Why Not Move To Detroit? The Hype Isn't True. (Beverly Hills: environment, student loans)

[Briolat21]

I think a lot of your feeling of security has to do with how you grew up.. I grew up in the East Side suburbs (seriously, whiter than white).. yet when we went into Detroit (which was often when I was a child) to go to Hudson's, or to go to a Tiger's game, or to the Science Museum, or DIA, or to Noel Night (God I loved Noel Night!), or to Belle Isle, or to drive into Indian Village to see the Xmas lights .. my parents never acted any different than if we driving around Grosse Pointe.

As a result, when I was a teenager, I was one of the few people from my high school who willingly went downtown and - when I did, I didn't roll my windows up and lock my doors the moment I crossed 8 mile. In fact, it pissed me off when my friends did it.

My husband and I are very comfortable now driving around Detroit to go to games, or events.. Why do we live in the 'burbs.. well, we work in AA and it would have just been too far of a commute to live in the 'D. Though for a while we were considering buying a fixer upper ... but then the real estate craze drove the prices up even in places like Highland Park.

What kills me now is seeing the crime that is more and more occurring in the suburbs (the Buscemi's in Eastpointe had two people shot, 1 killed the other day)... and then who do they show on the security tape committing the crime?? African Americans. The reason that kills me is that you know as soon as that happened, in the minds of people already on the fence about African Americans, or people who were trying hard to not be racist -- it immediately justified every stereotype, every bit of hate..

And that's just so sad.

I hope that Detroit pulls it together some day as far as a place to live (residential services are somewhat poor, taxes are really high).. right now its a good place to live. But even more than that, I hope that the crime in general stops. Because even though its not fair, the truth is that every time a black youth commits a crime with a firearm, in Detroit or out of Detroit, it justifies in the mind of a lot of white people why the are scared of blacks, why they think blacks are no good, etc..

It just sucks. People here never see it as poverty=crime, they only see it as black=crime..

And yes, of course I'm white.. but I'm also very educated and realize that socioeconomic factors have a big effect on everything.. most of my friends just say "he's black, of course he's a gangsta"..

Its sad. The Ronald Regan spin about welfare queens did too good of a job of turning whites against blacks, especially here in the North. And the Detroit metro area continues to suffer because of it.

[and the]

And yes, of course I'm white.. but I'm also very educated and realize that socioeconomic factors have a big effect on everything.. most of my friends just say "he's black, of course he's a gangsta"..

If you're so educated, why do you choose idiots for the majority of your friends? What's the saying about the company we keep? It's not just white people who are leery of young black males who dress like rap stars and gang bangers. I know plenty of older black folks who feel the same way. Maybe they know something you don't.

I hope that Detroit pulls it together some day as far as a place to live (residential services are somewhat poor, taxes are really high).. right now its a good place to live. But even more than that, I hope that the crime in general stops. Because even though its not fair, the truth is that every time a black youth commits a crime with a firearm, in Detroit or out of Detroit, it justifies in the mind of a lot of white people why the are scared of blacks, why they think blacks are no good, etc..

Detroit is a good place to live.....but you live in the suburbs, grew up in the suburbs and never lived in Detroit? Ann Arbor is just too far down I-94 from Detroit? I used to commute from Detroit to school in Ann Arbor. It ain't that far if you really think Detroit is a "good place to live". I think anyone who tries to tell a former Detroiter how good a place it is to live ought to have at least paid some dues there by actually living there for a few years. Your post was pretty condescending in light of the fact that you never lived in Detroit and choose to live, probably, in a very safe suburb between Detroit and Ann Arbor. I see that a lot from "educated" people who never actually lived in the city, or lived in a gated community on the river or a neighborhood with a private police department. They go to Greektown down Gratiot, see 4 cops on every corner and say "wow, look how safe!". Meanwhile, the police response time for my Burglary in progress is measured in hours, not minutes, because despite the fact that I'm paying outrageous property tax, house insurance and car insurace, not to mention city income tax, Greektown and the owners who live in the suburbs with the patrons who live in the suburbs is more important than my neighborhood.

