I am so tired of this sterotype on the city (Detroit: house, rent)

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by Acupunk

Stating criticisms is not what I call "bashing". I have even been in agreement with many of the criticisms. The taxes are high, schools are bad and there are a lot of high crime areas, I know all that. I have lived in many other cities, and trust me, I don't wear rose colored glasses, I know the city has many problems.

When I say "bashing" I mean being only negative and refusing to acknowledge that there is anything positive about this city. When I write that I feel safe downtown and near WSU and people start posting the crime stats for the entire city and attacking me for recommending these as positive places, that is only seeing the negative. I love Detroit despite it's problems I support the local businesses and I am becoming involved with groups who wish to improve the city. If someone doesn't want to have anything to do with improving the city, that is fine, but I would appreciate it if they would stop the bashing. It's hard enough to fight the cities problems without all the negative people saying it's hopeless.

Point taken ! I once was trying to tell a worried father that Wayne State is THE safest area for a student in Detroit also. Reason- strong police presence, they have their own police.
And yet someone cut in with extreme criticism of Detroit as a whole, not accepting there are some(very few though) safe areas in Detroit. Areas with visible police such as Wayne State, Downtown and GreekTown.
Though I hope he can consider the source and disregard those posts, so loaded with hatred and racial tension.
By your posts I know you are not looking through rose colored glasses. There are X# square miles in the city limits. Lots and lots of vacant land and housing stock. Detroit is back to a point where it needs 'new blood'. In early 20th century Detroit offered the finest schools, transportation, and city services with attractive housing tracts available for settlement.
Asking residents new and old to pay a premium tax for 'retro' repairs and accept that as part of city living hasn't worked too well, everything has declined rather than improved.
Any projects you are involved in to improve the city, great idea.
We hear all the time about new projects downtown, entertainment/sports venues and casinos. If only that extra income were 'spread out' to benefit the MAJORITY of the city, the actual residential neighborhoods needing normal city services and security.

[detshen]

I don't have any answers for coming up with a lot of money, but I believe if we support communities, people will be more likely to fight against the corrupt govt. There are little things people can do, for example, there is a small theatre in MexicanTown called Matrix and they have plays with these giant puppets, and more importantly they use the theatre to build community. It is a place where children, teens, and adults learn to write, act and become involved in theatre. They offer classes to local children on making the puppets, acting, writing and producing.

If a suburban parent simply buys a ticket and brings their child to a play they are supporting the community. A Detroit child who falls in love with puppet making is more likely to stay in school and their parents are more likely to fight for better schools. That child may grow up to be the mayor who truly cares about the city.

Those little things do matter. To say "Detroit is a craphole" and do nothing is abandoning those children whose parents can't afford a house in a good school district. It breaks my heart and makes me angry.

[and the]

Maybe if we spent more tax money to fund grants for teaching math, science and reading instead of puppet making, acting and theater production, Detroit wouldn't be facing the prospect of looking like Calumet, MI in another generation or two.

Michigan and Detroit need, to CUT taxes not raise them. There are plenty of charter schools and schools of choice available to parents who really want to be parents. Coming up with stuff for kids to do AFTER school should not be the responsibility of the government.

As far as guns go.....I think everyone is responsible for their own safety. When you need help in seconds, the police are only minutes away. I have no problem with people who don't carry guns either. But it does get old reading about people shot or executed during holdups who had no recourse other than to die quietly. If you live(d) in Warrendale, you no doubt remember what happened at The Butcher Shop.

[downthathighway]

Originally Posted by and the

As far as guns go.....I think everyone is responsible for their own safety. When you need help in seconds, the police are only minutes away. I have no problem with people who don't carry guns either. But it does get old reading about people shot or executed during holdups who had no recourse other than to die quietly. If you live(d) in Warrendale, you no doubt remember what happened at The Butcher Shop.

Alas you are so right about police response. My mother is fortunate a 'nosy neighbor' was watching and suspected an intruder was in her home when she drove up. The neighbor was burly enough to handle the robber. Good thing- over an hour before a police car arrived.

The Butcher Shop- If the one I'm thinking of, 20 or more years ago, run by Robertson's. Wasn't that a 'contract job' of some sort, no robbery?

[dkf747]

Originally Posted by Sunvixen

Other than St Louis, you cannot compare these cities TO DETROIT. None of these places are 85-90% ghetto. If you to the New York or Chicago and ask where the BAD areas are, people will tell you, but if you come to Detroit and ask, people will laugh and tell you to "GO DOWNTOWN!"

I agree downtown is and has always been the best part of Detroit.

I was in Chicago two weeks ago and what a great place!! Spending time in other major cities is why I know how bad Detroit is and will be until the voters clean house and get some real leadership at the helm.

Detroit is 139 sq Miles. 38 SQUARE MILES is abandoned property. Take a moment and let that sink in.

