What's so bad about Detroit? (Warren, Ann Arbor: apartments, mover, condominium)

[Chicago60614]

Originally Posted by danielj72

I live in central Michigan about 100 miles northwest of that festering urban sewer Detoilet. Most of us in MI consider detroit a major embarassment to our state. Its problems have ruined our entire states reputation, drained our states budget of cash, filled our prisons with its wonderful residents. Any one who has ever been to Detoilet knows that a part of the third world thrives deep in the heart of North America. Buildings burned and abandoned, broken roads and bridges, local politicians corrupt as any tin horned dictator in a bannana republic. The citizens of Detroit will steal anything that is not nailed down, are hooked on drugs, leach off the rest of the people of Michigan through the welfare system. Just take a drive into this place and you will think your on the set of a post apocolyptic movie. Google the "ruins of Detroit" and you can see pictures of it your self. Im sure some will respond to this post calling me a Detroit hater and accusing me of painting with a broad brush. Those people can live in whatever fantasy world they want, but the reality of Detroit is very very bad. Kwame Kilpatrick does represent the real Detroit, the corrupt detroit filled with crime and decay. Ive been to 46 states and I have never seen the level of decay I have in Detroit, (only gary Ind comes close). Even the gritty run down cities of the northeast are not as bad as Detroit. Detroit is the armpit of America and it deserves its reputation.

but how do you really feel?

[atlantagreg30127]

city-specific topics belong in the room for that city, not "General U.S.", so this is being moved to the appropriate room.

[noviracer]

Not to mention from the first of November to the end of March it is almost always overcast. I've heard Southeastern Michigan supposedly has more cloudy days than Seattle and I can believe it having lived here for the past thirty-five years. At least Seattle has milder weather.

[UKUKUK]

Originally Posted by danielj72

I live in central Michigan about 100 miles northwest of that festering urban sewer Detoilet. Most of us in MI consider detroit a major embarassment to our state. Its problems have ruined our entire states reputation, drained our states budget of cash, filled our prisons with its wonderful residents. Any one who has ever been to Detoilet knows that a part of the third world thrives deep in the heart of North America. Buildings burned and abandoned, broken roads and bridges, local politicians corrupt as any tin horned dictator in a bannana republic. The citizens of Detroit will steal anything that is not nailed down, are hooked on drugs, leach off the rest of the people of Michigan through the welfare system. Just take a drive into this place and you will think your on the set of a post apocolyptic movie. Google the "ruins of Detroit" and you can see pictures of it your self. Im sure some will respond to this post calling me a Detroit hater and accusing me of painting with a broad brush. Those people can live in whatever fantasy world they want, but the reality of Detroit is very very bad. Kwame Kilpatrick does represent the real Detroit, the corrupt detroit filled with crime and decay. Ive been to 46 states and I have never seen the level of decay I have in Detroit, (only gary Ind comes close). Even the gritty run down cities of the northeast are not as bad as Detroit. Detroit is the armpit of America and it deserves its reputation.

You've NEVER been to Atlanta, Montgomery, anywhere in Mississippi, Memphis, D.C., New York, Baltimore, Buffalo, etc. have you?

On that note... Nothing is wrong with Detroit, it's come upon hard times, but it's still a fabulous city with good people.

[canudigit]

Originally Posted by timeofseasons

Its a awful place to reside, and this is from a first person perspective as I'am a resident of Michigan.

The only way this could be a "first person perspective" is if you live, or have recently lived, in Detroit itself, not just in Michigan in general. Otherwise, you are going on heresay and that is second hand information. I live in Michigan too, but I can't say what it's like to live in Detroit, because I've never lived in Detroit. See the difference?

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

You've NEVER been to Atlanta, Montgomery, anywhere in Mississippi, Memphis, D.C., New York, Baltimore, Buffalo, etc. have you?

On that note... Nothing is wrong with Detroit, it's come upon hard times, but it's still a fabulous city with good people.

Yes I have been to all of those places, and you are right they do have bad areas that are run down. The difference is that those towns have at least parts of them that have better areas. Those towns all offer something interesting about them, places that attract people. Many tourist go out of thier way to visit Memphis and DC for example. Obviously NYC gets alot of tourism as well. There are some nice things to see, and interesting things to do in those towns. Detroit however is a totaly dead city. The only nice areas are its suburbs, the city itself is awful. That is why Detroit has some of the worst suburban sprall around. NO one wants to be too close to it, or especially insided Detroit. There are places in southeast Mi that you can drive by 400k houses, go a few blocks crossing a Detroit city limits sign and enter a ghetto immediatly. I know I have upset some people with my response but the OP asked what is so bad about Detroit and I have given my answer.

[UKUKUK]

My problem with your answer is that it's entirely wrong.

There are plenty of nice areas in and out of the city.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by UKUKUK

My problem with your answer is that it's entirely wrong.

