Another Detroit question. Your input is appreciated.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by DirtySouthATL

. Nobody is getting killed over colors unless the color is green or snow white.

There is still a lot of Red on Blue violence in the city and suburbs.

Related to the GREEN AND SNOW WHITE CRACK colors.

Those who refuse to deal with the gang situation will find themselves out numbered -- much like the current situation in Van Buren Township aka Belleville...

[LeavinMI709]

Getting back on topic; The Budson, Nevers Trials for Malice Green created a major attitude shift during that time in Detroit towards whites. I was going to Wayne State all day, 5 days a week at the time. I had never felt nervous or worried about being down town before. There were several times when I was made nervous by angry people. I remember thinking that if Budson and Nevers got off there was going to be roits in the streets and I didn't want to be in the middle of it. That shift in attitude has not changed much since.

[alisea mcleod]

Shrewsbury Road you took the high road here. I probably would not have apologized or backed off of my statements. As far as I'm concerned you were racially attacked for having your point of view.

As for an answer to the original question, it's as simple as this. Just look at the character of the comments, all of the vitriol suburban whites still have at this late date for black residents of
Detroit. Enough said.

DirtySouthATL, you've hit the old nail on the head. I suppose people think drugs appear without the help of many entities high up the food chain.

Lastly, Detroit did not start its decline in the '70s. It started in the early '50s or arguably right after the second world war. The National Highway program was part of the demise not just of Detroit but of Urban America in general. At the same time, we have not in the last fifty years had a real pro-urban policy. Where the money goes, people will follow. Money was pulled out of Detroit just like it was pulled out of other rustbelt cities.

As for blaming Coleman Young, gawlee, he's been dead for more than ten years and suburbans are still scapegoating him for their own choice. I wonder about the ages of people who've participated in this forum. Sounds like you're just repeating your parents' issues rather than looking freshly at this question.

[YAZ]

Originally Posted by michiganirish

As in most large cities there were always parts of Detroit that were not safe. However, I believe over the years the "unsafe areas" have become less defined, no longer can you tell by the look of an area what is a "bad" area and what isn't.

When my mother was young, (ca. late 1940's) she walked home from the Boblo Dock at 2 am. When I was in my late teen's/early twenties (ca. 1969-1974) I never had any problems in the downtown area. I grew up in the Warrendale area, and walked to Tiger Stadium as a teenager, and spent a lot of time at the Gaelic League on Michigan Ave.

Even after the riots things weren't what they are now. Detroit became dangerous over time..... when there was a lack of any real city leadership it made it easier for criminal elements to move in. I agree with you jeanniepep, Coleman Young as mayor was a major factor in the decline of Detroit.

The Gaelic League was right next to Tiger Stadium, right?

Makes sense. Corktown.

[and the]

The Gaelic League was right next to Tiger Stadium, right?

Makes sense. Corktown.

Down the street, but not right next to. Although Hoot Robinson's was right next door.

[and the]

If people have expectations of a better life then they will work to achieve it, if they don't, then they loose hope. Detroit has lost hope.

If Detroiters have lost hope, how come they buy so many lottery tickets?

Essentially, why did Detroit become a magnet for so much trouble?

The question implies that trouble comes TO Detroit. Quite the contrary, Detroit is not a trouble MAGNET as much as a gas-turbine trouble GENERATOR. A regular trouble dynamo. A trouble synthesizor. Troublesynthesis. A super-charged trouble diesel-electric trouble engine. On second thought, the turbine is probably coal-fired.

[Cheeto]

Originally Posted by eastwestman

At what point (roughly speaking) in Detroit's history, did Detroit become a dangerous city and what were the triggers (pun not intended) for this? When the auto industry was booming, was crime in Detroit still a major problem? Essentially, why did Detroit become a magnet for so much trouble?

Thank you

In a sense, Detroit has always had a history of violence. During prohibition, organized crime ran rampant in Detroit with smuggling of booze from Canada. The first race riot took place near Belle Isle in 1943 when Detroit was glowing in a robust wartime community. Detroit was even relatively stable during the 67 riots, but the stigma that stuck with the city after that was the nail in Detroit's coffin. White flight combined with indutrial decline took a big chunk of money out of the city's economy. By the 1970's, Detroit was quickly becoming a city full of poor people scattered with abandoned homes,factories and storefronts. With less money, city services declined and criminals eventually took control of the streets. It's not that detroit has more criminals than other cities, it's just that they can get away with doing their deeds because of insufficient policing. And the lack of co-operation between the city and the suburbs just isolates Detroit and its problems even further. Sad thing is, most of these problems were born out of pure racism when whites fled the city leaving it behind as though it never exsisted. Only in America could a culture be so wasteful!