60 Minutes' heartbreaking report on the economically decimated Wilmington, Ohio
Earlier today, I finally got around to watching the episode of 60 Minutes that aired last Sunday. The first report of the show, done by Scott Pelley, was on the town of Wilmington, Ohio, the epitome of Anytown, USA if there ever was one, with a population of about 12,000. Until recently, about a third of Wilmington's residents were employed by the local DHL shipping facility. I say "until recently" because DHL closed the plant a short time ago and moved its US operations overseas, sending thousands of people in one small town to the unemployment lines.
What follows will just break your heart...
I just about lost it near the end of the segment when Wilmington resident Mike O'Machearley, who recently lost his son in Iraq, said the following..."Call it ground zero, Wilmington is ground zero. We've got to get back to being America. Because right now we're losing sight of what my son died for. And what those other 16 soldiers died for. We're losing sight of it. We need to fight hard to get it back."
Yes we do Mike. We certainly do.
6 comments:
Yes I saw it too... what can we do.... take the TARP money away from the bankers and give it to these people... give incentives to a green co. a solar co. to move there.. the work force is already there, ready to go.. same for Detroit...
NoCalGal
NoCalGal, those same bankers, while laying off US citizens, upped their request for foreign worker Visa's by a third.
Each and every bank, Wall Street firm or individual who took OUR money should be 110% accountable for it now and in the future.
No wonder Ford didn't want any of it. They may have to open their books and I do not think for one second any corporation who stole our tax dollars would stand up to even the tiniest of scrutiny.
Wilmington is just a small symptom of a greater disease known as human greed.
G in SE IN
I'm sad to say that the founder of DHL is from Shreveport. He has been a great philanthropist on animal welfare causes, and has established an art film center. A donation he made has established the first ever low cost spay and neuter clinic for dogs and cats, which supporters hope will reduce the euthanasia rate in the animal shelter.
Good stuff - why couldn't he have done as much by leaving the operation open in Ohio?
Here's an article about him:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,140373,00.html
my husband and i were talking about this problem this AM as regards the stimulus package. one of the problems this time around, as compared to government programs set up during the great depression, is that today, these folks are likely to own their homes. unless the jobs come to them, they are very unlikely to be able to pull up stakes and go where the work is. i grew up not far from wilmington--you're right--this is anytown, USA--maybe sarah palin should be required to weigh in before she opens her yap again since she knows these folks so well.
Just want to point out that Robinson sold his stake in DHL in 2003. DHL is now owned by Deutsche Post. Yeah. Good luck getting these crooked MFRs to have some compassion for Ohio:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123298012286615477.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
First my people invade Poland. Then they f-up the Midwest :(
Bookmarked this. Thanksgiving owing to you against sharing. Undoubtedly advantage my time.
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