>> Sreenivasan: POVERTY IN AMERICA IS NOT A NEW PROBLEM, BUT THE EXTENT OF THE ISSUE HAS SELDOM BEEN BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE ENTIRE WORLD. THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED RECENTLY WHEN THE UNITED NATIONS' SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR TOOK A TOUR OF SOME OF AMERICA'S POOREST PLACES AND REPORTED BACK ABOUT WHAT HE FOUND. NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT SIMON OSTROVSKY HAS OUR STORY, WHICH WAS SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE PULITZER CENTER ON CRISIS REPORTING. THIS REPORT IS PART OF OUR ONGOING SERIES ABOUT POVERTY AND OPPORTUNITY IN AMERICA, "CHASING THE DREAM." >> THIS IS PHILIP ALSTON, THE UNITED NATIONS POINT MAN ON POVERTY. HIS JOB USUALLY INVOLVES VISITING THE WORLD'S LEAST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES. BUT EARLIER THIS MONTH, ALSTON FLIPPED THE SCRIPT. >> MY REPORT DEMONSTRATES THAT GROWING INEQUALITY AND WIDESPREAD POVERTY, WHICH AFFLICTS ALMOST ONE CHILD OUT OF EVERY FIVE, HAS DEEPLY NEGATIVE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. >> Reporter: THE COUNTRY HE'S TALKING ABOUT MIGHT NOT BE WHAT YOU'D EXPECT. IT'S THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. AND HIS CRITICISM MADE TO THE UNITED NATIONS COUNCIL ON HUMAN RIGHTS GOES MUCH, MUCH FURTHER. >> THE UNITED STATES HAS THE HIGHEST INCOME INEQUALITY IN THE WESTERN WORLD, AND THIS CAN ONLY BE MADE WORSE BY THE MASSIVE NEW TAX CUTS OVERWHELMINGLY BENEFITING THE WEALTHY. >> Reporter: JUST DAYS BEFORE ALSTON DELIVERED HIS REPORT, THE UNITED STATES HAD PULLED OUT OF THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL, CLAIMING IT WAS STACKED AGAINST U.S. ALLY ISRAEL AND REFUSED TO BE REFORMED. >> FOR TOO LONG, THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HAS BEEN A PROTECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSERS AND A CESSPOOL OF POLITICAL BIAS. >> Reporter: AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. NIKKI HALEY REACTED TO ALSTON'S REPORT WITH A STRONGLY WORDED LETTER, CALLING THE REPORT, "MISLEADING," "POLITICALLY MOTIVATED" AND "BIASED." SHE SAID IT WAS "PATENTLY RIDICULOUS" FOR THE U.N. EVEN TO EXAMINE POVERTY IN "THE WEALTHIEST AND FREEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD." BUT ALSTON'S REPORT TO THE U.N. NOT ONLY IMPLIED THAT U.S. POLICIES TOWARDS POVERTY IGNORED HUMAN RIGHTS, BUT, AS A RESULT, DEMOCRACY ITSELF IS BEING STEADILY UNDERMINED. HOW DID YOU CONCEIVE OF THE IDEA TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES? >> THE UNITED STATES HAS LONG OPPOSED THE NOTION THAT THERE IS ANY SUCH THING AS SOCIAL HUMAN RIGHTS. THE UNITED STATES HAS FOR DECADES NOW STOOD UP AND SAID, "NO, NO, NO, NO, THERE'S NO RIGHT TO FOOD. WE THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA IF PEOPLE GET ACCESS TO FOOD, BUT IT'S NOT A HUMAN RIGHT." >> Reporter: WHAT ALSTON DOES WANT PEOPLE TO EMBRACE IS HIS BELIEF THAT EXTREME POVERTY IS A HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUE AND GOVERNMENTS HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO ALLEVIATE IT. BUT THAT'S A CONTROVERSIAL IDEA. >> WELL, I THINK IT'S A COMPLICATED QUESTION. >> Reporter: KEITH HARPER WAS PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA'S LAST AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL. >> I DON'T THINK I WOULD GO FULLY ON BOARD WITH THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR'S POSITION. HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK THE WAY THESE PROBLEMS OFTEN MANIFEST IN THE UNITED STATES COULD BE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IF FOR EXAMPLE THEY'RE ROOTED IN DISPARATE TREATMENT BETWEEN SAY AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND... AND... AND WHITE AMERICANS. THEN, YOU HAVE A VIOLATION OF THE CONVENTION ON RACIAL DISCRIMINATION. >> Reporter: DISPARATE TREATMENT IS WHAT ALSTON SAYS HE FOUND. >> I NOTE WITH REGRET THAT UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR NIKKI HALEY HAS CHARACTERIZED THIS COUNCIL AS A CESSPOOL AND HAS CHOSEN TO WITHDRAW FROM IT JUST DAYS BEFORE MY PRESENTATION. SPEAKING OF CESSPOOLS, MY REPORT DRAWS ATTENTION TO THOSE