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So everyone in that type of an environment never had a chance? If this is the case society would have two choices--ACCEPT their aberrant behavior as normal--what else could they have become, or cull the population before residents become the inevitable problem they are destined to become.
I'm saying that chances and opportunities have diminished.
Just look at the performance of Detroit schools and graduation rates.
Look at the divorce rates, crime rate, unemployment rate, public transportation, health & nutrition,
pre-maternity and new mother-new baby care etc.
All I'm saying is that it is VERY DIFFICULT BATTLE. I am not saying that aberrant bahaviour should be accepted, that we should give up.
It is not the same urban environment of a 100 years ago.
Look at the problems Mexican families are having...trying to keep their kids away from crime. And Mexicans usually have stronger families, lower divorce rates and support networks. They also have to send their kids to lousy schools. They're also facing a bleak job market.
I'm saying that chances and opportunities have diminished.
Just look at the performance of Detroit schools and graduation rates.
Look at the divorce rates, crime rate, unemployment rate, public transportation, health & nutrition,
pre-maternity and new mother-new baby care etc.
I think the opportunities are greater now than they ever have been, especially for minorities.
The educational opportunities are certainly greater than they have been. Minorities even get extra "points" for admission to college. Financial aid is available. The elementary and high schools are available - people just aren't using them.
Marital counseling is available like never before.
There were as many opportunities for crime in the past as there is now. Drugs were available long before the 70's.
There are more job opportunities now than ever. Even in this "second worst economic depression that America ever faced", unemployment didn't' approach that of the Great Depression.
Public transportation is being cut back because people are not using it. Cars provide much greater mobility and the number of cars in use has increased.
Health and nutrition are better now than ever.
Pre-maternity and new mother-new baby care are better now than ever, and didn't even exist till recently.
I will agree with this:
Quote:
An urban parent these days (I am one) spends a lot of time "unlearning" his-her child stuff that society accepts and condones, that isn't necessarily good for the child, for the parent, or for the society.
For the sake of political correctness, schools don't tech common sense any more. We've developed a warped value system. Everything is excusable. Everything is justifiable. Politicians can lie and cheat without fearing consequences.
Teachers are
afraid of sticking their necks out lest they be harassed or sued by the parents. (I've seen that too).
I could go into details....but it's not easy at all. Although I'm very open-minded and extremely liberal and tolerant, I've turned into a sort of a right-wing preacher.
I feel like I'm battling the media, the intelligentsia, the society-at-large, the churches, the lobbies and special interest groups.....
Everyone has taken the easy way out. No one wants to stand up and debate what is right or wrong, (or what is better or worse). Everyone is afraid of being ostracized and socially banished. They may accidentally say something wrong....and consequently lose their job, lose their home, lose their health care, lose their life.
I think a lot of it stems from the prevalence of liberals who like to blame others for their problems and expect that it is government's obligation to take care of us. Years ago, people were more conservative, independent, self-reliant, and averse to big government. We started going downhill when temporary relief measures during the Depression became perpetual and when the prosperity of the post-war era led to Great Society programs that can no longer be sustained in this American post-industrial era.
I'm looking at Detroit from the perspective of a geographer. I look at it in terms of historical geography, economic geography, cultural geography, and urban geography. I also look at Detroit from a cartographic perspective.
African-Americans came to Detroit for the jobs. They brought some of their culture from the South. A result of that is Motown Records. You had cultural diffusion via human diffusion. Geographically, there were people moving from the South to Detroit. Most of the Black migrants were from Alabama and Georgia. Makes sense because I-75 goes from Atlanta to Detroit.
I do see a city steeped with a large automobile manufacturing history. However, I look beyond that to get a sense of what it has always been. During WWII, it was a major weapons and bomber plane manufacturing center. Detroit has been a shipping hub. Detroit has also been a major military center(Fort Detroit, Arsenal of Democracy). It has been a place for music(Motown, Techno). Alot of factors have connected to make Detroit what it is now. Now the question is this: How to learn from history to help Detroit rise and show the world that Detroit can become so much more.
Geographically, Detroit has the potential to be a very big inland port, even bigger than Chicago. Yes, steel is the most common product shipped through the Detroit port. However, another requirement for the major port is an active hinterland. Michigan has a diverse agricultural layout. You have so much fruit grown in Michigan, from cherries, blueberries, to apples. Corn is grown here. Why else do you have Kelloggs? With University of Michigan nearby, it would be helpful to have more innovation in technology. The Detroit-Ann Arbor area can learn from Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh's steel industry went belly up. Today, you have robotics, electronics, and other industries there. Detroit can innovate and rise. I'm not saying DON'T manufacture cars. I'm saying go beyond it. One mistake was Detroit relying so much on the automobile industry.
I would argue that more than a bailout would be needed for the automobile companies. Workers being hired would help alot. A company can't just take all of that money and then sit on it. You're suppose to hire workers, manufacture cars, turn a profit, and help the economy out. It would also help to have more innovations in the automobile industry.