I know full well that Detroit is probably worse than those cities, but the description I responded to could have been said about any of those places. It's a shame that this situation still exists in almost every large city in the U.S.

[Sunvixen]

[quote=downthathighway;2925644]

Point taken ! I once was trying to tell a worried father that Wayne State is THE safest area for a student in Detroit also. Reason- strong police presence, they have their own police.
And yet someone cut in with extreme criticism of Detroit as a whole, not accepting there are some(very few though) safe areas in Detroit. Areas with visible police such as Wayne State, Downtown and GreekTown.
Though I hope he can consider the source and disregard those posts, so loaded with hatred and racial tension.

quote]


Um, I am getting pretty tired of this. I tried to let this go. All I did what any decent person would do, I gave someone concerned about their daughter an honest opinion. I am still allowed to have my opinion. If I had been telling them falsehoods, that would be different, but I acknowledged that the campus areas were some of the safest inside the city. Everything is relative. Nothing you say or criticize ME for saying is going to change the fact that at least 85% of the city is ghetto.

You know, it's almost as if some people BLAME people like me for the troubles of the city! I am only pointing them out. I didn't create them!! Blame, blame, blame...never fix.


One of you inferred that I was Racist, which is not true, so I INCLUDED VIDEOS OF BLACK DETROITERS, calling the city of Detroit a TOTAL GUTTER, saying it was horrible, talking about all the crime and the filth, saying that street Prostitution was prevalent in every single corner of Detroit. Talking about the illegals arms trade, even saying that "if you want a grenade, we (Detroit) got it!!" .

None of you seemed to comment on that video except to bash ME for posting the videos!! Why is that?


Another video was also made BY Detroiters and it started with a warning to people coming to Detroit "If you give us half a chance, boy, we gonna kill you" and was basically laughing at anybody that didn't "get that concept."


I answered a question from a parent about their child living by campus. I NEVER said that either WSU or CCS was dangerous.

What I did say, and I DID back-up with stats and videos(which is more than I can say for anybody who criticized me, even though I suggested someone do that) is that if the daughter LIVED by campus, she would be SURROUNED by miles and miles of VERY UNSAFE neighborhoods and if she ever has to travel at night, that is what she would travel through. I NEVER said that it was a bad idea for her to attend during the day. I said that if it was MY daughter I would look for apts in cities such as Troy, which is TRUE. I would sleep better knowing she was in a safer area.


Also, I didn't say anything bad about downtown until NOW: Two women I work with have had their purses stolen off their arms in Greektown in the last couple months. I KNOW all cities have that problem, so I didn't bring it up, but it isn't actually right to say that Greektown is SUPER safe either. Wasn't it just last yr that they found that woman's dead body in the Second BaptistChurch right on Monroe? I go to Greektown at least twice a week, so don't label me as somebody from the burbs making this up. I love Greektown.


I also happened to mention that while everybody was saying how wonderfully safe WSU was, that female apt manager got stabbed to death in her apt just a few days ago.


The difference between some other posters on that thread and me, is that I was putting the daughter's safety first, and the others were putting Detroit's reputation first.


I stopped posting over there when someone answered that she or he "hoped if people saw a girl getting abducted they would at least honk their horns" Yep, that will sure help!!


Some people that try to sell a positive image of Detroit remind me of really bad used-car salespeople. The car can be falling apart from rust, have engine trouble, be unsafe to drive, get 9 miles to the gallon and they will say "Yes, but the seats are SOOOO comfortable!!! Just sit in it for a minute, you'll see!!!!!"

[Sunvixen]

Originally Posted by Acupunk

I don't have any answers for coming up with a lot of money, but I believe if we support communities, people will be more likely to fight against the corrupt govt. There are little things people can do, for example, there is a small theatre in MexicanTown called Matrix and they have plays with these giant puppets, and more importantly they use the theatre to build community. It is a place where children, teens, and adults learn to write, act and become involved in theatre. They offer classes to local children on making the puppets, acting, writing and producing.

If a suburban parent simply buys a ticket and brings their child to a play they are supporting the community. A Detroit child who falls in love with puppet making is more likely to stay in school and their parents are more likely to fight for better schools. That child may grow up to be the mayor who truly cares about the city.

Those little things do matter. To say "Detroit is a craphole" and do nothing is abandoning those children whose parents can't afford a house in a good school district. It breaks my heart and makes me angry.

Hello,

I know that you read what I said on another thread and I think you understand that at heart, I really DO wish Detroit would come back..However, I respectfully disagree that what Detroit needs now is "small things" Are am not saying that little things don't matter, sure they do but...I think you really need to look at the bigger picture.


What Detroit needs is BIG THINGS! Starting with a major overhaul of the City government and independent audits of every department. Get rid of the corrupt leaders and the spaces left will be filled in with good things.