I WITNESSED IN ALABAMA. >> Reporter: AS PART OF HIS POVERTY TOUR, ALSTON VISITED LOWNDES COUNTY, WHERE THE HALCOMBES LIVE JUST YARDS AWAY FROM THEIR TOWN'S WASTEWATER LAGOON. THE IRONY IS, THEIR ENTIRE AFRICAN-AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD ISN'T CONNECTED TO THE SEWER SYSTEM THE LAGOON SERVES, AND THEY RELY ON THEIR OWN FAULTY SEPTIC TANK. >> THERE ARE NO WHITE PEOPLE HERE IN THIS PART ALL THE WAY BACK TO 21. IT'S ALL BLACK. >> YOUR FRONT YARD LOOKS LIKE A LAKE. >> (\BLEEP\). IT LOOKED WORSE THAN THAT YESTERDAY. >> Reporter: WHEN IT RAINS, THE REST OF THE TOWN'S WASTE BACKS UP INTO THE HALCOMBES' YARD. >> THEY NEED TO GET THAT SEWAGE OUT THE LAWN HERE. IT SHOULDN'T BE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. >> Reporter: I HEAR THAT. >> THIS IS SEWAGE, OKAY. THAT MUST BE WHERE IT'S SEEPING THROUGH THIS SEWAGE HERE. >> Reporter: SO, IF YOU'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY THE UNITED NATIONS FELT THAT THEY HAD TO SEND SOMEBODY DOWN TO ALABAMA, THIS IS THE REASON: OPEN SEWAGE BUBBLING UP FROM THE GROUND FROM A PIPE AND JUST COMING AND FLOODING INTO PEOPLE'S YARDS. THE AUTHORITIES IN ALABAMA BROUGHT SEWAGE SYSTEMS TO AFFLUENT, PRIMARILY WHITE NEIGHBORHOODS DECADES AGO, BUT ROUGHLY HALF OF THE HOMES IN THIS MOSTLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN COUNTY EITHER DON'T HAVE ANY SEPTIC SYSTEM AT ALL OR THEIR SYSTEMS ARE FAILING, ACCORDING TO CATHERINE FLOWERS, A LOCAL ACTIVIST WHO CONDUCTED A SURVEY OF NEARLY 3,000 HOMES. >> THESE ARE CLASSIC THIRD WORLD CONDITIONS IN THE RICHEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD. IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. >> Reporter: AND OF THE 2,800 HOUSES THAT WERE SURVEYED, WHAT PERCENTAGE HAD ADEQUATE SEWAGE FACILITIES? >> MOST OF THEM... AT LEAST 50% OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE SURVEYED HAD FAILING SYSTEMS OR NO SYSTEMS AT ALL. >> Reporter: WHAT'S IT LIKE LIVING WITHOUT A SEPTIC TANK SYSTEM? >> IT'S BAD, AND I DON'T LIKE TO SEE THIS, YOU KNOW, STUFF RUNNING OUT ON THE GROUND LIKE THIS. >> Reporter: PAMELA RUSH IS ALSO A RESIDENT HERE. SO, HOW DOES IT WORK? >> IT'S JUST A STRAIGHT PIPE RUNNING OUT FROM THE HOUSE. >> Reporter: HOW COME YOU DON'T HAVE A SEPTIC TANK? >> I COULD NEVER AFFORD A SEPTIC TANK. IT WAS LIKE THIS EVER SINCE I BEEN HERE. >> Reporter: OKAY. HOW LONG HAS THAT BEEN? >> OVER 20 YEARS. >> Reporter: SO, THE GOVERNMENT ACTUALLY DOESN'T CONSIDER IT ITS RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR GETTING RID OF WASTE? >> NO. I MEAN, THEY WILL SAY, "LOOK, WE'VE GOT LAWS ON THE BOOKS, AND IF YOU HAVE A HOUSE, IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY." BUT, OF COURSE, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE-- NOT JUST POOR PEOPLE, ORDINARY PEOPLE-- WHO COULD NEVER AFFORD A SANITATION SYSTEM. >> Reporter: ALABAMA'S CHIEF HEALTH OFFICER, DR. SCOTT HARRIS, TOLD US THE STATE HAS NEVER CONDUCTED A SURVEY TO ASSESS THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEM. HOW MANY HOUSEHOLDS WOULD YOU SAY DON'T HAVE PROPER SEWAGE FACILITIES? >> FAR TOO MANY, ALTHOUGH WE DON'T HAVE GREAT DATA ON THAT. WE HAVE MADE EFFORTS IN THE PAST TO TRY TO COUNT THOSE NUMBERS, BUT WE... WE DON'T HAVE A WAY THAT WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE'RE COLLECTING ALL THAT INFORMATION. IN LOWNDES COUNTY, FOR EXAMPLE, WE THINK THOSE NUMBERS COULD BE, YOU KNOW, MAYBE 20%, YOU KNOW, OR... OR IT COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER OR IT MIGHT BE LOWER. BUT... BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF THE POPULATION. >> Reporter: WHEN WE INTERVIEWED PHILIP ALSTON, HE TOLD US THAT HE GOT THE SENSE THAT THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES DIDN'T FEEL IT WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. AND NOT ONLY THAT, THEY DIDN'T KNOW HOW BIG AN ISSUE IT WAS BECAUSE THEY'D NEVER CONDUCTED A SURVEY. >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT EVERY PERSON THAT HE... THAT HE SPOKE WITH, BUT CLEARLY IT'S AN ISSUE. WE'VE IDENTIFIED IT AS AN ISSUE, AND WE'VE TRIED TO EDUCATE LOCAL PEOPLE ON HOW IMPORTANT IT IS. >> Reporter: DO YOU THINK THERE'S A