Cartographically, Detroit has this going for it. It is a city built on a grid. It gives it something solid to build new things on. It gives it something solid to make even better mass transit. Detroit can come back. Perhaps tram manufacturers should come to Detroit, build trains, have them used for a better mass transit system.
Socially, I think there are still some issues as far as racial tensions are concerned. There are still alot of hard feelings. That needs to be worked on. It is going to take the efforts of everyone in Detroit to make the city rise and do better.
I would certainly say so. We have alot of people who just recently moved down here from Flint and Detroit. I meet them almost every day and they all tell me the same thing. Detroit and Flint are hellholes and if they would have known how much better life is down here they would have moved 20 years ago.
Which is unfortunate. Detroit WAS one of Americas greatest cities, at one time it was one of the wealthiest cities which is apparent by it's amazing architecture, it was also the first modern city designed with the car in mind, which is also apparent by its wide boulevards even in its inner city neighborhoods. Something you don't see in most cities as old as Detroit. Also lets not forget Motown, Detroit has produced artists of every genre that made classic timeless hits that anyone walking this earth with 2 ears loves.
Can Detroit make a rebound? I really doubt it. There are so many things internally and externally holding it back. Intense racism, hate, and distrust from both blacks and whites. A lets hold onto the past attitude and let it hold us back. Extreme segregation, lack of jobs in the city proper, crumbling infrastructure, terrible schools, lack of grocery stores and healthy food options, some of the worst crime in America and a corrupt police force that basically only shows up for homicides, and probably the most corrupt city leaders in a first world country.
There are so many complex problems to solve, and I don't see any of them ever being solved especially with there being such mutual distrust between whites and blacks in the metro. Till both sides come together and realize they both want the same things for there children and grandchildren the city will continue on it's downward spiral. Both sides want to blame the other for the problems and neither side wants to discuss how to fix it. The whites all run to areas where there might as well still be segregated drinking fountains and denounce the entire city of Detroit altogether, and the blacks either stay in the slums, depressed hopeless and angry continuing to self destruct and take out there anger on other people of there own race or jump ship and leave Michigan altogether. I know there are people in Detroit living long healthy happy lives, but I'm speaking on the majority of the people.
It seems like getting elected in Detroit is as easy as telling voters you love rap music, throwing a few slanderous words in white peoples direction and cursing at a debate. Theres no room in the public office for anyone that wants any real change, only poverty pimps that look to trick and exploit the poorest of the poor to obtain power and money.The ghetto mentality of imma screw everyone over to get what I want when I want it is more alive in Detroit city council than in some of there roughest hoods.
Last edited by Razorblade; 03-29-2012 at 10:49 AM..
I think a lot of it stems from the prevalence of liberals who like to blame others for their problems and expect that it is government's obligation to take care of us. Years ago, people were more conservative, independent, self-reliant, and averse to big government.
The biggest problem with our political culture is that
a lot of SCAVENGERS are masquerading as CONSERVATIVES.
And a lot of OPPORTUNISTS are playing the LIBERAL card.
Here is an interesting documentary about homicide in Detroit.....but it starts off with a pretty good evolution of what led Detroit to this point in time and its condition.
I think the opportunities are greater now than they ever have been, especially for minorities.
The educational opportunities are certainly greater than they have been. Minorities even get extra "points" for admission to college. Financial aid is available. The elementary and high schools are available - people just aren't using them.
Marital counseling is available like never before.
There were as many opportunities for crime in the past as there is now. Drugs were available long before the 70's.
There are more job opportunities now than ever. Even in this "second worst economic depression that America ever faced", unemployment didn't' approach that of the Great Depression.
Public transportation is being cut back because people are not using it. Cars provide much greater mobility and the number of cars in use has increased.
Health and nutrition are better now than ever.
Pre-maternity and new mother-new baby care are better now than ever, and didn't even exist till recently.
I will agree with this:
I think a lot of it stems from the prevalence of liberals who like to blame others for their problems and expect that it is government's obligation to take care of us. Years ago, people were more conservative, independent, self-reliant, and averse to big government. We started going downhill when temporary relief measures during the Depression became perpetual and when the prosperity of the post-war era led to Great Society programs that can no longer be sustained in this American post-industrial era.
How is getting "extra points" for admission to college a good thing? This shows how college admissions have become diluted.
Hi everyone, I'm currently studying American Studies at the University of Nottingham in Great Britain and for My Dissertation I am writing about Detroit. My title is..... "The failure of a once great city: Detroit" and I would really just appreciate anyone's view on the subject. I have a few ideas regarding the subject such as its reliance of the auto-industry, racial divides and poor city planning as the main reasons for its failure. Of course, I know some people may disagree with me, arguing that the city is rising up from the ashes and will be able to find that 13 billion dollars from somewhere. But I was curious as to what does everybody thinks?!
Poor city planning has nothing to do with the issue. The city of Detroit has had continuous Democratic mayors since at least 1961. That is where your research should focus.
Here is an interesting documentary about homicide in Detroit.....but it starts off with a pretty good evolution of what led Detroit to this point in time and its condition.
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We've developed a warped value system. Everything is excusable. Everything is justifiable. Politicians can lie and cheat without fearing consequences. 
