Why all the negativity about this here great city of Detroit (Southfield: 2009, high crime)

[EastDetroiter]

I'm an African American. I don't discriminate I was born here, raised here i went to a terrible school (MLK High) 10% Graduation rate. My GPA was great there but i never went to college i had an 3.5 played football, did the girl thing and never touched any drugs though i know a lot of people. My father was a drug dealer which is why i never got involved in them. I strived to be the opposite of him. Right now my neighborhood is terrible kercheval and canton area. But i feel bad for black cities. It makes me feel really bad when i see all the major cities in the u.s. that have high minority populations have high crime.

Name a major black city that's great besides Atlanta.....

I beleive everyone is heading to Atlanta because they have jobs and they are doin well. Atlanta is the only major black city that i have been in where i have seen young black professionals doing well for themselves. I plan to get out of Detroit by joining the Service soon and going in the navy where i can see something different besides the hood life. Sure i type well that doesn't make me white or any other race. Those who must type with all that extra crap that yo dawg what's hapnin homie what up doe are ignorant.

I want Detroit to stay a major black city but i want to see it high on the throne like Atlanta our auto industry is failing something terrible here so what kind of jobs can we create to make people want to come here.

My girlfriend is from Mexicantown so no i'm not racist but I would love to see the Day when minority cities are not the cities to worry about crime.
E.G.
Detroit
Chi-city
Indy
Cleveland
Columbus
Camden
Philly
L.A.
NYC
All the small ghetto's in florida
Birmingham
New Orleans

Why can't the cities with high black populations do well?????

[enigmaingr]

Majority-minority cities can do well. In my opinion, it will take the Black people with money, skills, and education to take leadership roles in the community...(e.g. Atlanta)...and for other Black people to not undermine the rebuilding efforts with negativity.

Most of all, it's going to require a change of attitude by everyone in the community. Young people, like the OP, should be encouraged to go out into the world to get education and skills, return, and make something of themselves. We need standards; we should not accept young men being idle with their pants hanging around their kneecaps, teen girls getting pregnant multiple times, young men not accepting responsibility for their kids, drug dealing, dropping out of high school, and just plain being ghetto, as part and parcel of the Black experience in America. That is not "our culture" or a symptom of "the system"; it's people making fools of themselves. People that engage in this behavior should be shamed, then shunned from the community; these people should not be tolerated or celebrated (see Kwame "the Hip Hop mayor"). For Black men in particular, prison has replaced high school graduation as the rite of passage into adulthood.

The Black community has a serious problem within itself. We have allowed "ghetto" to define "Black". As Chris Rock says, "there are Black people and then there are ******". These people have somehow manipulated us into believing that to educate and carry yourself with a sense of pride is to "act white". Thus, it should come as no surprise that majority-Black cities have the stigma of being "ghetto".

As a disclaimer, I wholeheartedly stand behind the message Bill Cosby and many other Black people are trying to put forth...and I am Black. It's not a new notion; it goes back to at least Booker T. Washington. Popularly, it's called personal responsibility.

And before anyone chimes in to say that whites have the same problems, let me be the first to agree. This post is talking about Black communities though; let's no longer rationalize these issues with the old, tired line "well, whites do the same thing".

I told people this when Obama won: there are no more excuses. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are going to have to come up with a different message. We need new leadership in the Black community who isn't afraid to place the responsibility where it belongs. Only then will the cities the OP mentioned become the viable communities that they can be.

As for Detroit in particular, people really need to fix themselves first. It starts with education. Even if a flood of new jobs were to miraculously arrive in Detroit, how many of them would go to the 75% who drop out of DPS or the 90% that don't have a college degree? What makes Detroit different from Atlanta is that Atlanta has a strong educated, middle class Black community in the city. It is home to three of the most prestigious historically Black colleges: Spelman, Morehouse, Clark-Atlanta. This attracts other Black professionals, and in turn, jobs and businesses. Where are Detroit's Black professionals? Southfield and other points north of 8 Mile.

[ckhthankgod]

All I have to say is Wow!

