Texas author and Democratic presidential hopeful Marianne Williamson said the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, exposed part of the "dark underbelly of American society."
At the Tuesday night debate hosted by CNN, she said that dark side is racism and bigotry.
"We have an administration that has gutted the Clean Water Act. We have communities particularly communities of color and disadvantaged communities all over this country who are suffering from environmental injustice," she said.
"I lived in Gross Point, what happened in Flint would not have happened in Gross Point, this is part of the dark underbelly of American society, the racism, the bigotry, and the entire conversation that we're having here tonight.
"If you think any of this wonkiness is going to deal with this dark psychic force of the collectivized hatred that this president is bringing up in this country, then I'm afraid that the Democrats are going to see some very dark days," Williamson said.
She also called for up to $500 billion in reparations for African Americans.
"It's $200 [billion] to $500 billion payment of a debt that is owed. That is what reparations is," she said.
"If you did the math of 40 acres and a mule, given there was 4 to 5 million slaves at the end of the Civil War and they were probably 40 acres and a mule for a family of four, if you did the math today it would be trillions of dollars, and anything less than a hundred billion dollars is an insult . . ."
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