Detroit is in a way a representative of the Obama administration. Lots of false promises of positive change, an over-hyping and magnifying of small good news (murders went down by .05%, a couple of jobs were created), and an unwavering faith in the power of government to fix all problems. Rumors of Detroit’s resurrection are as frequent as Elvis sightings.
by Matthew May
If you leave on the freeway well before dawn, when the early morning is dark, the skyline seems as magnificently inspiring as most any other American city — beckoning the bold and ambitious to follow in the footsteps of the giants who, in the process of building an industry and a country, constructed what once was known improbably as “The Paris of the Midwest.”
If you leave on the freeway well before dawn, when the early morning is dark, you cannot see the burned out houses that stretch for miles. The rotting buildings in neighborhoods that appear war-torn are invisible. It is possible to imagine what it once was and perhaps could be once more. But then the sun shines on the city of Detroit and your heart is broken, and you remember why leaving for other climes might be a good idea.
[...]Already inclined to hail news of a few dozen new jobs somewhere near the city limits as a sign of significant recovery, city boosters, Pavlov-like, glommed upon the commercial as evidence that the rest of the country would suddenly begin to take Detroit seriously and the Motor City’s journey to hell and back would be complete. Paris of the Midwest would return in no time because a two-minute spot made it so. Too many ascribed talismanic qualities to an advertisement, a slogan.
Such enthusiasm for a magical “comeback” for Detroit is nothing new. In the 1970s and 80s, the mantra was “Say nice things about Detroit.” Detroit was “The Renaissance City.” Race-baiting mayor Coleman Young even permitted the devil Republicans to hold their 1980 national convention here so as to show the world that the then-Murder Capital of the World wasn’t so bad. Neither party has been back since.[...]
American Thinker readers may remember the story of the murder of Marcus Coleman, who had been the mailman in my neighborhood for a long time. This giant of a man with an equally big personality and love of God and love of life was gunned down by a thug in the middle of an attempted robbery of Marcus’s mother’s house. Marcus, who no longer lived in the city but often went to check in on his mom, was shot in the back and died.
It’s true Marcus was just one man. But his story is too often the rule in the neighborhoods of Detroit, not the exception. The salient aspect of his killing is not wanton gun violence. The weapon was merely the instrument that ended his life. The salient aspect of his death is the culture of death and destruction that has been eroding Detroit for decades. Marcus, an honest man who brought much happiness on his route and certainly to his friends and family, was not a human being to the punk who assassinated him. He was merely an object, no more animate than a locked door or a closed window, standing in the way of not even a few pieces of silver.[....]The Great Society and its magnanimous projects dismantled in a few years a middle class of many cultures that had thrived and promoted personal responsibility and nuclear families for decades. The riots of 1967 caused many to flee, but the racist Young in the 1970s fomented bitterness for his office and invited whites to “take their asses across 8 Mile,” an invitation most anyone of means regardless of pigmentation correctly interpreted as a threat and accepted.
The industry that built the gleaming city on the Detroit River scoffed at the Japanese and their silly little cars. Simultaneously it allowed brutal union management to convince the workforce that their jobs were a birthright so as to hold the automakers hostage and force an unsustainable business model. Kwame Kilpatrick, dressing and acting the part, ran a criminal syndicate out of the mayor’s office, fleecing the city he “loves” in a way that will keep it bleeding money it does not have and will not have for years. Over and over, Detroiters have put their faith in the worst element of “public servants,” and they have been so punished. Unless the entire culture is quickly transformed, the fate of Detroit has been long sealed.
Perhaps the most poignant snapshot of the city in that Chrysler ad was of the vacant lot that was once the home of a massive ballpark with the best sightlines of any stadium in the major leagues. It was the place where millions of Detroiters breathlessly stood in awe at our first glimpse of the magnificent stage of a major league baseball park in a major league town and forged a bond with a team, its city, and its people.
For a brief moment, viewers gazed upon the only thing left of the demolished Tiger Stadium, its own history an apt metaphor for the city; the centerfield flagpole surrounded by a giant fence, the Stars and Stripes slowly unfurling over a barren field against a cold wind and an ominous sky.
