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They had to retract it almost immediately as well when most of the women got extremely upset at them and they were called out for it, especially by older women. Requiring heels is sexism.
They had to retract it almost immediately as well when most of the women got extremely upset at them and they were called out for it, especially by older women. Requiring heels is sexism.
Being from the Detroit area, I notice on the DC boards, that a lot of people assume Detroit has become gentrified and amazing or something. This hasn't happened to Detroit. It's just as dilapidated as Baltimore. The only difference is that the New York Times really likes to publish 'Look at Detroit' stories; but on the ground, Detroit suffers from the same excessive and extensive urban decay, crime issues, drug epidemics, and everything else as Baltimore.
There aren't any artists communities or bohemian neighborhoods in Detroit. The money is basically just coming into downtown Detroit, much like Baltimore's harbor. So, you just this little 'safe for yuppies' area who work out of the office buildings in downtown Detroit.
The artists are basically buying isolated housing here and there, and drive around to places just like everyone else. The neighborhood fabric of Detroit is so isolating; you don't even really have businesses and residences intersecting much. Bus routes are pathetic, etc. No trains or anything either (except for Detroit's People Mover' which moves business people and convention attenders around in a small monorail-like circle connecting about 9 office buildings together - so they don't have to walk on the streets).
In short, Detroit isn't really the aspiration any city should be trying to emulate. It's just that Detroit has gone down so far, that anything that isn't gloom-and-doom seems to be seen as 'light at the end of the tunnel' type thing.
I have also noticed that people from boards all over the country talking about how much Baltimore is worse than Detroit or that Baltimore is soon going to be in as much trouble as Detroit. As a Baltimoreian, I am frustrated by the city's slow progress - but at least Census numbers indicate some progress. Population is up slightly, household creation is up a little more, and increases in educational attainment have been very strong. Income growth is above the national average over the past five years.
Detroit shares none of these positive indicators. In fact Detroit shows dramatic declines in many measures of city health. As an illustration of just how challenged Detroit is at this point you can look at employment as a percentage of the potential labor force. In Baltimore this computes to 5% below the national average (not so good.) In Detroit, the same figure is 32% below the national average (really, really terrible!)
I have also noticed that people from boards all over the country talking about how much Baltimore is worse than Detroit or that Baltimore is soon going to be in as much trouble as Detroit. As a Baltimoreian, I am frustrated by the city's slow progress - but at least Census numbers indicate some progress. Population is up slightly, household creation is up a little more, and increases in educational attainment have been very strong. Income growth is above the national average over the past five years.
Detroit shares none of these positive indicators. In fact Detroit shows dramatic declines in many measures of city health. As an illustration of just how challenged Detroit is at this point you can look at employment as a percentage of the potential labor force. In Baltimore this computes to 5% below the national average (not so good.) In Detroit, the same figure is 32% below the national average (really, really terrible!)
Much of this was pre-Baltimore riots. Even then we have a trial upcoming, and I can see a replay of the riots happening.
Much of this was pre-Baltimore riots. Even then we have a trial upcoming, and I can see a replay of the riots happening.
Does Baltimore personally affront you? Is there a source for your deep seated hatred of the place? DC is the capital of the most powerful country in the world. Baltimore is just a struggling port city. Why do DC lovers seem so competitive when there is no real competition? You won! Get over it. Baltimore needs to move forward from where it is and not worry about what DC people think.
Still I feel that I need to counter claims that Baltimore is worse, or is doing worse, than the nation's other weakest cities. That just isn't true. The place has problems - no question! - but why exaggerate?
Baltimore may or may not pull itself together after the riots but you seem to revel in possible future problems. Clearly the riots have set the city back from several years of progress and, at best, it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Why wouldn't DC residents wish it well (or not care at all?)
Does Baltimore personally affront you? Is there a source for your deep seated hatred of the place? DC is the capital of the most powerful country in the world. Baltimore is just a struggling port city. Why do DC lovers seem so competitive when there is no real competition? You won! Get over it. Baltimore needs to move forward from where it is and not worry about what DC people think.