There are plenty of nice areas in and out of the city.

Im sure your idea of nice is far different from mine. My idea of nice is not having to worry about whether or not your car has been stolen, not seeing street people, and not seeing rotted out delapitated buildings. Are you going to tell me there is ANYWHERE inside detroit city that you will not see those things regularly. Yea inside the casino maybe nice, but your on your own once you leave the building. Just getting to the casino or sports statdiums means a trip through the third world just get there. Once inside yea your protected by security. If you pay good money, they will gaurd your car too. But the time comes when you have to make that trip home acrost no mans land. Heaven forbid you break down. Another point to consider, if you are right and Detoilet is not as bad as I say it is, then why is its reputation so bad??? You dont honestly think that im the first to say these things do you?? What makes me the most angry about detroit is what it has done to the whole states reputation. The rest of the nation judges us all by the actions of those who reside in Detroit.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by timeofseasons

Its a awful place to reside, and this is from a first person perspective as I'am a resident of Michigan.

Close to Detroit?

Originally Posted by canudigit

The only way this could be a "first person perspective" is if you live, or have recently lived, in Detroit itself, not just in Michigan in general. Otherwise, you are going on heresay and that is second hand information. I live in Michigan too, but I can't say what it's like to live in Detroit, because I've never lived in Detroit. See the difference?

But....I have indeed lived in Detroit and can whole heartedly support the motion that Detroit is an awful place to reside.

Unfortunately all the architecture in the world and all the wonders the city once held will not put the shine on the Jewel again.

The carpetbaggers (COLEMAN and KWAME) have huffed and puffed and sucked the life from the great folks who wanted so badly to call Detroit home.

The great folks who onced fought so hard to salvage some form of existance in the city.

The men and women who worked to make the big 3 industry leaders

The children who started out life BELIEVING greatness was achievable

Have all been CRUSHED by the institution of power and corruption

Sadly, there is no real life left

The survivors are still making their exodus to the burbs

There are only outsiders

We've tried to wash our hands of all of this
We never talk of our lack in relationships
And how we're guilt stricken sobbing with our
Heads on the floor (apologies to the VervePipe)

WHo still stand at a distance

Proclaiming a desire to resurrect the city

But who will dare enter the City

Take up residence

And call others to reside within the limits?

WHO?

the silence speaks wonders...

(yes I was there, and accepted the fact that the City DOES not want to change)

[Coldjensens]

Mostly it is lack of accurate information and absurd generalizations. There are many examples of that here. You cannot genrealize about an entire City the size of Detroit and still be rational in your dicussions. Nor can you lump everything within 100 miles of the City into a definition of "Detroit" then pick out only the bad things and attribute them all to the City. Pontiac and Flint are not Detroit. If you are looking at Greater Detroit, then you must also include Brimingham, Rochester, Plymouth, Northville, Troy, Franklin, Novi, Milford, South Lyon, Grosse Ile, . . . . some of the greatest suburbs to be found anywhere in the country.

For example, the Silverdome is in Pontiac. Pontiac is about an hour drive from Detroit. Pontiac is in North Oakland County which contains most of the ritziest suburbs in Michigan. If you are going to cite the Pontiac and the Silverdome as an example of how bad Detroit is, then you need to balance that with the beautiful surrounding suburbs.

Downtown Detroit is quite nice and has some great cultural activities. It is also reasonably safe.

Palmer Park is beautiful and has great homes and a lot going on. (They have their own security). Indian villiage is nice. SOme other areas are partially nnice and partially yuck.

Detroit's problems stem from its depopulation and government corruption. It is a huge City and over half of it is empty. The empty areas with only a few residents scattered here or there become havens for drug dealers and gang bangers. These areas are not well patrolled nor do they have good services (garbage pick up, snow removal street repair and cleaning, etc). Thus these areas are horrid run down and resemble third world countries or war torn areas. The City simlpy lacks the resources to do anything about these problem areas. What resources they City has are usually squandered through graft and corruption, or just bad decision making.

The empty, desolate bad areas are horridly crime ridden, and the crime in these areas is attributed to the entire city. A gang war in a specific area of S.W. Detroit that results in 100 murders does not make Plamer Park and less safe to live in. However the murders are attributed to the city as a whole and make it all look horrid and dangerous when only parts of it are that way. This in turn causes more people move out and/or stay out and just makes the problem grow.

With the exception of Downtown and a few remaining nice or lively neighborhoods, no one WANTS to live in the City of Detroit. Becasue there are so few people with income, all of the residents and properties are heavily taxed to try to pay for the upkeep of this huge empty city. The tax money is pent badly or just stolen and only a few areas get much government attention. The areas like downtown that are taken care of are decent, because these areas generate most of the tax dollars and must be kept up or they will also empty out leaving the City with nothing but people who cannot afford to move away.