From: "Lauren Windsor" <admin@americanfamilyvoices.org>
Date: Jul 24, 2014 7:29 PM
Subject: A Public Health Emergency in Detroit
To: "Daniel Stafford" <aquarianm@gmail.com>
Cc:
 |
| Dear Daniel -
Last week, I marched with hundreds of activists in Detroit to protest the aggressive, large-scale shut-off of water to Detroit families, by an emergency manager intent on shoring up the finances of the water department for sale to a private bidder. The privatization of this public asset, valued at more than $6 billion, is yet one more example where it is likely that profits will reign over people's needs - higher costs for consumers, lower quality of water, and less public control of a resource vital to human life. Already, Detroiters have seen their water rates rise 119% in the last decade - to nearly double the national average, with another rate increase this month of 8.7%, according to the New York Times. That translates to an average monthly water bill of $75 for a family of four...Even more appalling is the fact that the shut-offs already put profits over people - commercial customers like the Joe Louis Arena, Ford Field, and city golf courses owed tens of thousands of dollars, in the case of the golf courses hundreds of thousands, without having their water shut off. But let's put the financials aside-- the UN has declared the water shut-offs a violation of human rights. Humans need water, not just for drinking, but for health, sanitation, and hygiene. Jean Ross, the co-president of National Nurses United, who joined the march, declared the situation a public health emergency. This sentiment was echoed by Congressman John Conyers, UAW President Dennis Williams, and even actor Mark Ruffalo, and I filmed all of it! You can see all their speeches here, on The Undercurrent. Be sure to check out the other videos on my page, including an interview with Ruffalo, and subscribe to my YouTube channel to get the latest grassroots news coverage.
Thank you,
Lauren Windsor Creative Director American Family Voices |
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