I-Search Example
|
Do not drink: The water crisis in Flint, Michigan
The economically depressed city of Flint, Michigan, is making headlines across the country because there’s something in its water that shouldn’t be there. |
Questions |
|
History |
In March of 2013, the state of Michigan presented alternative water supply solutions to the Flint City Council. Over the next two years, the quality of the water was in question, and city, state, and governmental officials seemly addressed the problem with claims of safety and in-fighting. However, by December, 2015 Flint declares a state of emergency seeking supplemental funding to fix the water supply problems in the residents' drinking water.
|
Problem |
While local residents where told the water was safe to drink, government offices and big business where using alternative water supplies.
|
Media Role |
In this instance, the media, especially local media, did not do enough to draw attention to the problem. Local residents should not have had to send water samples to the EPA in Chicago and have them tested for lead and other containments. National media coverage seems to imply that the local government was at fault for the problems the change in water supply generated. However, the state had declared the city of Flint to be in financial distress and ordered that the city be run by an Emergency Manager (appointed by the state) to manage the city business. While cries from city residents insist on the governor to resign, the media seems to question the intelligence of the the local residents. Was the lack of coverage and concern the result of the 57% African American population? Why isn't there more attention in the media calling for the governor to resign?
|
|
|
>
|
Image source, Revel News
