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The livestream was not only to
raise awareness of the ongoing disaster in East Palestine but also to
raise money for mutual aid for the people victimized by corporate and
governmental neglect.
You
can donate to community relief here.
This disaster is one of the
starkest examples of a war on working people that has gone global.
From East Palestine to Palestine, this corporate empire
is killing us all.
The East Palestine disaster was a
corporate crime scene from day one, with powerful railroad corporation
Norfolk Southern and the government working together to cover up the
extent of the toxic environmental damage and minimize their
accountability to the victims.
The brake failure that caused the
derailment was a result of draconian cost-cutting measures reducing
staff and safety inspections. When railroad workers tried to
strike for better working conditions, including critical safety
measures, Biden and both parties in Congress voted overwhelmingly to
prevent the workers from striking and force them to accept a
contract they had rejected.
The spill and “controlled burn” of
highly toxic chemicals like vinyl chloride not only contaminated the
air and water of East Palestine; two months later, toxic chemicals
were found 150 miles down the Ohio River in West Virginia. Over 5
million people get their drinking water from the Ohio River! Nearby
residents were sickened right away and continue to suffer major health
impacts, and say that the odor and taste of chemicals permeates
everything. Despite this, the EPA and other regulatory agencies insist
that the drinking water is safe. Unbelievably, they refuse to continue
indoor air testing.
Nearly a year since this
major domestic disaster, Biden has not visited East
Palestine, has not signed a declaration of emergency that
would release resources to the community, and isn’t even pressing
Norfolk Southern to follow through with the long-term health testing
they promised.
As it turns out, Norfolk
Southern is a huge campaign donor, spending $1.8 million lobbying
Congress in 2022 and nearly $1 million in PAC donations to
congressional candidates, giving more to Democrats than
Republicans. After the disaster, Norfolk Southern offered
East Palestine a mere $25,000 in total compensation before widespread
outrage forced the company to increase the amount.
While the people of East Palestine have been waiting for
relief from the poisonous corporate disaster that upended their lives,
Biden and both parties in Congress have sent over $14 billion to
Israel to wage a genocidal war against the people of
Palestine.
The corporate media and political
establishment have largely moved on from East Palestine. It’s an issue
that the establishment parties and their corporate sponsors want us to
forget. But we won’t forget East
Palestine.
The story of everyday people
fighting for their lives against corrupt corporate-owned government
does not have a happy ending yet. But it’s the story of all
our lives, from East Palestine to Palestine, and it’s why we continue
to fight for a world that puts people, planet, and peace over
profit.
In solidarity,
The Jill Stein 2024 team
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