Disregard the following thoughts about the zoo crisis, I am white…
The Detroit zoo debacle marks the first time I am put into the unusual position of defending the Mayor. Barbara Rose Collins saw fit to remind everyone that she wasn’t on a plantation anymore…thanks Barb…got the memo…Not only is she not on a plantation – she has strayed off the reservation. These people are seriously nuts.
Racist Collins said, “‘The symbolism is that Detroit is a black city and that we’re unable to govern ourselves. So we need an overseer, the state legislature, or what have you, to step in and tell us what we must do and how to do it.’ She said she will not sign off on an operating agreement until it protects Detroit’s interests and the state should not try to force them with a funding deadline. ‘That is a racist attitude. I resent it very much. I’m trying not to let it color my judgments, but we’re not a plantation, blacks aren’t owned by white folks anymore,’ said Collins.”
Well, Barb – you apparently are unable to govern yourself – that’s kinda what it means when you are considered for recievership. But hey, don’t listen to me…I’m white, and uh, I live in the burbs…
bold statements… but i can’t say i disagree… she must know things we don’t because with the city’s ridiculous amount of debt and possibility of receivership it appears obvious that this city can’t govern itself… it’s unfortunate that she had to pull out the tired old race card again… comments like that are taking us a few steps back…
I am ready to help. With a non-existant mayor, and a retarded council, how can I help in not only keeping the Zoo open, but help it grow and flourish?
Is it bad that I want the city to go into receivership?!?
It’s not like Detroit is just randomly bankrupt. They lost half their population and at least 80% of their tax base — it’s a really shitty hand to have been dealt, and I doubt you could deal with it much more effectively.
I couldn’t agree more with the fact that they are NOT randomly bankrupt. It is precisely because it is NOT random that I feel it is fair to point fingers. Here’s an example of that distinction: I don’t like mayor Nagin in N.O. for his racism — but I am NOT faulting him for the hurricane — the hurricane in a sense IS random. I fault him, and Barb “I’m not owned by a white man” Collins, and Coleman “white people: get North of 8 mile” Young for how they react to “random” things when they occur; and in some cases how things they did led to things that seem random on the surface.
Ben, why did they lose their population? Was it only the auto industry – or could it have been some other mitigating circumstances like the implicit threat of violence or non-protection issued by the mayor that led (down the tubes) the city for two decades?
Moreover, whether or not I would do much better isn’t really the point – but since you brought it up I will tell you why I might. First, I am not an unapologetic racist. This means I would work with qualified people regardless of their color. If someone is good at what they do – that is the right color. This does not occur in Detroit currently. Second, I would realize from the beginning that *I* couldn’t do much better…I would need a team around me that had specialized knowledge, and I would submit to their qualified opinions. This is clearly not happening at the city counsel. Third, I would put the needs of the city ahead of my own racist social agenda. Before you can be a leader, you must be a servant. I fault the whole damn lot of them for being at times bigots, and always selfish.
Doug, your comments clearly show that you could never hold any sort of city position. your logic, clear thinking and open mindedness toward all races is absurd! those aren’t the veiws of the Coleman-era city residents and have no place in Detroit. how dare you! (interperet my remarks as saying “i completely agree with you)
Max,
I’m pickin’ up what you’re layin’ down. :) This is a satire-safe environment…
Doug
Here’s a petition floating around: http://www.petitiononline.com/detzoo/petition.html
Please sign.
The comments some people like , Ryan Kelley of Statewide Residential Mortgage of Madison Heights ;are doing nothing to solve the Zoo or any of this areas problems. Calling, via E-mail Barbara Rose Collins a stupid Nigger who should go back to Africa along with Mayor Kilpatrick are one of the reasons this suburbs vs city issue continues. I am a Black American who also think the city should let the zoo go and concentrate on reducing crime and bringing businesses to the city. “Name calling achieves nothing”
Thanks for your comments Sydney, can you provide a link for that? I couldn;t find any reference to it when I googled it…I would like to read more.
but is it okay for the black people in the city to tell the white people to stay in the suburbs? not all white people share the moronic views of that person you’ve quoted so the “guilt by association” thing needs to stop. and it’s worse when you have city council members making those remarks. if the city council of Royal Oak said they didn’t want Black people in their city there would be protests, marches and demands for restitution. and what about the Muslim conference going on soon that has the main speaker saying he won’t allow ANY white people in…announce that you want to have an all white rally and see how far you get. it seems like most other citys have all sorts of people living together, side by side, within a city limit…maybe it’s because they don’t have their leaders telling certain groups to get out.
The owner of Statewide Residential Mortgage of Madison Heights should be commended for firing Ryan Kelley and his co workers (see page 7B of today’s Free Press).
I don’t follow the idea that whites aren’t welcome to Detroit when in Greektown or at any Tigers, Lions or Red Wings game (yes I’ve been to Red Wings games) the majority of the people who support the above are white. Lets face it our are entire Metro area has so much to offer including the downtowns of Ferndale, Royal Oak and Birmingham. I try to enjoy it all.
Sydney… i appreciate your point of view… do you feel that the remarks made by City Council members Collins and Watson were racist?
Here’s a radical thouhgt for Detroit to make peace with the suburbs; cancel the income tax on non-residents working in Detroit. This single issue makes my blood boil. I work for the Federal Government and live two counties away, yet I pay a pentaly, which is exactly what an income tax is for working and spending money in Detroit. The part that REALLY, REALLY rubs salt into the wound is that I CAN’T VOTE out of office louts like BRC. The government of Detroit just can’t seem to understand that they are on the Titanic and unless they make the hard decision to privatize about a dozen city services some white-boy from the State of Michigan is going to be telling them; what, when, where, and how much.