The East Palestine train disaster that occurred on February 3rd has left the small rural town in Ohio devastated. Over one million pounds of toxic vinyl chloride were spilled and later burned, releasing thick black smoke that has contaminated the soil and water sources.
The locals are scared for their safety and health, and they feel neglected by the Biden administration. With 71% of the county voting for Donald Trump in 2020, it’s easy to see why they feel abandoned by the government.
According to the locals, officials have been telling them that it’s safe to return home since five days after the derailment, but they don’t know how trustworthy those claims are considering that all data used was paid for by Norfolk Southern Railway Company.
This situation is alarming, and the residents are afraid that they won’t be able to live in or sell their homes due to contamination.
Lindsay Johnston, a local mother, is frustrated because she doesn’t even know how to properly clean her house so as not to expose herself and her children (4-year-old Paisley and 1-year-old Cora) further. She believes that the officials are treating them like “dumb hicks who voted for Trump” and can pull anything over on them.
Shelby Walker, another mother who lives across from where the train derailed, is also feeling vulnerable with five children and four grandchildren living with her and her husband, Paul, in their small wood frame house.
She reported experiencing respiratory issues such as breathlessness and smelling a bad odor on occasion, and other members of her family have had eye infections and strep throats as well. Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, Shelby Walker says she can’t leave yet, and the workers at the crash site wouldn’t even speak when asked about what was going on, making matters worse.
The locals are feeling neglected by the Biden administration, and they just want some real help and information. The government representatives should have been more responsive and helpful in this situation, but they seem to be more interested in other matters, such as the President’s recent trip to Ukraine. The Biden administration’s response has been criticized heavily, and many questions still remain unanswered.
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It’s apparent now more than ever before that Democrats cannot be trusted by rural communities like East Palestine, where everyone helps each other out.
The government should have done more to ensure the safety and well-being of the residents, and they need to be held accountable for their poor response to this disaster. The people of East Palestine deserve better than this, and it’s time for the government to step up and do what’s right for the community.