Detroit has an 82-percent black population and hasn't had a white mayor in 44 years. Bloomberg says Detroit's mayoral race has been plagued with "rivalries and racial rifts." Two contenders are tied for first place: one black and one white. Is race the biggest issue in Motown's upcoming election? Or is this just a tactic to divert our attention to the multitude of larger issues? I think minorities have been forced into a race contest in cities where they are not the minority. Decades of being kept out, hemmed in and downtrodden, have made Detroit African Americans tenacious of power where they could wrest it. And who can fault them for that? Self-preservation is human nature. Political control is the American ideal. The fact that Detroit is so impoverished has less than zero to do with corruption, race or any others scapegoats you care to name. It has all to do with barons (mostly auto) exploiting Detroit then abandoning it when they'd used up all the resources. So is the Detroit race racial? Detroit Mayoral Race Called Two-Man Contest: Is Race an Issue?
Showing posts with label Detroit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Detroit. Show all posts
Detroit Mayoral Race Called Two-Man Contest: Is Race an Issue?
Detroit has an 82-percent black population and hasn't had a white mayor in 44 years. Bloomberg says Detroit's mayoral race has been plagued with "rivalries and racial rifts." Two contenders are tied for first place: one black and one white. Is race the biggest issue in Motown's upcoming election? Or is this just a tactic to divert our attention to the multitude of larger issues? I think minorities have been forced into a race contest in cities where they are not the minority. Decades of being kept out, hemmed in and downtrodden, have made Detroit African Americans tenacious of power where they could wrest it. And who can fault them for that? Self-preservation is human nature. Political control is the American ideal. The fact that Detroit is so impoverished has less than zero to do with corruption, race or any others scapegoats you care to name. It has all to do with barons (mostly auto) exploiting Detroit then abandoning it when they'd used up all the resources. So is the Detroit race racial? Detroit Mayoral Race Called Two-Man Contest: Is Race an Issue?Billionaire Dan Gilbert Steadily Buying Up Detroit Buildings
Dan Gilbert of Quicken Loans is fast becoming downtown Detroit's prime mover and shaker. In March, Forbes ranked Gilbert No. 384 on its "World's Billionaires" list -- a 470-slot jump from last year. And Gilbert is spending his money in the Motor City. Gilbert is buying up, remodeling, and repurposing downtown properties. He's definitely giving Detroit's Little Caesars Ilitch family a run for their money in the property line. And Gilbert's improvements may have major impacts for city dwellers. read more
Priorities for Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr
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Kevyn Orr, Detroit's new state-appointed emergency manager, began his 18-month tenure late in March, says Click on Detroit. What are the priorities of a state controller in such a large city? Priorities for Detroit Emergency Manager Kevyn Orr The Detroit Free Press reports that some have only one task for the emergency manager: Leave leadership to elected officials. Rev. Charles Williams II of Michigan's National Action Network led a sit-in at City Hall last Thursday. The group filed a lawsuit against Michigan's new emergency manager law, Public Act 436, saying it violates voter rights. With Detroit's mayoral slot opening up, candidates must consider how they'd operate under a state-appointed controller, too. ABC Action News 7 WXYZ says Mike Duggan, a contender for mayor, wants the emergency manager gone ASAP and says he's ready to take over turnaround. Former Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick Found Guilty of Corruption, Racketeering
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Decisions were handed down in former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick's racketeering and extortion trial today. Then-city contractor Bobby Ferguson and Kilpatrick's father, Bernard Kilpatrick, were tried, too, says ABC Action News 7 WXYZ. A federal jury decided today that Kwame Kilpatrick ran a criminal enterprise as mayor of Michigan's largest city. The jury determined that extortion, bribes and kickbacks, bid-rigging, and shakedowns took place, says the Detroit Free Press. Former Detroit Mayor Kilpatrick Found Guilty of Corruption, RacketeeringOrganizing Ford Motor Company: Black Detroit Autoworkers, Communism, Cadillac Square
For the last 100ish years, the word "communism" has held negative connotations. Even now, saying you're a Communist will quiet the room fast. In 1930s Detroit, being a Communist wasn't necessarily considered a bad thing, though -- at least not for 60,000 black American autoworkers. Sadly, Michigan government has turned back the hands of time and progress by passing an anti-union"right-to-work" bill. Organizing Ford: Black Detroit Autoworkers, CommunismDetroit Muslim Group Opens Food Pantry
With the onset of winter, resources at missions and homeless shelters are always stretched thin. This is particularly true in Detroit, where residents suffer from high rates of unemployment, poverty, and homelessness. To meet these rising demands, many organizations in Detroit provide food via pantries and soup kitchens to residents in need. Recently, a new cooperative was formed to assist with the burgeoning needs. The Islamic Shura Council of Michigan (ISCOM) is providing a food pantry to locals that kicked off on December 6, 2012. Detroit Islamic Group Offers Food BankDetroit Debates Proposal 1, Michigan's Emergency Manager Referendum
A hotly contested item on Michigan's November 6, 2012, ballot is Proposal 1, a referendum on Public Act 4 of 2011. PA 4, passed by Gov. Rick Snyder last year, is the state's emergency manager law. PA 4 places pro tem managers in charge of financially struggling cities and public entities like school districts. This is an are of concern particularly for Detroit area residents. Six of the eight Michigan EMs are located in Detroit burbs and entities. If Proposal 1 passes, another 60 Michigan cities could get EMs. EMs don't come cheap. Entities that are assigned an EM have to pay salaries ($180,000-$435,000 a year), expenses, transportation, etc. If the city is already in financial trouble how is an overpaid exec going to help? EMs can and do cut jobs and vital services. Unemployed and underemployed residents can't pay taxes. They have to rely on social safety networks that drain financial resources. EMs are a lose-lose proposition. Detroit Debates Proposal 1, Michigan's Emergency Manager ReferendumRainbow PUSH Detroit Obama-Romney Debate Watch Fight Night
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