Letters: Readers speak out on Flint-related coverage

Kilpatrick story ‘waste’

Re: The Jan. 25 story in The Detroit News: “Kwame Kilpatrick letter weighs in on Flint water”: Why would The News even waste time and space printing a letter that may be from a disgraced convict like Kilpatrick? Your journalism has hit a new low.

Norman Woelk, Royal Oak

Another ‘no’ on story

Re: The Jan. 25 story in The Detroit News: “Kwame Kilpatrick letter weighs in on Flint water”: Why would you publish a story about Kilpatrick and his claim that Gov. Rick Snyder is lying?

Kilpatrick wouldn’t know the truth if it jumped up and bit him in the posterior. Giving him, and his incredible views, any ink whatsoever was ill advised and a waste of space.

John L. Lengemann, Imlay City

Wrong call on FEMA

Re: The Jan. 24 editorial in The Detroit News “Declare Flint a federal disaster”

I’m kind of surprised that the News takes issue with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s refusal to declare the Flint water problem as a federal disaster.

The editorial seems to base its reasoning on emotions rather than on legal principals. Is FEMA’s position based on the law regarding federal disaster declarations or is it not? If not then you should be pleading for Gov. Rick Snyder to take this to court, rather simply making an emotional appeal to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

John W Krienke, Ann Arbor

Flint lesson is empathy

Flint, like other cities in the U.S., has experienced systemic forms of racism which continue today. These covert forms are found in areas including education, hiring, environmental protection and the economy.

Despite the more than 150 years that have passed since the end of the Civil War — and the election of a half-white, half-African-American president — some citizens do not empathize with the less fortunate persons in our diverse country. Thus there is escalating inequality and suffering. Tragic consequences result.

Hopefully, good for all citizens will result after investigations and remedies are finished. However, it will be a long time. We must learn from mistakes made. Powerful leaders will govern more wisely. People will be mindful of and caring for each other and be truly involved in saving our democracy.

Hannah Provence Donigan, Commerce