Michigan report: racism was a big factor in Flint water crisis. [View all]

https://grist.org/briefly/racism-was-a-big-factor-in-the-flint-water-crisis-a-new-report-explains/

Racism was a big factor in the Flint water crisis, a new report explains. The Michigan Civil Rights Commission — a governor-appointed board established in 1963 to investigate and prevent discrimination — released a 138-page report on the Flint situation on Friday, and it’s damning.

Based on a year-long study, the report details how government failed Flint’s black residents for decades. Implicit bias and systemic racism ingrained in housing, education, infrastructure, and emergency management all perpetuated discrimination and eventually led to toxic lead levels in Flint’s water. The commission writes, “fixing the problems that originated in Flint’s latest chapter will address the tumor but not the cancer.”