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[Ripclawe]

I don't know if to be amused or depressed.


http://www.freep.com/news/locway/detplan21e_20040921.htm

BY MARISOL BELLO
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER

September 21, 2004


A majority of the Detroit City Council wants to implement an economic development plan it commissioned for $112,000 that preaches racial isolation and rails against immigration in its bid to gain economic success for poor blacks.


The crux of the plan is the creation of a business district -- dubbed African Town -- that would be funded in part with city money and made up of black-owned businesses catering to a black clientele.


The report also complains that immigrants from Mexico, Asia and the Middle East are stealing resources, jobs and other opportunities from blacks and calls on city leaders to stop the economic shift.


The report does not call on the city to stop immigration -- and the city wouldn't have any power to stop it, even if it wanted to -- but the report does call on the city to level the playing field between blacks and the newcomers who it says are economically surpassing them.

 

[Cloudy]

Pathetic....

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Detroit, the benchmark of urban decay.

 

[Manabanana]

First thing I thought of was that "African Crossing" photoshop.

 

[dog$]

The thesis behind this is retarded.

In terms of a statistical significance, blacks have been here long before any other ethnic group (only other groups to rival size and years of presence would be latinos (esp. from Texas and Cali) and "native american"); there's your level playing field. You've had the chance to surpass other "newcomers" by being here first.

Meanwhile there's nothing wrong with wanting to create an ethnic-themed area in the interest of attracting specific customers and presenting a strong theme of a certain culture. Chicago's Chinatown isn't more than a few city blocks in area, but it provides enough economic and cultural functionality to sustain itself and has done so for about a century now.

If this proposal was presented in a manner so that it'd be of interest to Detroit to spur new ethnic and economic interest, I'd see no problem with it. But the idea that a bunch of whiners need help from the goverment by having their own special African-Zone strikes me as segragationist and petty.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

I don't know if to be amused or depressed.

Believe me, you'd be depressed if you lived here and realized that this is quite possibly the worst run, worst city in America. Just about a total shithole downtown that the powers that be are content to find new ways to ruin.

 

[crumbs]

It's always someone else's fault in Detroit. It's the federal gov't, the state gov't, the suburbs, businesses, white folks, and now immigrants. Detroit time to grow up and deal with it.

 

[LizardKing]

Musashi, where do you live? In the actual city, or around? I'm in Livonia.

But yeah, Detroit is run horribly. I blame the city council. They are a bunch of retards, and just an all around bunch of weird people who are constantly in a power struggle with the mayor. I admit the city has made some improvements in the last 5-6 years though.

 

[SKluck]

Only time I go to Detroit is for the Auto Show. I never go past Southfield.

Isn't Detroit 80% black? I forget the exact figure, but an "African Town" isn't terribly surprising. Albeit unnecessary.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

Thank god they don't do this for the Chineese, Greeks, and Italians. That would really suck.

 

[Mike]

Believe me, you'd be depressed if you lived here and realized that this is quite possibly the worst run, worst city in America. Just about a total shithole downtown that the powers that be are content to find new ways to ruin.

You live in Detroit? Get out of there.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

Musashi, where do you live? In the actual city, or around? I'm in Livonia.

But yeah, Detroit is run horribly. I blame the city council. They are a bunch of retards, and just an all around bunch of weird people who are constantly in a power struggle with the mayor. I admit the city has made some improvements in the last 5-6 years though.

I'm in Dearborn now, but yes I've lived in Detroit as well. The city council is horrid, but if you look honestly at things the Mayors have always used the position to cement themselves in some fashion at the city's expense as well. And I no longer believe in the improvements either. It's only as I've grown older and watched the two step forward two step back dance it does that I've grown flat out pessimistic about it's efforts. Nothing will depress you more than spending some time in any other major city in America though. Especially places like Cleveland or Pittsburgh that have truly reinvigorated their city centers from rust-belt depression.

 

[Deg]

leave the city.

 

[bjork]

Black Manifest Destiny begins in Detroit imo.

 

[Santo]

Detroit is a shithole, despite the recent efforts by a few groups to bring new business to it. And it's going to continue to be a shithole because people in power there don't give two shits about truly making it better.

 

[Loki]

Thank god they don't do this for the Chineese, Greeks, and Italians. That would really suck.

I see what you're saying, but ethnic enclaves that developed naturally based on residency patterns are not the same thing as a government-mandated plan to create one imo.

 

[bishoptl]

I see what you're saying, but ethnic enclaves that developed naturally based on residency patterns are not the same thing as a government-mandated plan to create one imo.

Perfectly said. This is nothing more than political pandering, a virulent strain of racism as vile as I've ever heard of. Pathetic.

BTW, I thought Detroit was Hockeytown?

 

[Eric-GCA]

"Big City" councils seem to have some of the most deranged people around. San Francisco and Los Angeles are two others that come to mind.

 

[Musashi Wins!]

BTW, I thought Detroit was Hockeytown?

yea, go see the hockey game and get the fuck out of town. Just doesn't sound very catchy in advertising.

 

[Dan]

BTW, I thought Detroit was Hockeytown?

Detroit is many things. Hockeytown, Motor City, etc. But a nice to place to stay, it is not.

Detroit is kind of screwed, just like the rest of the country. A lot of the decisions that would have to be made in order to have long term benefits would be political suicide in the short term, which is what everyone cares about nowadays. Everyone just wants some quick benefits rather than what might be best for the whole over time.