Today in People Being Awesome To Other People, over 300 union plumbers headed to Flint, MI over the weekend to do their part in making the water safe for residents.
Due to a number of public and private sector failures, the people of Flint have been unknowingly drinking water contaminated with injurious levels of lead. Lead poisoning is irreversible and especially detrimental to children.
Since the story of the lead contamination broke, there have been a number of decidedly half-assed attempts to improve the situation (including presidential hopeful Ted Cruz donating water — to crisis pregnancy centers. That’s right. Ted Cruz only wants people to have clean water if it comes with a side of anti-choice propaganda). The state has been issuing water filters to residents of Flint, but many have discovered that their existing faucets won’t accommodate the new filters.
Enter 300 members of the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry with faucets donated by Plumbing Manufacturers International. The plumbers are installing the donated fixtures and filters, free of charge.
It's good to know that when government and private industry fail to secure the common good, our fellow Americans will step in to help make things right. Nicely done, plumbers. You are good people and true patriots.