Read the rest - Leaving Detroit
Tags: Matthew May
The unions killed Detroit, just as they killed our automotive industry. Unions soil, and eventually destroy, everything they touch – they are the manifestation and home of American socialism and, as such, are necessarily an impediment to capitalism.
Detroit was once a tribute to what capitalism could achieve; it was a towering temple to the American spirit. The desruction and decay of Detroit is testement to the perniciousness of the socialist disease, yet that truth will never be told.
This is a subject which is near and dear to me. As a 20 something year old Woolworth Manager, I lived in the Detroit area for about a decade. I literally watched the city decline as a result of the Model Cities Program. What a waste. Detroit served as the laboratory for what the Socialism will do to the rest of us if not stopped now.
I think it was eaglesoars who mentioned a client who was looking into the possibilities of turning all that empty real estate into urban farmland. A complete no go due to multiple issues,all insurmountable.
This vid always gets me and the music,so appropriately dismal.
Union bosses + Enablers + Crooks and thieves =’s Two Party Evil Money Cult.
Of some note in the interview with WFAA guy in Texas, Obama has one odd comment, “We are working on an “amnesty”. Now who is “We”, Little traitor Graham Cracker head and other RINO’s of the cult?
Crooks:
google Lee Farkas head of Taylor Bean & Whitaker and how they stole $3 Billion from ”YOU”.
Enablers:
http://www.cis.org/mormon-church-and-illegal-immigration
Unions:
Knowingly hire’s of illegals, knowingly handing fake work records out to illegals.
All major Homebuilders , all major construction contractors nation wide, knowingly getting the low bid by use of the max number of illegals possible.
Two Party Evil Money Cult: Standing by and or enabling all of the above together with the active support of the msm and the judical branch.
“We the People” are in this fight alone.
Fight.
Is it any wonder then why Chrysysler uses “Imported from Detroit” as the tagline in its new 200 commercials?
@ Flyovercountry:
We had the same idea.
Detroit was once our economic engine. The auto indstry supported
big steel & other vendors.
Whites & Blacks came from the South as well as other regions
for good paying jobs.
The UAW demanded & recieved unreasonable wage & pension
benefits , as well as work place concessions that killed quality.
Detriot is now a laboratory for the study of uraban decay.
Very sad.
@ Iron Fist:
The River Rouge plant could have been a Ground Zero for a Nazi atomic bomb. Not a well-known tidbit.
@ vagabond trader:
Why the frowny face? The idea was certainly good enough to get double play.
Detroit has no future because it has no human capital.
@ RIX:
So heartbreaking really.Detroit was a magnet for so many poor blacks to migrate up north for good jobs and a chance at the American Dream. The left destroyed all that and have the cajones to gloat and point fingers.. I deeeespise them.
Demonrat hall of shame
@ RIX:
Sadly, the decaying carcas that is Detroit will be sold as emblematic of the failure of capitalism when it’s just the opposite.
Some how, some way, I would like to see Detroit as the birthplace of a new breed of capitalism, unencumbered by socialist unions – sort of like the place where John Galt is reborn.
@ Flyovercountry:
lol. The entire story of Detroit and every other broken American city is sad.
vagabond trader wrote:
Socialist unions are like a serial killer, leaving bodies scattered throughout the country…..
Ok, I’m not sure who linked the Trig hit piece at wonkette but I just had a chance to read it. The left are a bunch of sick fucks.
@ m:
Hey m, it’s good to be back – thanks for bugging the crap out of me
@ m:
I NEVER troll lefty sites, but made an exception and commented there.
That’s the most offensive and disgusting thing I’ve ever seen on the internet.
Seriously.
vagabond trader wrote:
Well said, lefist greed, maipulation & desire to dominate
wrecked n indstry & a city.
vagabond trader wrote:
Wow, you read my mind. “Heartbreaking,” that describes it perfectly.
The old vids of Detroit, in it hay day, are so amazing and inspiring. How could it go so bad so quickly? It is like a terrible infection erupted and the whole place got sick. Then imploded. Collapsed. Died.
