Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Roberts isn’t the only guy who recently drew headlines by taking a swim in Rock Creek. This National Capital waterway is infamous for its toxic legacy. The retired former Democratic presidential candidate, now an independent, waded into the creek with his kids—Amaryllis, Bobby, Kick, Jackson, Bobcat and Cassius. They flouted public health advisories on alarming levels of bacteria and other disease-causing germs.
Rock Creek has been the victim of a large pollution legacy mostly from an old combined sewer system built before 1900. When the rainstorms come, that system is quickly overwhelmed, forcing the city to release sewage mixed with stormwater runoff into the creek. The National Park Service advises against any swimming or wading in Rock Creek’s waters. They slap it with the most severe designation a threat to public health.
When Kennedy Jr. made the choice to swim in that creek, there was an explosion of curiosity about his health decisions. This action brings to the forefront his troubling trend of embracing biological gambles. He shone a light on other health-related issues early in his career, repeatedly going against the grain and challenging conventional wisdom. Those actions all seem to play into the broader narrative he’s been crafting of shaking things up, as he said just this past week,
“The entire leadership of this agency are renegades who are, you know, who are juggernauts against convention and who are trying to look for truth, no matter what the cost.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
This incident comes at a time when Kennedy Jr. is positioning himself as a candidate in the 2024 presidential race. After all, he’s done it recently with former President Donald Trump. Together, they announced a detailed new plan to bring U.S. prescription drug prices down from the exorbitantly high rates they currently are. The surprise announcement of the initiative has elicited both joy and anger. Unsurprisingly, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a political rival, called the plan dead on arrival unrealistic.
“It’s one of these promises that politicians make to their constituents knowing that they’ll never have to do it.” – Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Despite potential risks associated with swimming in contaminated waters, Kennedy Jr. shared on social media about enjoying a Mother’s Day hike in Dumbarton Oaks Park followed by the swim with his grandchildren. The risks are great. Had he gotten sick from drinking from the creek, treatment for something like E. coli poisoning would not be included under the administration’s drug pricing plan. Common antibiotics for treating these infections usually cost well under $30 for the course of treatment.
The District of Columbia’s combined sewer system is still a serious public health threat. As Open Data DC notes,
“Release of this excess flow is necessary to prevent flooding in homes, basements, businesses, and streets.” – Open Data DC
This unfortunate dichotomy underscores the difficult position city officials across America continue to find themselves in, caught between maintaining crumbling infrastructure and protecting public safety.
Kennedy Jr.’s swimming excursion, while seemingly benign on the surface, has raised questions regarding the intersection of public health and political discourse. The potential repercussions of such actions are worth pondering as he continues to navigate his campaign and public image amid controversies surrounding health policies and environmental concerns.