High School Basketball Team Forfeits Playoffs After Refusing To Travel To East Palestine, Ohio Over Health Concerns
This is exactly what residents of East Palestine, Ohio were afraid of.
Their town's reputation is ruined and has been given the same stigma of some of the most notable man-made disasters in recent human history, including: Three Mile Island and Chernobyl.
And the worst part is, it's not even their fault. And unfortunately, it's only just beginning.
On Thursday, an Ohio girl's high school basketball team chose to forfeit advancing in the playoffs rather than travel to East Palestine for the game.
Their reasoning was simple and very understandable - they don't believe the town's air, ground and water are safe.
Bristol Local Schools Superintendent Chris Dray told a local Ohio media outlet that parents and players voiced health concerns about playing in East Palestine, which has been likened to "Ohio's Chernobyl," on social media.
When the school asked both the Ohio District Athletic Board as well as the Ohio High School Athletic Association if the game could be played at a neutral site, their requests were denied.
The District said that they believe local, state and federal officials who have deemed the air and water supply safe.
The site of a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio has been dubbed "Ohio's Chernobyl" by many on social media. (NTSB/Handout via Xinhua)
NOBODY TRUSTS THE GOVERNMENT ANYMORE
People don't trust government institutions anymore and for good reason.
From the CDC's chaotic campaign throughout Covid-19 and downright lying to the American people at times. To the EPA's previous deadly mistakes including telling New Yorkers and first responders that the air quality was safe after September 11th, the federal government's track record has not been great.
With such colossal failures can you really blame people for being hesitant about what they're being told?
The head of the EPA is Michael Regan. Do you know what he was applauded for when he was nominated by President Biden?
His work combating "environmental racism." He was even congratulated for creating another government bureaucratic program - this one deemed the "Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights."
The trail derailment occurred on February 3rd. Regan didn't show up to East Palestine until yesterday.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who hasn't visited the train derailment site either, downplayed the derailment incident by saying that there are "roughly 1,000 cases a year of a train derailing."
That's great, Pete - but how many carry hazardous materials that eventually lead to THIS?
My favorite part is when the politicians and government employees tell the people that "The water is safe to drink."
Someone should have handed Governor Mike DeWine a glass of water right there for him to drink. It's time we told our politicians to PROVE IT when uttering what comes across as B.S.
Just yesterday, Congressman J.D. Vance took this video of a creek near the train derailment. Jump to the :09 mark in the video. Looks refreshing, doesn't it?
RESIDENTS ARE WORRIED
It's a sad time in American society that our government has screwed up so many times in the past and CONTINUE to not learn from their mistakes.
All logic has been thrown aside. The animosity from Ohio citizens (and beyond) is understandable. The government and EPA said that if people are concerned about the safety of their water that they should drink bottled waters.
But has that same government offered free water to any of the residents? Not consistently. So you want them to pay money out of their own pockets to buy bottled water - because of leadership's irresponsibility and negligence, when those citizens are likely to be the ones suffering health issues in the years ahead.
Only in America, as they say.
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