big deal. We prayed to God together, thanking Him for each other, and moved along.

Oddly enough, she happens to be black, and I happen to be white. But as you all know very well, we are racists because we post here.


48 posted on 07/21/2014 9:40:56 PM PDT by ToastedHead
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To: Veggie Todd

Those acrylic nails don’t come cheap either!

She could pay her water bill in full if she skipped a few of those appointments!


49 posted on 07/21/2014 9:46:01 PM PDT by kcvl
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To: upchuck

Write a check, Mr. Ruffalo.


50 posted on 07/21/2014 9:47:54 PM PDT by informavoracious (Open your eyes, people!)
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To: Steelfish

They should come here to AZ where many of us haul our water in. How far do they live from the river or a huge lake that they can’t go get some water for free?


51 posted on 07/21/2014 9:55:20 PM PDT by ar15ona
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To: upchuck

Heh - so much for the narrative that the economy is recovering nicely.

Or perhaps Mr. Ruffalo is speaking specifically of Detroit? Then his statement should be: it’s in the throes of an economic catastrophe that was caused by liberal policies...”


52 posted on 07/21/2014 9:58:41 PM PDT by Paul R. (Leftists desire to control everything; In the end they invariably control nothing worth a damn.)
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To: Jonty30
How many months is $1,000?

I don't know about Detroit, but in Miami at my house it would cover the $15/quarter I pay for about 17 years.

But, they are probably getting hit with late fees/turn-it-off fees/turn-it-on fees that are 50 or 100 bucks (or more) a pop.

So, I'd guess that the average thousand that the average deadbeat owes is probably 10% water and 90% fees.

After all, this is Detroit, home of government-bankrupting union hacks. Some grossly overpaid water department or contractor slob has to physically open or close the valve. Those valves on single family homes are typically a few inches below ground level in an enclosure covered by a metal plate less than a foot square.

This part was funny:

"When the coast is clear, and the trucks from the contractor shutting off water for the city of Detroit have rolled away, the men with water keys come.

They offer residents whose supply has just been shut off a tempting deal. For $20, they will use their tools to turn the water main back on immediately, and illegally"

LOL. "Water keys."

Which is a couple of pieces of rebar welded into a "T" shape with an inverted steel "U" welded to the bottom of the "T" which fits over the 1/2" wide valve lever that needs to be turned 90 degrees to turn the water back on. Notice the article doesn't describe what a magical "water key" actually is.

Of course, none of these people know where their main water valve is or they could do it themselves if they had a tool worth about 2 bucks.

Then again, these are the same people who think that food originates in and comes from grocery stores, so maybe they couldn't.

53 posted on 07/21/2014 10:11:46 PM PDT by AntiScumbag
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To: ImNotLying

““You’re going to do what you have to do to get water back on in your home,” said Valerie Blakely, a community organiser and mother of five whose overdue bill stands at more than $1,000.”

And just how old is Valerie, and what are the last names of her FIVE children?
Does she even know who their “fathers/sperm donors” are? Are any of them living with her, or did they “shoot and run?” How much are “community organizers” making in Detroit today? We need some background so we know whether or not she “deserves” free water.” I mean it be fo’ de chillun!


54 posted on 07/21/2014 10:52:20 PM PDT by vette6387
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To: kearnyirish2

Interesting, any advice on where I can read your cited source for that information? Thanks


55 posted on 07/22/2014 12:01:17 AM PDT by AllAmericanGirl44
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To: sheana

I just had to post. Here in drought-stricken Texas, we pay on average about $150/month for water. You guys complaining about $50-60 a month make me laugh.


56 posted on 07/22/2014 12:54:55 AM PDT by Just_Sue (I'm from Texas)
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To: Steelfish

If I remember my geography Detroit is on one of the largest sources of fresh water in the world

TELL ‘EM TO GET A BUCKET!!!!!


57 posted on 07/22/2014 2:26:50 AM PDT by njslim (T)
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To: AntiScumbag

Yeah, I had a water pipe burst in my yard before the main cutoff valve inside the house. So I made a makeshift “water key” and used it to cut the water off ID also turn it on to provide water for a few minutes. It took several days to get the line repaired but my “key” let me manage the problem.


58 posted on 07/22/2014 3:25:17 AM PDT by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: Steelfish

> “You’re going to do what you have to do to get water back on in your home,”

Everything except actually pay for it.


59 posted on 07/22/2014 3:28:05 AM PDT by glorgau
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I wonder how many affected residents of Detroit have no problem paying their satellite bill...and we already know who pays their cell phone bills.


60 posted on 07/22/2014 3:41:52 AM PDT by Dixie Yooper (Ephesians 6:11)
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