Still I feel that I need to counter claims that Baltimore is worse, or is doing worse, than the nation's other weakest cities. That just isn't true. The place has problems - no question! - but why exaggerate?
Baltimore may or may not pull itself together after the riots but you seem to revel in possible future problems. Clearly the riots have set the city back from several years of progress and, at best, it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Why wouldn't DC residents wish it well (or not care at all?)
The truth is we don't care. What I am saying is those positive indicators may have very well backtracked. Baltimore was on an upswing, but I don't think that is the case so much anymore. I actually hope it gets on an upswing again. But it is not really out of the woods yet. DC actually turned itself around after a riot in 1991, the Mt. Pleasant riot. That was the murder capital year. The worst year in DC's history. Oddly enough, that was also an instance of police violence, but with a black cop and a latino man. The racial dynamics to that were oddly different, the latino community did not have the best relationship with a mostly black police force that policed mt. pleasant.
History is weird...sometimes cities dig themselves into deeper problems, sometimes they turn themselves around. This may be baltimore bottoming out, and a turn around point.
Does Baltimore personally affront you? Is there a source for your deep seated hatred of the place? DC is the capital of the most powerful country in the world. Baltimore is just a struggling port city. Why do DC lovers seem so competitive when there is no real competition? You won! Get over it. Baltimore needs to move forward from where it is and not worry about what DC people think.
Still I feel that I need to counter claims that Baltimore is worse, or is doing worse, than the nation's other weakest cities. That just isn't true. The place has problems - no question! - but why exaggerate?
Baltimore may or may not pull itself together after the riots but you seem to revel in possible future problems. Clearly the riots have set the city back from several years of progress and, at best, it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Why wouldn't DC residents wish it well (or not care at all?)
The riots themselves didn't cause any significant physical damage to the city as a whole. The problem is that when you add the riots on top of the city's weak (nonexistent?) political leadership and the city's preexisting terrible reputation, you end up in a box that will be hard to get out of.
DC folks know all too well that perception is reality. And the current perception of Baltimore couldn't be worse. That is why people on the Detroit and Cleveland boards feel comfortable disparaging Baltimore in comparison to their home towns. This is their rare opportunity for them to bask in relative sunshine.
I'm from Baltimore and I will say that "Baltimore personally affronts me" and is practically an insult to my intelligence.
"..Baltimore needs to move forward from where it is and not worry about what DC people think..."
*Disagree! Baltimore needs to be worried how it is portrayed and what people think of the city. Baltimore needs to have a vision first, then stop acting to stupid and apathetic about its existence.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pwduvall
Does Baltimore personally affront you? Is there a source for your deep seated hatred of the place? DC is the capital of the most powerful country in the world. Baltimore is just a struggling port city. Why do DC lovers seem so competitive when there is no real competition? You won! Get over it. Baltimore needs to move forward from where it is and not worry about what DC people think.
Still I feel that I need to counter claims that Baltimore is worse, or is doing worse, than the nation's other weakest cities. That just isn't true. The place has problems - no question! - but why exaggerate?
Baltimore may or may not pull itself together after the riots but you seem to revel in possible future problems. Clearly the riots have set the city back from several years of progress and, at best, it will take several more years to get back to where we were. Why wouldn't DC residents wish it well (or not care at all?)
You're more optimistic than me. Until Baltimore deals with the concentrated sources of hardcore Black poverty and social dysfunction, the city WILL NEVER flourish as it should.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DistrictSonic
The truth is we don't care. What I am saying is those positive indicators may have very well backtracked. Baltimore was on an upswing, but I don't think that is the case so much anymore. I actually hope it gets on an upswing again. But it is not really out of the woods yet. DC actually turned itself around after a riot in 1991, the Mt. Pleasant riot. That was the murder capital year. The worst year in DC's history. Oddly enough, that was also an instance of police violence, but with a black cop and a latino man. The racial dynamics to that were oddly different, the latino community did not have the best relationship with a mostly black police force that policed mt. pleasant.
History is weird...sometimes cities dig themselves into deeper problems, sometimes they turn themselves around. This may be baltimore bottoming out, and a turn around point.
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