Socialism destroys the mind. It is unnatural for the human species. It is a disease.
m wrote:
Didn’t see it, but I’m not surprised. The same people who bristle that we’re not giving the president enough respect, lash out at a helpless child. “Sick fucks” is far too generous………..
m wrote:
Yup, and the way they keep increasing their vile hateful rhetoric I just cannot see violence not breaking out between the left and the right here pretty soon.
@ m:
You just now noticed that? They are lower than low, lower than a snake’s belly. They are vile and evil, and must be defeated…
m wrote:
They are ruthless sick fucks with all the humanity of a mafia hit man.
@ Bumr50:
Well said too!
m wrote:
They really are despicable. Just like zero having a laugh at the expense of the disabled. It shows who they are. Cold hearted fcking bastards. It didn’t even cross zero’s dull mind that making fun of the ‘special olympics’ was inappropriate. I hate these jerks.
The real shame is that these union-destroyed cities leave behind an ensconced Democrat regime long after the industry has left that gets perpetually elected because a majority of those left in the wake are increasingly dependent on government.
vagabond trader wrote:
Up until 1962, Detroit was actually a pretty nice place to live. I do not think that Mo Town ever got over the 1967 race riots.
MacDuff wrote:
Kudos to {m} for bugging the crap out of {MacDuff}.
MacDuff wrote:
Oh yeah, Detriot & other decaying cities will be laid at
the door of Capitalism.
It is akin to Obama blaming the S&P warning about our
bond rating to Republican reluctance to increase the debt.
The whole S&P warning was because of massive debt.
Sophistry now rules this administration.
@ taxfreekiller:
That is absolutely true. In my complex where I live, some of the units had Chinese Drywall. The builder are redoing them. The labor are clearly illegal and this is how I know.
In Florida there isn’t a large Mexican population. The Mexicans that are here tend to be legal and Middle class. They also look different than the illegals, who are of Native origins. The legal Mexicans tend to be White Latin or White/Indian Mix. I don’t understand the illegal’s Spanish.
So you are 100% correct.
@ vagabond trader:
Thanks!
m wrote:
Good morning!
Yeah I saw it. Funny Palin’s kids are ok to mock, but Obama’s are off limits. Hypocrisy!
omg, I just heard a clip of zero at a prayer breakfast. His comment abt. Easter was so absurd.
He said, ‘In times when we are so busy and the tasks are piling up . . . . there is just something abt the Resurrection.’
wtf is going on with that idiot.
*gasp*
@ Speranza:
There is a rule of thumb when visiting the downtown Detroit
Rennisance Center.
You exit the parking structure & race for the Lodge expressway,
running red lights if you have to & riding the rim if you get a
flat.
Once on the Lodge, no stops until you reach Southfield.
That is advice that was given to me & unfortunately not much
of an exageration.
@ chickadee:
Did he tie it in with the muzz,as he did with his Passover message?
@ MacDuff:
You’re welcome!
(i AM good for something!)
~:D
@ Bumr50:
For real. And there is some pretty disgusting stuff out here on the webs. I’m not a violent person but most of those people need a good bitch slappin.
chickadee wrote:
Meh, Christianity is just a prop with Obama. Here in California I have spent the last 40 years listening to people who are basically atheists talk about Christian or Jewish beliefs. They have read very little about them and don’t understand what little they have read, as a consequence they end up making the stupidest comments or absolute statements about either the Christian or Jewish faiths.
@ RIX:
I have a friend who grew up in Detroit. He went back to visit with his dad after having moved away 30 years ago. He left his downtown hotel for a walk and within a few blocks, he knew something was deathly wrong. He turned around and went back to the ‘safe-zone’ downtown area. He could go no more than 10 blocks in any direction without seeing the devastation and danger. Wow, like a city in a 3rd world county.
@ RIX:
And another of one of Detroit’s not-so-little secrets is it’s enormous Arab/Muslim population. Getting a cab in Detroit is like getting one in Islamabad.
Did that sound racist? If not, I can do better…….
@ Iron Fist:
No not just now ~:)
But the depths… to keep picking on a special needs child? ? GOOD GOD ALL MIGHTY!