PROBLEM WHERE YOU SEE THE BETTER OFF WHITE PART OF TOWN BEING CONNECTED TO THE SEWER SYSTEM, AND THE POOR, WORSE OFF BLACK PART OF TOWN NOT BEING CONNECTED TO THE SYSTEM HERE IN LOWNDES COUNTY? >> THERE'S A CLEAR RACIAL DISPARITY HERE, THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. I THINK PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPOVERISHED OF ANY COLOR, BUT PARTICULARLY AFRICAN-AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE IMPOVERISHED, LACK THE SOCIAL CAPITAL TO BE ABLE TO GET THEIR PROBLEMS ADDRESSED. THEY... THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET GOVERNMENT TO ANSWER TO THEM IN THE WAY THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE WELL OFF OR HAVE BETTER CONNECTIONS CAN DO. >> Reporter: WE ASKED NIKKI HALEY'S SPOKESPERSON AT THE MISSION TO THE U.N. TO SPEAK TO NEWSHOUR WEEKEND ABOUT ALSTON'S REPORT. HE DIDN'T RESPOND TO CALLS AND EMAILS. NIKKI HALEY SAID IT'S PATENTLY RIDICULOUS FOR THE UNITED NATIONS TO BE REVIEWING POVERTY IN A COUNTRY AS RICH AS THE UNITED STATES. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT? >> I DON'T AGREE WITH THAT. I THINK THAT COUNTRIES LIKE THE UNITED STATES, WHERE WE HAVE INCREDIBLE WEALTH, ARE PRECISELY THE KINDS OF COUNTRIES WHERE IF YOU DO HAVE POVERTY YOU WANT TO FIND OUT ABOUT IT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RESOURCES TO ADDRESS IT. >> Reporter: IN THE CASE OF ALABAMA, THE CHALLENGE OF PROVIDING PROPER WASTE TREATMENT TO ALL CITIZENS MAY FINALLY BE GETTING ADDRESSED WITH PROPOSED BIPARTISAN LEGISLATION. IN PART, DUE TO THE ATTENTION ALSTON'S VISIT BROUGHT. >> AND IN THIS DAY AND AGE, EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO QUALITY AFFORDABLE, WASTE WATER SYSTEMS. >> Reporter: ALONGSIDE REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS MIKE ROGERS AND SHELLEY CAPITO, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN TERRI SEWELL AND DEMOCRATIC SENATORS DOUG JONES AND CORY BOOKER HAVE INTRODUCED BIPARTISAN BILLS IN THE HOUSE AND SENATE THAT IF PASSED WILL OFFER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO HOUSEHOLDS FOR SANITATION SYSTEMS. HOW DOES THAT MAKE ALABAMIANS FEEL THAT THE UNITED NATIONS FELT THEY NEEDED TO SEND SOMEBODY WHO THEY USUALLY SEND TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES TO THIS STATE? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, LOOK, IT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER HOW THEY FEEL. WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS TAKE THAT REPORT AND SAY, "LOOK, THIS IS A PROBLEM. DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER." THAT'S WHAT WE SAY DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH. JUST DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER, LET'S TAKE THE MESSAGE AND TRY TO BUILD ON IT AND WORK ON IT. >> Reporter: WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO PEOPLE WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT OUR TAX DOLLARS SHOULD BE SPENT ON IMPROVING OUR OWN AND OUR CHILDREN'S LIVES INSTEAD OF PEOPLE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO SORT THEIR OWN SITUATION OUT? >> WELL, I THINK WHAT ANY COMMUNITY DOES IS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE LOSERS IN LIFE OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE GONE THROUGH DISASTERS. IT CAN HAPPEN TO ANY OF US. BUT THOSE OF US WHO ARE WELL OFF HAVE SAFETY NETS, EITHER PERSONAL OR FAMILIAL OR WHATEVER. THESE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE THOSE SAFETY NETS. IT'S A BASIC TENET OF DECENCY FOR A SOCIETY TO MAKE BASIC PROVISION FOR THE POOREST AND MOST VULNERABLE MEMBERS OF ITS SOCIETY.
I've never even heard of that county. Fascinating report, thanks for sharing!
I have definitely seen homes with sewage runoff like this all over the state. I know it's not an Alabama only issue but it's still a problem.
The rest of the country has taken an interesting approach to Alabama.
It’s perfectly acceptable to make fun of people here for being ignorant and backwards and totally acceptable to ignore the severe poverty here. To address one the entire nation would have to admit to one being problematic and we know that simply won’t happen.