[Vantanna]

I tried my best to stay in the city I loved with all my heart, but finally I gave up, Yes, I'm Black & in Atlanta now and as much as I hate to say it. It's a much better run city and a far more healthy environment. I'll always love home, but it was time to make a life choice. Hope the MI Budget crisis gets straightened out (I'm sure it will).

[ParadiseIsland]

I find the city beautiful. of course you have some rough areas like any big city. nice downtown crowded streets during business, the great architecture, resturants, and nightlife.

[zakian]

Detoilet as of 2 weeks ago was rated the WORST city to live in.

[jicle]

Sure, it's like any other large city but just more crim, alot more crime.

[ErikU19]

Last time I was in Denver, San Diego, or Houston I dont remember crossing into the city limits and immediately feeling like i was in the aftermath of a warzone!

Don't pawn Detroit off like any other major city. It isnt. You have some new sports venues, restaurants, and casinos surrounded by desdruction and poverty.

[gossamer]

Originally Posted by Briolat21

I think a lot of your feeling of security has to do with how you grew up.. I grew up in the East Side suburbs (seriously, whiter than white).. yet when we went into Detroit (which was often when I was a child) to go to Hudson's, or to go to a Tiger's game, or to the Science Museum, or DIA, or to Noel Night (God I loved Noel Night!), or to Belle Isle, or to drive into Indian Village to see the Xmas lights .. my parents never acted any different than if we driving around Grosse Pointe.

As a result, when I was a teenager, I was one of the few people from my high school who willingly went downtown and - when I did, I didn't roll my windows up and lock my doors the moment I crossed 8 mile. In fact, it pissed me off when my friends did it.

My husband and I are very comfortable now driving around Detroit to go to games, or events.. Why do we live in the 'burbs.. well, we work in AA and it would have just been too far of a commute to live in the 'D. Though for a while we were considering buying a fixer upper ... but then the real estate craze drove the prices up even in places like Highland Park.

What kills me now is seeing the crime that is more and more occurring in the suburbs (the Buscemi's in Eastpointe had two people shot, 1 killed the other day)... and then who do they show on the security tape committing the crime?? African Americans. The reason that kills me is that you know as soon as that happened, in the minds of people already on the fence about African Americans, or people who were trying hard to not be racist -- it immediately justified every stereotype, every bit of hate..

And that's just so sad.

I hope that Detroit pulls it together some day as far as a place to live (residential services are somewhat poor, taxes are really high).. right now its a good place to live. But even more than that, I hope that the crime in general stops. Because even though its not fair, the truth is that every time a black youth commits a crime with a firearm, in Detroit or out of Detroit, it justifies in the mind of a lot of white people why the are scared of blacks, why they think blacks are no good, etc..

It just sucks. People here never see it as poverty=crime, they only see it as black=crime..

And yes, of course I'm white.. but I'm also very educated and realize that socioeconomic factors have a big effect on everything.. most of my friends just say "he's black, of course he's a gangsta"..

Its sad. The Ronald Regan spin about welfare queens did too good of a job of turning whites against blacks, especially here in the North. And the Detroit metro area continues to suffer because of it.

Poverty = crime. What a joke.

Do you think Detroit is the only spot in the US that has poverty? If your so educated I've got news for you.

Ever heard of Appalachia? This is the poorest part of the US. Poverty here is beyond what Detroit has ever seen.

Yet you will not I repeat will not find the crime in Appalachia as you do in Detroit.

I just love when people try to ague poverty = crime. Then I thow this little scenerio at them and leave them with their mouth dropped open.

We all know why Detroit is the waste of space it is.

[gossamer]

By the way I've lived in Appalachia and I've lived in Detroit.

[blazred]

poverty does not = crime nor does being black = crime it's your surroundings and if you lived in a area where you see murder after murder and nothing being done about it then you are gonna do it to of course pverty does account for some crime but not all of it I know from being from Texas one of the poorest states.