I think some people need to get out more. Some other cities off the top of my head where Black people are doing fine are Washington, DC, Charlotte(where a lot of NY'ers Black and White are moving to), Columbus Ohio, Jacksonville Florida and many others. There are smaller communities that don't get a lot of press like Lakeview and Wheatley Heights on Long Island in NY, Ladera Heights, Windsor Hills-View Park, Baldwin Hills and Altadena in California, Windsor(where the black family income on average is higher than it is for White families) and Bloomfield outside of Hartford Connecticut and many others in that regard. Check these threads out from the General US Forum:http://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...acks-live.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...americans.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...mmunities.html

http://www.city-data.com/forum/gener...ian-black.html

I think this is a great example of how there is a lack of balance in terms of examples of Black life in the United States. There are positive examples, my brothers, but you just have to do the research.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by enigmaingr

Majority-minority cities can do well. In my opinion, it will take the Black people with money, skills, and education to take leadership roles in the community...(e.g. Atlanta)...and for other Black people to not undermine the rebuilding efforts with negativity.

Most of all, it's going to require a change of attitude by everyone in the community. Young people, like the OP, should be encouraged to go out into the world to get education and skills, return, and make something of themselves. We need standards; we should not accept young men being idle with their pants hanging around their kneecaps, teen girls getting pregnant multiple times, young men not accepting responsibility for their kids, drug dealing, dropping out of high school, and just plain being ghetto, as part and parcel of the Black experience in America. That is not "our culture" or a symptom of "the system"; it's people making fools of themselves. People that engage in this behavior should be shamed, then shunned from the community; these people should not be tolerated or celebrated (see Kwame "the Hip Hop mayor"). For Black men in particular, prison has replaced high school graduation as the rite of passage into adulthood.

The Black community has a serious problem within itself. We have allowed "ghetto" to define "Black". As Chris Rock says, "there are Black people and then there are ******". These people have somehow manipulated us into believing that to educate and carry yourself with a sense of pride is to "act white". Thus, it should come as no surprise that majority-Black cities have the stigma of being "ghetto".

As a disclaimer, I wholeheartedly stand behind the message Bill Cosby and many other Black people are trying to put forth...and I am Black. It's not a new notion; it goes back to at least Booker T. Washington. Popularly, it's called personal responsibility.

And before anyone chimes in to say that whites have the same problems, let me be the first to agree. This post is talking about Black communities though; let's no longer rationalize these issues with the old, tired line "well, whites do the same thing".

I told people this when Obama won: there are no more excuses. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are going to have to come up with a different message. We need new leadership in the Black community who isn't afraid to place the responsibility where it belongs. Only then will the cities the OP mentioned become the viable communities that they can be.

As for Detroit in particular, people really need to fix themselves first. It starts with education. Even if a flood of new jobs were to miraculously arrive in Detroit, how many of them would go to the 75% who drop out of DPS or the 90% that don't have a college degree? What makes Detroit different from Atlanta is that Atlanta has a strong educated, middle class Black community in the city. It is home to three of the most prestigious historically Black colleges: Spelman, Morehouse, Clark-Atlanta. This attracts other Black professionals, and in turn, jobs and businesses. Where are Detroit's Black professionals? Southfield and other points north of 8 Mile.

I actually agree with all of what you said, but I don't think people should pretend that everything is alright too because of Obama winning. I think that would also be short sighted and would also let some others off the hook too. That's why even that aspect needs to be balanced and put into proper perspective.

[Indentured Servant]

That was….”interesting”. For some reason…..the post just does not seem genuine. The title seems bait and switch for one thing. I opened the thread thinking that it would be something positive about the “great city”, but it was essentially “black bashing”.

The one thing about this recession/coming depression is that a lot of white folks are going to experience unemployment and levels of economic stress at elevated levels……and it still will not equal the economic stress of black America in the BEST of times in this country. The country is already shifting Democratic for that very reason. As people get poorer and poorer, they are going to find themselves more and more dependent upon the government….as they will have no place to turn. This is not something that I want to see happen to anyone or any people….and it will be considerably worse for black folks. However, the point that I would like to make or am trying to make is that you cannot judge people until you walk in their shoes. Whites have never walked in the shoes of blackness and blacks have never walked in the shoes of whiteness. I believe, with all my heart, that if the shoes were switched, the conditions would switch. To believe otherwise is to believe in the mythology of racial superiority and inferiority.

