Flint, Michigan is in serious trouble after the tap water running through the city was deemed toxic by officials. According to CNN, Flint temporarily switched its water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River to cut costs, which turned out to be a major mistake. Researchers at Virginia Tech determined the water from the Flint River was “highly corrosive,” and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality didn’t do anything about it. The poisonous elements have since seeped into the water in homes all across the city, meaning young children have been drinking it. For months.
The National Guard and other aid organizations are distributing filtered water bottles around the city, which has a population of about 100,000. Both President Barack Obama and Governor Rick Snyder have declared a state of emergency.
And celebrities, politicians and public figures are reacting to this emergency–both in real life and on social media. Cher and Icelandic Glacial have partnered to send 181,440 bottles of water to Flint by Wednesday. Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders both criticized Snyder for his seemingly-blasé attitude toward the entire situation. (Snyder responded to the remarks via Twitter.) The most outrageous star reaction came from filmmaker Michael Moore, who created a petition demanding Snyder be arrested. In the document, Moore writes Michigan “effectively poisoned, not just some, but apparently ALL of the children in my hometown.”
Check out a few of the Twitter reactions below, and let us know what you think about this crisis in the comments.
Just learned that 10 people have died as s result of lead poisoning from the #FlintWaterCrisis. The Gov should b charged with murder.
— Erica Diggs (@DiggsandCo) January 19, 2016
I wonder if the ppl adamant about boycotting the Oscars are equally as passionate about the #FlintWaterCrisis hmmm
— Bridget Kelly (@IamBridgetKelly) January 19, 2016
RT @Jcaustin03: Shout out to @cthagod 4 giving @onetoughnerd #DonkeyOfTheDay and calling for his resignation. #FlintWaterCrisis
— Charlamagne Tha God (@cthagod) January 19, 2016
If it's possible to generate 1.4 billion dollars in days, we can all collectively help flint get water . #FlintWaterCrisis
— B.o.B (@bobatl) January 18, 2016
so glad to see #FlintWaterCrisis getting major media coverage @cnn https://t.co/rUntm7YCpn … let's make sure we don't stop! clean it up!
— Sandra Bernhard (@SandraBernhard) January 18, 2016
Stand with me TODAY in Flint @ 4PM — Flint City Hall — #ArrestGovSnyder #FlintWaterCrisis pic.twitter.com/16bjyIkrSd
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) January 16, 2016
Reading About Michigan's GOV.&HIS EMERGENCY MANAGERSPOISON WATER IS TIP OF ICEBERG‼️NEEDS 2B FULL SCALE INVESTIGATION. 4POOR. #STOPGOVNOW
— Cher (@cher) January 18, 2016
So far @SenSanders seems to be the one candidate who truly has the people's back #FlintWaterCrisis https://t.co/qwNxO9YdLw
— erin brockovich (@ErinBrockovich) January 16, 2016
Gov Rick Snyder Administration still keepin it classy re #FlintWaterCrisis https://t.co/uKBHzpL8rd pic.twitter.com/T5z5lV0MxS
— Rachel Maddow MSNBC (@maddow) January 15, 2016
The children of Flint have been drinking lead-poisoned water for more than a year. That’s absolutely unacceptable. https://t.co/nmw6E0dmU8
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 18, 2016
Political statements and finger pointing from political candidates only distract from solving the Flint water crisis.
— Governor Rick Snyder (@onetoughnerd) January 18, 2016