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Enviro-Mich message from RC Of course, low-income communities also
suffer more than their fair share of environmental harm. But, environmental racism is real, and has been documented in numerous
studies over the past twenty years, not just in this one. Of course, the links
between race and income in our society make this difficult to tease out, but several
studies have shown race to be more strongly predictive in the location of
hazardous waste facilities. A study conducted by Robert Bullard in Houston –
the only major US city lacking zoning – showed that waste facilities there
tended to be placed in African American communities, though not always
low-income ones. It is not surprising that Indeed, environmental
racism is not only evident in the siting of hazardous
waste facilities (which was the focus of this study), but other studies have
shown racial discrimination in other aspects of environmental decision-making, disproportionately
affecting people of color –- including siting
decisions, inadequate enforcement, longer times for clean-up, lack of
representation in environmental organizations, regulatory agencies,
commissions, and other decision-making bodies, lower fines issued against
companies for violations in communities of color compared to white communities,
etc. And, perhaps as someone said, green is the motivating factor behind
this. But, the disproportionate impacts on people of
color – whether deliberately or unconsciously targeted -- remain. When we decide that no community should have
to live with hazardous waste – there will be no more “sacrifice
zone.” When it stops being “not in my backyard” and becomes “not
in anyone’s backyard,” then we will find new, better, cleaner ways
of doing things. Environmental justice requires that we fight
for the right of every community to live, work, learn and play in a safe,
clean, healthy environment, regardless of income, race, ethnicity. Right now, in
Arab Community Center for
Economic and Social Services (ACCESS) 6450 Maple Street Dearborn MI 48126 (313) 216-2225 -----Original Message----- So the real question would be "Why Michigan
residents (particularly those 'Chamber of Commerce' members) hate the
environment so much" or "Why money ranks above your state"... I maintain that there is plenty of pollution and
environmental disasters to go around, regardless of race and ethnic backround.
Maybe only the very rich escape (otherwise known as the captains of industry). ----- Original Message ----- From: Kim
Hunter To: enviro-mich@great-lakes.net
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 5:07 PM Subject: RE: E-M:/ Toxic waste and race I live in Dearborn which according to
the stats has the worst air quality in the state. I am pretty sure the
neighborhoods used to be as lilly white as white can be, (hello Orville
Hubbard) and I am also sure the pollution was just as high then as it is
now. Neighborhoods are arabic, white and black, and the pollution still
makes it impossible to enjoy a nice summer day. Companies offer reasons for people not
to fight backlow low taxes, etc) or build in areas where low-income
people can't fight back. ( I think that race (there really is only
human race, its H s sapiens) has very little to do with it. Color has a
lot to do with it, the color is green. E. Britt Actually the situation is more complicated
than that. It depends on where you live and the role ethnicity/national
origin played. Delray, another place with historically bad contamination,
used to be largely populated by Hungarians when Eastern Europeans were lower on
the pecking order. Similarly, Italians in Dearborn faced
discrimination as well. The place in Dearborn, the south end, with the
monitor for the worst is overwhelmingly Arab, mostly Yemeni immigrants.
It has been that way for a good while now. It may have been “lily
white” at one point but not in my memory and I have been in Detroit 50
years. I’d don’t know for sure, but I
would be willing to bet that before the Yemeni there were Italians. Like
I said, it’s complicated. But discrimination based on class race
and ethnicity usually plays into it. You don’t find the
“captains of industry” living in the messes from which they profit.
Kim Hunter -----Original Message----- From:
owner-enviro-mich@great-lakes.net [
mailto:owner-enviro-mich@great-lakes.net] On Behalf Of WovenWoman@aol.com Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 4:17
PM To: enviro-mich@great-lakes.net Subject: Re: E-M:/ Toxic waste and race In a message dated 4/26/2007 1:43:19 PM
Eastern Daylight Time, gstock@net-link.net writes: Kathryn Savoie wrote: > Ninety percent of states with facilities have
disproportionately > high percentages of people of color living in
host neighborhoods. > States with the 10 largest differences in
people-of-color > percentages between host neighborhoods and
non-host areas include. > > --Michigan (66 vs. 19 percent) I live in Dearborn which according to
the stats has the worst air quality in the state. I am pretty sure the
neighborhoods used to be as lilly white as white can be, (hello Orville
Hubbard) and I am also sure the pollution was just as high then as it is
now. Neighborhoods are arabic, white and black, and the pollution still
makes it impossible to enjoy a nice summer day. Companies offer reasons for people not
to fight backlow low taxes, etc) or build in areas where low-income
people can't fight back. ( I think that race (there really is only
human race, its H s sapiens) has very little to do with it. Color has a
lot to do with it, the color is green. E. Britt See what's free at AOL.com. |