>> 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.