@ chickadee:
{Chickadee}{MacDuff}
{GROUP}
~:)
m wrote:
Yes you are, besides you got your “powers” every good blog needs someone with super admin power, fortunately we got you…
m wrote:
Hugs M…. opps, better keep my hand above the waist….
@ doriangrey:
LOL! {Dorian}!
aww Thanks ~:D
@ doriangrey:
LOL!
@ MacDuff:
OH LAWD!
chickadee wrote:
Like a green zone.
MacDuff wrote:
I hear ya, lots of English & Arabic speaking, Muslim
radio stations in Detroit.
Dearborn along with Patterson NJ was a place that
had a spontaneous street celebration on 9/11.
See that are as American as apple pie./
m wrote:
Hey… I’m an old retired Rock Star, I am learning to keep my hands above the waist when hugging pretty girls…
(it aint as fun, but it cut’s down on the face slapping… 
)
@ chickadee:
Detroit has become like a Scifi movie about devastation
RIX wrote:
Minus the fiction part…
@ m:
They will get much worse if Palin is our nominee. One thing we can hope for is that shit to turn decent people off to their cause. That is the only response for them, really, and the only thing tht will shut them up.
doriangrey wrote:
And that is the sad truth. It is hard to believe that what was
a major American city is in such bad shape.
Yet the Dem pols pick the carcass and continue to steal.
Iron Fist wrote:
Might be a good reason for her to run.
See ya’all later……
vagabond trader wrote:
Not sure. It was just a clip Rushie played. It was so shocking to hear that ‘eloquent’ alleged Christian say something so absurd and disjointed abt. Easter. There is no way that jackass is a Christian.
MacDuff wrote:
Later Mac…
Some areas of Detroit are overrun by wildlife (and I am not referring to two legged wildlife either).
@ MacDuff:
See ya.
Speranza wrote:
Detroit needs to be bulldozed into the ground.
Iron Fist wrote:
During the Prsidential campaign, a Canadian journalist
called Palin a Wasila hillbilly, married to an Eskimo with
a whore for a daughter & a crazy baby.
The Lefties here thought that was just hilarious.
But point out that Michelle Obama is not a Jackie Kennedy
look alike , but is actually an insightly blight on the
landscape & you are a raaaaacist!
@ doriangrey:
Exactly.
Christianity is just a prop for zero.
He has nothing but contempt for Christians. They are bitter and cling to their Bible, after all.
@ Prebanned:
Yes, a small area in an American city in this country, like a green zone.
@ Speranza:
Well at least when the last working person turns out the lights there will be a food source for those remaining.//
@ chickadee:
Hartford and New Haven CT are like that on a much smaller scale. You guessed correctly. Ds.
chickadee wrote:
Yup, one thing above all others that marks a Christian, is that they do in fact cling to their bibles. That Obama would make such a remark as a intended insult shows the level of contempt that he holds for the bible and consequently for all “People of the Book” Christians and Jews. It’s actually a dead giveaway to what he really believes.
Drudge is now running a headline about the new Obama Birth Certificate book that says “Missing Records in Hawaii, Missing Records in Kenya, Missing Records in Indonesia…”
At this point I think it is Congress’ duty to search Sandy Bergers pants!
Macker wrote:
The Commies got to it in a much more subtle fashion.
I toured that plant in 1978. They were still rolling giant ingots into steel plates. Very awesome.
@ vagabond trader:
Democrats are a blight on the landscape. They have been for most of the history of this country, and certainly since 1933.
Bureaucat wrote:
Shortly after Obama released his COLB short form, a number of individuals documented the evidence showing that it was a photochopped reproduction, evidence which the entire Fifth column Treasonous Media ignored or swept under the rug.
vagabond trader wrote:
So is New London and Bridgeport (I would imagine).
RIX wrote:
I can attest to this. It also applies when you’re driving to or from the border crossings. Git yo’ ass outa there!
doriangrey wrote:
And selrahC didn’t have anything to do with it?
Macker wrote:
Not that Southfield is much better. Anything south of 11 Mile is a crap shoot. Personally, I would keep going to Bloomfied Hills.
Speranza wrote:
How long until it is the Ramadi of America?
