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Flint Michigan Refugees

AJ Drew

AJ Drew

In case you havent heard, Flint Michigan has been in a water crisis for some time.  Essentially, you can not drink their drinking water.  From what i understand, it is due to horrible management and a serious effort at cover up.  Today, we have Flint Michigan water refugees.  People who have fled the area due to the condition of the water.
 
Just read an article that says the federal government, in all its wisdom, is sending Syrian and other international refugees to live in Flint Michigan.  Whose bright idea was that?  Will they send another batch to Three Mile Island?  Maybe Russia should start settlements in Chernobyl.
 
No, Flint isnt as bad as Chernobyl or Three Mile Island.  But still, it seems like a very bad idea to send people to live in a place other people are running away from.
 
Just as bad as the lead contaminated homes in Calumet city where 1,100 homeowners are being asked to leave. Wonder who government will move into those homes?
Killing them with kindness?
 
I don't think that's a wonderful idea, but still, I have to think about it from the perspective of the refugees. Their lives were in danger, so they fled their own homes with what little they could carry. Many have been without the basic necessities - and I mean truly basic. We don't appreciate that not everyone has access to water that has not only been treated, but is piped into our homes and businesses. Some people, and likely the refugees at some point, still have to go to rivers or wells and draw water for themselves. At best, they may have a central pump in the midst of their village.
 
The refugees may just be so grateful to have a place to go - any place - where they and their children are safe. If they are restricted to bottled water for a time, they might not mind that so much as we who have not been fleeing for our lives (assuming in the government's decision to relocate refugees here, they at least had the forethought that they were going to have to provide bottled water until the problem is fixed.) So maybe not the best idea, but one that can be workable in the short run.
 
geeme said:
I don't think that's a wonderful idea, but still, I have to think about it from the perspective of the refugees. Their lives were in danger, so they fled their own homes with what little they could carry. Many have been without the basic necessities - and I mean truly basic. We don't appreciate that not everyone has access to water that has not only been treated, but is piped into our homes and businesses. Some people, and likely the refugees at some point, still have to go to rivers or wells and draw water for themselves. At best, they may have a central pump in the midst of their village.
 
The refugees may just be so grateful to have a place to go - any place - where they and their children are safe. If they are restricted to bottled water for a time, they might not mind that so much as we who have not been fleeing for our lives (assuming in the government's decision to relocate refugees here, they at least had the forethought that they were going to have to provide bottled water until the problem is fixed.) So maybe not the best idea, but one that can be workable in the short run.
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Very nicely put geeme! :)  I agree i think are lives are so blessed with convenience we forget that to others just having a local well is a miracle. The real horror is that the Government allows the unethical corp to poison these people's lands and nothing is done. Just as long as there's money to be made. So Sad
 
Banks are corrupt.
Monsanto is regulating our food.
Cancer cures exist but are quashed because there is too much money in "the search for the cure".
Water supplies in MI, PA, FL, TX etc etc etc are poisoned because of $$$$.
The government created the NSA to make everyone feel better, but it's just a show.
Trump supporters bitch about President Obama because I guess, he has ruined our lives and it sucks now more than ever.
1% of the people have 99% of the money.
Doctors "practice" medicine for a reason. They may or may not cure you, eventually, but charge big fukking money either way.
The media tells you what they want. And not what matters.
The IRS are just thugs that throw lavish parties for themselves. (literally, complete with hookers and blow)
Social Security? yeah... right. That's just funny to type. S O C I A L   S E C U R I T Y. hahahahahaha
Global warming? Of course it is... 30 million years ago, North America was under a 10 MILE THICK sheet of ice. (it's a bit warmer now, but since they have figured out how to make money on that shit... we're all gonna die!).
Catholic Priests love boys. Go figure.
Athletes are turning the national anthem into some horse shit political statement.
Old men decide whether or not abortion should be legal.
And so on, and so on, and so on....
 
I am just trying to ride out the 10-20-30 years I have left here on planet Earth. Until then, I don't give a shit, but I do my best to be kind to those around me, help when I can, and eat good food.

cat-wallpapers-for-desktop-2-1366x768-770958.jpg
 
geemee, posting about Flint and the water was just right there.  I didnt think about much other than what is on the surface.  But what you said got me to thinking.  First, I agree I would be thankful for anything in such a situation.  Thing is, the US government seems to be really good at superficial fixed and warehousing people.  What I would be even more greatful is an opportunity to return to work, to become a productive citizen, and most importantly to provide for my family.  They will not find that in a city people and jobs are running away from.

Now Kentucky, well we legally import labor from Mexico.  Much of our agricultural labor is kind of like the crab fishing gig in Alaska.  You get a place to stay, food, and pay.  If you are bright, you savWe that pay since you dont really need to spend it.  Farmers either build bunk houses or put up trailers.  Those temporary residence are inspected and approved.  Hot n cold running water, showers, toilets, and so on... all inspected.

The state department could respond to requests for foreign labor with refugees rather than migrant workers.  Refugees would get a real chance at a new life.  Oh, and assimilation would be more gradual if introduced to a rural area.  I am not saying all agricultural labor works this way, but accross the street and down the way is a Mexican citizen whose legal status started this way.  His children call his employer Grandmother.  The woman comes to school on grandparent day, participates in the life of the family, and sheilds them from the general bs that some immigrants find.  There are some very good people here and lots of jobs if a person wants to work.
 
I agree with you entirely. Like I said, the gov't hasn't come up with a wonderful idea. But we also have to remember that, as state residents have learned about intent to relocate refugees to many states other than MI, those other states have balked, and balked loudly. I understand their hesitancy - if you can't tell the difference between a refugee and a terrorist, and one is going to move in next door to you, you would likely be concerned for the safety of yourself and others. I can only see the relocation specifically to Flint as a temporary, stop-gap measure - get the refugees to a point of safety where their basic needs can be met, then work out a better, long-term solution. Once they are here in the U.S. and they've had a chance to demonstrate they're really not terrorists, hopefully other areas will relent and allow them to move in. And I do mean hopefully - these people should be shown the same kindness and opportunities that we would want shown to us in similar circumstances. But if our government is going to basically dump them in Flint then say "you're on your own!", then that's almost worse - they're not being treated as human beings at that point.
 
AJ Drew said:
Now Kentucky, well we legally import labor from Mexico.  Much of our agricultural labor is kind of like the crab fishing gig in Alaska.  You get a place to stay, food, and pay.  If you are bright, you savWe that pay since you dont really need to spend it.  Farmers either build bunk houses or put up trailers.  Those temporary residence are inspected and approved.  Hot n cold running water, showers, toilets, and so on... all inspected.

 
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But wait, isn't your #1 cash crop .........? http://norml.org/legal/item/kentucky-top-10-cash-crops :rofl:
 
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