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One of the most inspiring and invigorating sights in America is to witness the outpouring of love and assistance that the our nation collectively bestows on the victims of disasters; a putting aside of our difference to send help and resources from every corner of the land. The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, where Governor Rick Snyder knowingly allowed the mass poisoning of countless residents – estimates fear more than 8,000 children – with toxic lead has left a poor city of 100,000 souls without access to clean water.
The nation, unified, has responded. Citizens, celebrities, and aid organizations have donated countless bottles of clean water to the city, but the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry had a better idea. Some 300 union plumbers descended on Flint this weekend to install free water filters and new faucets (donated by Plumbing Manufacturers International) into the taps of Flint residents, many of whom have fixtures so old they can’t accommodate the new filters.
It’s a truly striking moment. As the Republican puppets of corporate greed gather to perform their fear-and-pony show in Iowa, vowing to crush organized labor and let the fascism of the free market rule over us all, the true spirit of the American worker is on display in Flint – helping to resolve a public health crisis that was perpetrated by Republicans in the first place. These noble men left their families and their jobs to travel to a far community and work for free, not because they expected a reward, or a kickback (which seems to be the only way to get a Republican in Congress to get anything done these days), but because it was the right thing to do. It’s a beautiful demonstration of what being American really means, and a sharp reminder of just how important our unions are to our country.
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