Ohhh...also, I suggest that the I.R.S. start looking into all the Pastors and churches who support candidates. That is HIGHLY illegal and it seems that Detroit has gotten a free pass on that one for years. It's about time that the churches stop receiving TAX-EMEMPT status. If the churches want to stay tax exempt, let them stay out of politics, like the laws say!



Geez, come to think of it, Detroit needs money so badly, why don't they go around to all the churches who have Mercedes-driving-Pastors and Pastors wives who drive new luxury cars and wear designer clothes and start making THEM pay the proper amount of taxes!!! That would mean Many MILLIONS of $$$$$ for the the Once Great City of Detroit!!

[Slappy san]

Originally Posted by Sunvixen

Um, I am getting pretty tired of this. I tried to let this go. All I did what any decent person would do, I gave someone concerned about their daughter an honest opinion. I am still allowed to have my opinion. If I had been telling them falsehoods, that would be different, but I acknowledged that the campus areas were some of the safest inside the city. Everything is relative. Nothing you say or criticize ME for saying is going to change the fact that at least 85% of the city is ghetto.

You know, it's almost as if some people BLAME people like me for the troubles of the city! I am only pointing them out. I didn't create them!! Blame, blame, blame...never fix.


One of you inferred that I was Racist, which is not true, so I INCLUDED VIDEOS OF BLACK DETROITERS, calling the city of Detroit a TOTAL GUTTER, saying it was horrible, talking about all the crime and the filth, saying that street Prostitution was prevalent in every single corner of Detroit. Talking about the illegals arms trade, even saying that "if you want a grenade, we (Detroit) got it!!" .

None of you seemed to comment on that video except to bash ME for posting the videos!! Why is that?


Another video was also made BY Detroiters and it started with a warning to people coming to Detroit "If you give us half a chance, boy, we gonna kill you" and was basically laughing at anybody that didn't "get that concept."


I answered a question from a parent about their child living by campus. I NEVER said that either WSU or CCS was dangerous.

What I did say, and I DID back-up with stats and videos(which is more than I can say for anybody who criticized me, even though I suggested someone do that) is that if the daughter LIVED by campus, she would be SURROUNED by miles and miles of VERY UNSAFE neighborhoods and if she ever has to travel at night, that is what she would travel through. I NEVER said that it was a bad idea for her to attend during the day. I said that if it was MY daughter I would look for apts in cities such as Troy, which is TRUE. I would sleep better knowing she was in a safer area.


Also, I didn't say anything bad about downtown until NOW: Two women I work with have had their purses stolen off their arms in Greektown in the last couple months. I KNOW all cities have that problem, so I didn't bring it up, but it isn't actually right to say that Greektown is SUPER safe either. Wasn't it just last yr that they found that woman's dead body in the Second BaptistChurch right on Monroe? I go to Greektown at least twice a week, so don't label me as somebody from the burbs making this up. I love Greektown.


I also happened to mention that while everybody was saying how wonderfully safe WSU was, that female apt manager got stabbed to death in her apt just a few days ago.


The difference between some other posters on that thread and me, is that I was putting the daughter's safety first, and the others were putting Detroit's reputation first.


I stopped posting over there when someone answered that she or he "hoped if people saw a girl getting abducted they would at least honk their horns" Yep, that will sure help!!


Some people that try to sell a positive image of Detroit remind me of really bad used-car salespeople. The car can be falling apart from rust, have engine trouble, be unsafe to drive, get 9 miles to the gallon and they will say "Yes, but the seats are SOOOO comfortable!!! Just sit in it for a minute, you'll see!!!!!"

And you were totally shut down and exposed in the that thread. And here you go with the over top bolding, emotcons and capitalization (lot less thank you) yet again. And also continue to pick up certain sentences that you think help you point.

85% of Detroit is ghetto? What is your definition of ghetto? I have lived in this city more than 25 years and I have not seen 85% of it. How on Earth can someone who doesnt spend much time here begin to make that assertion? Is there a study that validates this figure? I think not.

I advise anyone to check out that thread so that you too can dismiss this poster as a troll.

[detshen]

I guess I shouldn't be surprised some people have to complain about everything. The theatre is about building community and learning. The teenagers actually write plays and being involved in organizing a production is a lot of work and involves business and life skills. The point is a group of people actually got together and decided to do something for the community. Someone with all the answers always has to whine that it isn't good enough while doing absolutely nothing. I choose to actually take some action instead of wallowing in endless negativity.

[Slappy san]

Originally Posted by scoolin

Detroit is an industrial town that is going to hurt because of high oil, and the leaving of manufacturing to over seas places. Hey look up at least you can sell your machinery to china. LOL

I bet most of the unused machinery that could be sold is out of date. That and the expense of shipping it to China would make it a horrible investment.

It would be nice to redevelop alot of the industrial areas though. It would no doubt cost a ton of money though. I guess we have to settle for incremental redevolopment.