Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Racism seen as root of water crisis in Mississippi capital
The Associated Press ^ | September 16, 2022 | By DREW COSTLEY

Posted on 09/16/2022 12:47:06 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Carey Wooten spent nearly seven weeks hunting for safe drinking water for herself, her two children and three dogs after clocking out each day as a Taco Bell manager, so Gov. Tate Reeves’ announcement that the water is clean again in Mississippi’s capital came as welcome news.

Wooten said Friday that the liquid flowing into her kitchen sink still smells like sewage, but not as bad as before, and she’s glad she won’t have to run to distribution sites before their bottled water supplies run out each day.

Jackson had already been under a state health department boil-water notice for a month when torrential rain fell in August, flooding the Pearl River and overwhelming the treatment system. Water pressure abruptly dropped, emptying faucets for days.

How did this happen? Residents, politicians, experts and activists say systemic racism is the root cause.

Jackson’s population has declined since 1980, a decade after the city’s schools began integrating. Many white families left for the suburbs, leaving less revenue to maintain the infrastructure. Middle class Black people then moved out to escape urban decay and rising crime. State and federal spending never made up the difference.

“The legacy of racial zoning, segregation, legalized redlining have ultimately led to the isolation, separation and sequestration of racial minorities into communities (with) diminished tax bases, which has had consequences for the built environment, including infrastructure,” said Marccus Hendricks, an associate professor of urban studies and planning at the University of Maryland.

And when it comes to water scarcity and contamination, they say working-class communities of color are most vulnerable. Jackson’s population is more than 80% Black and the poverty level is 24.5%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Majority-Black Flint, Michigan, has struggled to remove lead from its water since 2014.

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


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 0chat; 2illogical4words; chat; culturewar; illogical; mississippi; racism; water
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

1 posted on 09/16/2022 12:47:06 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
"Middle class Black people then moved out to escape urban decay and rising crime."
2 posted on 09/16/2022 12:48:23 PM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire, or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

If this were martha’s vineyard all those brown people would’ve been shipped out of town a long time ago.


3 posted on 09/16/2022 12:49:18 PM PDT by God luvs America (63.5 million pay no income tax and vote for DemoKrats...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Yeah, the African Americans in charge of Jackson cannot run the city.


4 posted on 09/16/2022 12:49:19 PM PDT by Vermont Lt
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
Racism is responsible for the water problem - racism against white people.

The soft bigotry of lowered expectations claims another city full of victims.

5 posted on 09/16/2022 12:49:35 PM PDT by T.B. Yoits
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

What I heard was that there were 100 million dollars worth of unpaid water bills.


6 posted on 09/16/2022 12:49:48 PM PDT by McCarthysGhost (q)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

It’s always someone else’s fault


7 posted on 09/16/2022 12:50:12 PM PDT by Tai_Chung
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Its racist to flee black/Democrat cities and not submit to having your assets looted.


8 posted on 09/16/2022 12:51:18 PM PDT by PGR88
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McCarthysGhost
What I heard was that there were 100 million dollars worth of unpaid water bills.

I certainly wouldn't pay my water bill if it smelled like sewer.

9 posted on 09/16/2022 12:52:44 PM PDT by unixfox (Abolish Slavery, Repeal the 16th Amendment)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

White Flight = Productive Flight regardless of race.


10 posted on 09/16/2022 12:53:54 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Tai_Chung

Being a Democrat means nothing is ever your fault.


11 posted on 09/16/2022 12:55:33 PM PDT by dfwgator (Endut! Hoch Hech!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: T.B. Yoits

It’s nearly impossible to find gallons of water in the stores now.

The stocker I talked to said that most of their water orders were being “rerouted” to the border for the “immigrants”.


12 posted on 09/16/2022 12:56:26 PM PDT by Salamander (Please visit my profile page help save my beloved dog's life. https://www.givesendgo.com/G2FUF)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

Horse apples.


13 posted on 09/16/2022 12:56:57 PM PDT by Irenic
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: unixfox

Chronology is your friend. The unpaid bills precipitated(came before) the problem with unsafe drinking water.


14 posted on 09/16/2022 12:57:19 PM PDT by McCarthysGhost (q)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

I see the Liars at Ass Press are at it again.


15 posted on 09/16/2022 1:00:38 PM PDT by SoConPubbie (Mitt and Obama: They're the same poison, just a different potency)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

They don’t even want to go near any speculation that the money to maintain the system got embezzled.


16 posted on 09/16/2022 1:02:03 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (A Leftist can't enjoy life unless they are controlling, hurting, or destroying others)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McCarthysGhost
What I heard was that there were 100 million dollars worth of unpaid water bills.

It would not surprise me. You think the town is going to shut off water to welfare types for non-payment?

17 posted on 09/16/2022 1:04:28 PM PDT by SauronOfMordor (A Leftist can't enjoy life unless they are controlling, hurting, or destroying others)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
How did this happen? Residents, politicians, experts and activists say systemic racism is the root cause.

'Systemic Racism' is the answer when the problem is not segregation or discrimination. Look at this city of Jackson MS and look at its priorities. What did / does it do to attract business and internal tax revenue? What favoritism is evident in the spending of the city's coffers? Is that spending biased towards any identifiable group(s)?

How are the contractors vetted or measured? Is there a history of matching political contributions for contracts received? It is human nature to want to 'reward' your supporters but can it be done WHILE still getting the work done? Making a generic accusation of 'systemic racism' is a modern cop-out and a referral to "residents, politicians, experts and activists" is both insufficient and useless.

Reuters is the UK equivalent of the domestic AP, a news aggregator who follows the progressive zeitgeist.

18 posted on 09/16/2022 1:05:00 PM PDT by SES1066 (More & more it looks like Brandon's best decision was Kamala! UGH!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer
Wooten said Friday that the liquid flowing into her kitchen sink still smells like sewage, but not as bad as before...

Well, the governor said it's good to drink, so that settles that. Never mind what it smells like. Trust the gov, and drink up.

19 posted on 09/16/2022 1:06:25 PM PDT by HartleyMBaldwin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Oldeconomybuyer

No, mismanagement and corruption is.


20 posted on 09/16/2022 1:06:37 PM PDT by metmom (...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith…)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-65 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson