East Palestine: A Struggling Town Highlights Broader Neglect of Deindustrialized America
• East Palestine was once a thriving manufacturing hub but is now struggling after industries left and jobs were shipped overseas. It offers a glimpse into the consequences of deindustrialization.
• The recent Norfolk Southern train derailment and chemical spill has imperiled community health and highlighted neglect.
• The area is half residential, half industrial - vacant plants and factories neighbor suburban homes. Locals feel ambivalent about the future.
• Places like East Palestine have been neglected by the ruling class ethos prioritizing financialization over domestic manufacturing. Industrial engines were shipped abroad.
• Though easy to miss, East Palestine's suffering - whether from chemical exposure or economic policies - is just as real. We should remember that in moments it occupies headlines.