Thursday, September 15, 2016 6:01:46 AM
Some Flint residents not convinced of Donald Trump's sincerity
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves to supporters and protestors as he rides in a caravan to tour the Flint Water
Plant on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 on Stewart Avenue in Flint. Jake May | MLive.com
By Lauren Gibbons | lgibbon2@mlive.com
Follow on Twitter
on September 14, 2016 at 8:25 PM
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's whirlwind appearance in Flint Wednesday sparked national interest and a flurry of supporters and protesters, but some Flint-area residents weren't sure his efforts were sincere.
Trump, who took a tour of the Flint Water Treatment Plant and briefly addressed a small crowd at Bethel United Methodist Church in Flint, saved most of his comments for the Flint water crisis, although he was interrupted when he brought up political arguments against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
"I invited you here to thank us for what we've done in Flint, not give a political speech," Rev. Faith Green Timmons of Bethel United Methodist Church said to Trump during an address to about 70 people at the church facility. Trump quickly shifted gears and resumed talking about issues facing Flint.
Some of those in attendance attempted to shout questions at Trump, but were asked by Timmons to quiet down and show respect to Trump as a guest. Others tried to get responses from him on the other side of the barrier as he exited the building, to which he did not respond.
Flint resident Lashaya Darisaw said she tried to ask Trump two questions during his appearance in her city: whether he was sorry for firing black workers from his casinos, and what he meant when he said "they" have nothing to lose when referring to African Americans.
[video as yours]
"I feel like he can't just come out here and use the suffering of the Flint water crisis to wash away his biases and think he can come to a black church," she said. "I don't know if he is trying to get black votes or what, but he can't do that. It's unacceptable. His past speaks for itself."
Erik Shelley of Redford, a member of the Michigan Peoples Campaign, said another member of the group attempted to ask a question about Trump's history of housing discrimination. Shelley said he is concerned that Trump isn't being held accountable for what he perceives as a racist past.
"We're in church and I'm genuinely concerned for his eternal soul," Shelley said. "If he wants to be forgiven, we can forgive him, but he has to admit that he did this wrong thing. ... This is just too important to let slide."
Other Flint residents followed along with what Trump had to say out of curiosity, including resident Barbara Carr.
"I just wanted to see what the candidates think about Flint and dealing with the water situation," Carr said. "You just really want to hear their voice to see what kind of solutions they have."
Carr said she thought Trump did come in with some compassion for Flint, but did not provide much feedback on how he would continue to address the Flint water crisis.
--
Donald Trump visit to Flint riles protesters and union leaders
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/09/protesters_union_leaders_upset.html
"Mr.Trump, I've gone one question for you and it's a pretty simple one: where the hell have you been?" shouted Ron Bieber, Michigan AFL-CIO president, during a press conference by Flint Rising outside the plant ahead of Trump's expected visit.
--
Rev. Alfred Harris, president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, said in an interview prior to Trump's speech that he understood why some pastors or citizens would want to meet him and hear what he has to say.
But the Flint water crisis has been going on since 2014, Harris said, and Trump's public comments on the matter before recently have been sparse.
"Whatever he's saying concerning that situation already has been said," Harris said. "It's not going to impact the water crisis at all - the only thing he could do is write a check.
"The pain and betrayal caused by the government can't just be washed away," Harris continued.
Harris said he thought protesting the event was the wrong approach - time would be better served by get-out-the-vote efforts and actively working to address lingering issues from the Flint water crisis.
Several Democratic leaders from throughout Michigan decried Trump's appearance in statements and various protests.
Donald Trump greeted with cheers, boos at Flint water plant visit
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/09/donald_trump_greeted_with_chee.html
His arrival drew both cheers and boos from the crowd, some shouting their support for the Trump while others chanted "water not walls" alluding to the city's water crisis and the candidate's stance on strengthening the border between the United States and Mexico.
--
But Ronna Romney McDaniel, chair of the Michigan Republican Party, said in a statement that it was great to see Trump visiting the city and focusing on ways to address the crisis and prevent future incidents from happening.
"His plans for ensuring greater accountability from the EPA and to fix our nation's infrastructure show a strong commitment to providing solutions, not politicizing a crisis," McDaniel said.