[ckhthankgod]

Originally Posted by Indentured Servant

That was….”interesting”. For some reason…..the post just does not seem genuine. The title seems bait and switch for one thing. I opened the thread thinking that it would be something positive about the “great city”, but it was essentially “black bashing”.

The one thing about this recession/coming depression is that a lot of white folks are going to experience unemployment and levels of economic stress at elevated levels……and it still will not equal the economic stress of black America in the BEST of times in this country. The country is already shifting Democratic for that very reason. As people get poorer and poorer, they are going to find themselves more and more dependent upon the government….as they will have no place to turn. This is not something that I want to see happen to anyone or any people….and it will be considerably worse for black folks. However, the point that I would like to make or am trying to make is that you cannot judge people until you walk in their shoes. Whites have never walked in the shoes of blackness and blacks have never walked in the shoes of whiteness. I believe, with all my heart, that if the shoes were switched, the conditions would switch. To believe otherwise is to believe in the mythology of racial superiority and inferiority.

Yeah, it was interesting how the post started out one way, but switched as it went on.

Also, what you said was tight, but right.

[ocean2026]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...staggers+state

I think I'll make that article a new thread - it answer why there is little hope for Detroit.

[Indentured Servant]

Originally Posted by ocean2026

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...staggers+state

I think I'll make that article a new thread - it answer why there is little hope for Detroit.

Migration takes place due to “Push” and “Pull” factors. In the recession of the early 80’s, there was a great Push factor, the crumbling economy in Michigan and the Pull factor of other states with booming economies. Although the PUSH factor to drive folks out is as strong as ever, the PULL factor of other states are not. Michigan has been in a recession at least 3 years before the rest of the nation. During that time, the PUSH and PULL factor existed and that is when outmigration peaked. Now, however, all the major states and metropolitan areas are experiencing job losses, probably with the exception of DC, with its government jobs. So the “Pull” factor is greatly diminished and will slow migration out of the state, plus the housing crisis keeps people from being able to sell their homes without a huge loss, preventing their ability to relocate.

That said, I have long held the theory that a depression in the nation might actually result in a population increase for the state. If the Unemployment rate reaches 15% nationally, I predict that Michigan will see an increase in its population. The reason being is that the children of people who have moved from the state and became laid off in another state will likely return home, where at least they have a place to stay. Part of the trend of this economy is that more young adults are being forced to move back in with parents, to survive. People would rather struggle near extended family than to be unemployed in states far away from family and close friends that could help one and other. I think the likelihood of 15% unemployment is very high. Things will stabilize at around 10%, when the stimulus kicks in, and may even drop a bit, but after the stimulus wears off, the economy will retrench again and this time with nothing to impede it but the printing of money and massive inflation will ensue.

Our economy is suffering from impotency due to problems with circulation and blood flow. The “stimulus” is like Viagra, it’s not a cure for what’s causing the impotency, but it gets you the needed “rise” to perform. When the pill wears off one is back to being impotent….and probably worse since the poor circulation problem was not addressed and likely has gotten worse. The artificial stimulus simply masks the problem and allows the problem to worsen. These artificial stimulus also comes with potential dangerous side effects, and unlike the pill, the government supply of stimulus (deficit spending….debt) is finite. There is only so much that we can borrow and print without the side effects being worse than what is trying to be cured. We are already at that point, as debt is what got this nation into this mess and more debt is being created to get us out of it.

[SAI126]

Originally Posted by ocean2026

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll...staggers+state

I think I'll make that article a new thread - it answer why there is little hope for Detroit.

It's not just Detroit and Michigan. It's the Mon Valley and Pittsburgh, most of Upstate New York, the Mahoning Valley and Ohio. Even Chicago is not what it once was. It's been happening for over three decades in most of the Rust Belt, and the problems go back to the fifties in other parts. Now the economy is so poor that those who feel compelled to leave Michigan and other parts of the Rust Belt will find that at least for the moment there is little opportunity elsewhere. The whole nation, but especially the once mighty tier of northern states in the Rust Belt desperately need an economic Marshall Plan. What Obama has rammed through is so lacking in that kind of vision. It's just a sad state of affairs all around, and especially so for those of us who see the region that we were born and raised in literally being destroyed.