Rev. Jesse Jackson stands with pastors to demand Flint fix

FLINT, Mich. (WJBK) - Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson stopped in Flint to rally area pastors into a massive protests, who have their own plan to restore clean water to the city.

Jackson spent his Friday in Flint to stand with the pastors. In no uncertain terms, he made his feelings perfectly clear about how the people have been treated.

"We are returning to the crime scene again," Jackson said. "People feel betrayed. They trusted the system and were asked to pay for poisoned water."

The poison, of course, is the lead coming out of the tap. The health problems are known but there are deeper ones that Mellisa Mays is epxeriencing with her kids.

"Their grades have slipped. Their concentration completely damaged. Their immune system is completely compromised, bone breakage - brittle bones - that's due to long term lead exposure," Mays said.

Mays admits she's felt helpless at times. That drove her to to do something, anything, to get something done.

"Fill the streets and demand justice and new pipes," Mays said.

She stood with Jackson promoting a march on the Flint Water Plant for next Friday. They're urging people to gather at a local church where they'll march to the plant and demand to get new pipes in the ground and have the residents of Flints do the work.

"Flint is the defining moment in urban reconstruction in rebuilding America and putting America back to work," Jackson said.

Mays, Jackson and other pastors hope walking a mile in their shoes will bring them closer to a solution.