Click here .. http://topics.mlive.com/tag/trump-michigan/ .. for more coverage of Trump's visit to Flint.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/trump_reactions.html
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump waves to supporters and protestors as he rides in a caravan to tour the Flint Water
Plant on Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2016 on Stewart Avenue in Flint. Jake May | MLive.com
By Lauren Gibbons | lgibbon2@mlive.com
Follow on Twitter
on September 14, 2016 at 8:25 PM
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's whirlwind appearance in Flint Wednesday sparked national interest and a flurry of supporters and protesters, but some Flint-area residents weren't sure his efforts were sincere.
Trump, who took a tour of the Flint Water Treatment Plant and briefly addressed a small crowd at Bethel United Methodist Church in Flint, saved most of his comments for the Flint water crisis, although he was interrupted when he brought up political arguments against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.
"I invited you here to thank us for what we've done in Flint, not give a political speech," Rev. Faith Green Timmons of Bethel United Methodist Church said to Trump during an address to about 70 people at the church facility. Trump quickly shifted gears and resumed talking about issues facing Flint.
Some of those in attendance attempted to shout questions at Trump, but were asked by Timmons to quiet down and show respect to Trump as a guest. Others tried to get responses from him on the other side of the barrier as he exited the building, to which he did not respond.
Flint resident Lashaya Darisaw said she tried to ask Trump two questions during his appearance in her city: whether he was sorry for firing black workers from his casinos, and what he meant when he said "they" have nothing to lose when referring to African Americans.
[video as yours]
"I feel like he can't just come out here and use the suffering of the Flint water crisis to wash away his biases and think he can come to a black church," she said. "I don't know if he is trying to get black votes or what, but he can't do that. It's unacceptable. His past speaks for itself."
Erik Shelley of Redford, a member of the Michigan Peoples Campaign, said another member of the group attempted to ask a question about Trump's history of housing discrimination. Shelley said he is concerned that Trump isn't being held accountable for what he perceives as a racist past.
"We're in church and I'm genuinely concerned for his eternal soul," Shelley said. "If he wants to be forgiven, we can forgive him, but he has to admit that he did this wrong thing. ... This is just too important to let slide."
Other Flint residents followed along with what Trump had to say out of curiosity, including resident Barbara Carr.
"I just wanted to see what the candidates think about Flint and dealing with the water situation," Carr said. "You just really want to hear their voice to see what kind of solutions they have."
Carr said she thought Trump did come in with some compassion for Flint, but did not provide much feedback on how he would continue to address the Flint water crisis.
--
Donald Trump visit to Flint riles protesters and union leaders
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/09/protesters_union_leaders_upset.html
"Mr.Trump, I've gone one question for you and it's a pretty simple one: where the hell have you been?" shouted Ron Bieber, Michigan AFL-CIO president, during a press conference by Flint Rising outside the plant ahead of Trump's expected visit.
--
Rev. Alfred Harris, president of the Concerned Pastors for Social Action, said in an interview prior to Trump's speech that he understood why some pastors or citizens would want to meet him and hear what he has to say.
But the Flint water crisis has been going on since 2014, Harris said, and Trump's public comments on the matter before recently have been sparse.
"Whatever he's saying concerning that situation already has been said," Harris said. "It's not going to impact the water crisis at all - the only thing he could do is write a check.
"The pain and betrayal caused by the government can't just be washed away," Harris continued.
Harris said he thought protesting the event was the wrong approach - time would be better served by get-out-the-vote efforts and actively working to address lingering issues from the Flint water crisis.
Several Democratic leaders from throughout Michigan decried Trump's appearance in statements and various protests.
Donald Trump greeted with cheers, boos at Flint water plant visit
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2016/09/donald_trump_greeted_with_chee.html
His arrival drew both cheers and boos from the crowd, some shouting their support for the Trump while others chanted "water not walls" alluding to the city's water crisis and the candidate's stance on strengthening the border between the United States and Mexico.
--
But Ronna Romney McDaniel, chair of the Michigan Republican Party, said in a statement that it was great to see Trump visiting the city and focusing on ways to address the crisis and prevent future incidents from happening.
"His plans for ensuring greater accountability from the EPA and to fix our nation's infrastructure show a strong commitment to providing solutions, not politicizing a crisis," McDaniel said.
Click here .. http://topics.mlive.com/tag/trump-michigan/ .. for more coverage of Trump's visit to Flint.
http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/trump_reactions.html
It was Plato who said, “He, O men, is the wisest, who like Socrates, knows that his wisdom is in truth worth nothing”
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