@ Rodan:
Good morning right back atcha! Even though it’s afternoon when I saw it ~:)
@ Bureaucat:
EWW! I’m sure nobody volunteers for THAT job! LOL! But it MUST BE DONE!
Bureaucat wrote:
Just pre-ordered a copy from amazon. Can’t wait to read it!
@ m:
M, I need your help on something. I’ll shoot you an email!
@ Iron Fist:
The only way to combat them is to fling mud back. We should show them no mercy.
Rodan wrote:
“My friends, I think we need a candidate who can reach across the aisle to the other side”.
Speranza wrote:
Yup, because you cant beat the living crap out of anyone you cant reach.
@ Flyovercountry:
@ Macker:
It sounds like Mogadishu on a bad Saturday might.
@ m:
Yeah No problem, I was away also.
@ Speranza:
yeah he reaches across the aisles when it’s a Democrat. If a Conservative challenges him, he then goes for his bat!
Hmmm, Sarah Palin defends Donald Trump… What a classy lady.
Speranza wrote:
There, fixed that for ya!
Speranza wrote:
Is there a good Saturday night in Mogadishu?
@ doriangrey:
He defended her as well.
Let’s take this to the Trump thread.
See ya there.
@ Urban Infidel:
Sure!
@ citizen_q:
@ Rodan:
Politics is War, but I draw the line at attacking a helpless, disabled infant. Besides, I don’t think that really benefits them. It fires up their base, but that tells you something about their base that is both unpleasant and frightening. We can and should attack that base without mercy as the evil Enemy that they are.
Speranza wrote:
Yes I agree, but if he uses a long heavy stick he can get his point across to more people.
@ Iron Fist:
The GOP Establishement are a bunch of court Eunuchs. They love being subservient to the Democrats.
Look at how Boehner kisses Obama’s ass.
New thread.
SciFiGuy wrote:
McCain would rather kiss ass then fight.
Macker wrote:
Friday is their Sabbath – I forgot.
this is just a test. I’m seeing if I can blog using the speech function on my new phone. It seems like it works. Cool!
If I were a professional athlete I do not do not think that I would want to play in Detroit.
Iron Fist wrote:
At least since 1968.
m wrote:
They know exactly what they are doing. Saul Alinsky laid it out for them in his Rules for Radicals.
Speranza wrote:
From what I’ve seen of professional athletes lately, I think a lot of them would feel right at home in Detroit.
man, this voice recognition gizmo on this phone is very cool!
@ MacDuff:
Show off!
@ MacDuff:
(Show off)*(show off)
MacDuff wrote:
although, the caps at beginnings of sentences needs a little work.
Prebanned wrote:
I know. Sometimes I’m so cool I can barely live with myself!
@ MacDuff:
I am just jealous.
Prebanned wrote:
That is pretty dang cool, LOL!
m wrote:
I know! It’s almost like being japanese!
@ Speranza:
New London is small, I’ll drive thru,preferably in daylight. Bridgeport,no way. Even back in the 70s going into Manhattan I’d say a prayer on I-95 that my car didn’t break down anywhere near Bridgeport.
vagabond trader wrote:
It’s funny, but Denver doesn’t really have any areas like that. Parts of Aurora are less-than-desirable neighborhoods, but they’ve done a lot to clean it up in recent years.
@ lobo91:
We don’t have any no go areas here either. Then again we are a grand total of 9000 in our town. High crime is more than 5 seatbelt and registration violations in one week.
@ vagabond trader:
Colorado Springs is actually pretty good, for a military town. There are one or two neighborhoods that I wouldn’t live in, but no real “hood.”
Our crime rate here is about half the national average for a city this size (about 550,000 in the metro area).
vagabond trader wrote:
Thanks for letting me know where it is safe to dump the body.
@ Bureaucat:
No joke,we are near the RI border and back in the day lots of bodies were planted there by that ficticious crime syndicate branch based in Providence.
[...] privacy, namely Apple iPhone secretly records owners’ every move. It followed another article, Exiting Detroit, about the endless and evidently reversible decline and fall of the city of Detroit. It sure looks [...]