"Mann Vs. Ford" HBO Documentary To Air At 9PM EST [Video]

Blake Z. Rong
by Blake Z. Rong

In 1955, Ford built America’s largest auto plant in Mahwah, New Jersey, just up the river from New York City. And between 1967 and 1971, Ford dumped hundreds of tons of toxic waste into mineshafts in northern New Jersey—right in the backyards of communities.

The sludge of lead, arsenic, Freon, paint chemicals and dioxins poisoned the members of the Ramapough Native American community, causing a spate of severe health problems. Mothers started having miscarriages; people started coming down with cancer. One member of the Ramapough, Wayne Mann, led the charge against Ford in 2005 with a lawsuit stating that they had deliberately poisoned the land and the people living on it. The class action suit finally carried through in 2008; but with an impending bankruptcy on the horizon, the Ramapough took a settlement averaging $8,000 per plaintiff—except for the 30 people in the area who died of cancer while the lawsuit went through the courts.

Now, Mann’s fight against Ford will be on an HBO documentary, entitled “Mann vs. Ford.” Directed by Maro Chermayeff and Micah Fink, it will most likely remind viewers of “Erin Brockovich,” without the sassy female lead, as both films are based on true stories of devious corporate misconduct. If he poisoned 10 children, Mann said, he’d go to jail for life; if a corporation poisons hundreds of people, it will get away with it.

The documentary airs tonight at 9pm Eastern time to HBO suscribers. Click the jump to see a preview.

[Source: National Catholic Reporter]

Blake Z. Rong
Blake Z. Rong

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  • Kristle mann Kristle mann on Dec 07, 2011

    To be honest with you don't know what my family went thought it was tough on everybody in my family and to see you guys talking about them makes me very upset cause that's my family ya talking about im sorry but ford deserved it they should had never done that and i wish that ford never done that and my little cousins my aunts and uncles died cause of ford dumping waste and they all died from cancer until your family goes though what my family went though just be quiet it hurt me cause im fourteen growing up without knowuing my family that died at a young age and that was hard enough so plzz stop talking about my family intil you know what its like to go though this its wrong talk about someones family n this does not go for everyone just some.

  • Danielle Danielle on Feb 02, 2012

    SOOOO glad I don't drive a Ford!

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