Flint water almost like 'gas chambers for Jews,' says Sharpton group
activist
Ron Fonger |
[email protected] By Ron Fonger |
[email protected] The Flint Journal
on March 03, 2015 at 12:54 PM, updated March 03, 2015 at 2:10 PM
The Rev. Charles Williams II speaks during a press conference for the National Action Network's coordinated response to the Trayvon Martin
verdict in this: 2013: Flint Journal file photo. Flint Journal file: photo
FLINT -- The president of the Michigan chapter of Al Sharpton's National Action Network says Flint water is "almost as
bad as gas chambers for Jews."
The Rev. Charles Williams II, speaking at a news conference and water giveaway in Flint on Monday, March 3, made
the comment, which appeared on television station WEYI-TV.
The city of Flint issued a statement saying officials are "extremely disappointed" by the pastor's remarks, including his
comparison of consumption of Flint's water to "genocide."
"We are extremely disappointed in Rev. Charles Williams’ comments but certainly understand -- and share -- his
frustration,” the city statement says. "With that said, we find Rev. Williams' accusations are a gross misrepresentation
of the Flint water condition and a wholly inappropriate comparison."
When contacted by The Flint Journal-MLive for comment today, Williams referred a reporter to his Twitter page.
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Steven C. Low, executive director of the Flint Jewish Federation, called Williams' comments "an inappropriate
invocation of the Holocaust" that "diminishes what survivors went through."
"Drawing such a comparison doesn't shed any light on the water problems," said Low, who called on Williams to
apologize for his remarks.
The news conference Williams spoke at is one of several that have been held since Flint notified customers in
January that the city is in violation of the Safe Drinking Water Act because of the level of total trihalomethanes
(TTHM) in water tested during the last 10 months.
Outspoken residents have since protested the price, color, odor and overall quality of the water.
City officials have said Flint water is safe for the vast majority of the people to drink but warned in January notices
that TTHM can pose increased health risks for those with a compromised immune system, the elderly, pregnant
women and infants.
Testing during the last two months has shown the city is meeting all health and safety standards for water, and
a consultant is expected to deliver a report this week, detailing recommendations for improving the quality of drinking
water here.
Flint's water problems, including multiple boil water advisories last summer, bloomed after the city began using
the Flint River as its drinking water source in April.
Prior to that switch, the city had used Lake Huron water, pre-treated and purchased from the city of Detroit.
The Flint statement says "some people may still have issues with discoloration, or do not like the taste of the (higher)
mineral content river water (but) these do not amount to a safety issue."
Williams responded to a request for comment with a text message to The Journal, saying "quote my Twitter feed."
In a Twitter message, the pastor wrote, "I (hear) #flint city officials upset at my comparisons yesterday. They should
use their anger 2 make sure resident aren't drinking death water."
In another message, Williams wrote, "Isn't it extreme to knowingly sell residents contaminated water people in #flint
forced to buy liver disease water? What is that? #Genocide."
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In addition to his work as president of NAN-Michigan, Williams is the pastor of King Solomon Baptist Church of Detroit.
This week was not Williams' first appearance in the spotlight in Flint.
In 2013, he demanded Hurley Medical Center officials answer charges that they granted a father's request that only
white nurses care for his infant child.
The hospital eventually agreed to pay nearly $200,000 in total to three black nurses who sued the hospital after
claiming they were discriminated against when they weren't allowed to treat that white baby.
NAN describes itself as one of the leading civil rights organizations in the nation with chapters throughout the United
States. The organization was founded in 1991 by Sharpton.
Ron Fonger is a reporter for The Flint Journal. Contact him 3trfes@eri @uifive.com or 810-247-9963. Follow him
on Twitter, Facebook orGoogle+.
© 2015 MLive.com. All rights reserved.
Brad Wurfel
Communications Director
Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
517-284-6713
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