City wants man to prove he's black

[Wesley Mouch]

Yes, but there's nothing outlawing it.

Speaking of law... can anyone explain what law allows a city to discriminate on the basis of race?

This action by a city official in the Human Rights Department is abhorent. Although she's backed down, she actually asked for a birth certificate to prove race?

[Scottathew]

Speaking of law... can anyone explain what law allows a city to discriminate on the basis of race?

This action by a city official in the Human Rights Department is abhorent. Although she's backed down, she actually asked for a birth certificate to prove race?

I can only think of laws that make it illegal...

http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?...age=transcript

[Detroit Stylin]

Contracts should be color-blind, period. The best, most qualified bid should win based on the ability to fulfill the terms of the contract at the best price.

So how has that worked thus far in society as a whole? This happens AGAINST us every damn day and yet its business as usual but whenever [[no matter how retarded the city tries to correct this by doing the same thing) the city does it or even mentions it then al of a sudden every one wants to hold hands and sing kumbaya or scream treverse racism....

[Richard]

From what I am reading into the piece is being black has nothing to do with anything.

He already had the marina in his possession,he pissed the mayor off by attending the meeting.

Last month, Morgan was involved in a Defenders investigation at Harbor Hills Marina, where Morgan is the operator.
The city tried kicking Morgan out for being late on payments; Morgan said they wanted to give it to a Dave Bing supporter at a fraction of the cost he pays for rent.

So because they could not kick him out they started grasping at straws to get rid of him.

It has nothing to do with being black or being black doing business in Detroit and everything to do with business as usual in politics in Detroit,this needs to be investigated to the max starting with Bing who is the root cause of this currant embarrassment.One step forward three steps backward.

[Wesley Mouch]

So how has that worked thus far in society as a whole? This happens AGAINST us every damn day and yet its business as usual but whenever [[no matter how retarded the city tries to correct this by doing the same thing) the city does it or even mentions it then al of a sudden every one wants to hold hands and sing kumbaya or scream treverse racism....

Yep, that's right. Kumbaya.

A black man asked for his papers. A black-only need apply policy hurt him. He was already a victim of white racism, now he's got black racist corruption to worry about. No whites in this story, but you still see white racism. Must suck to be you.

I've got a better idea -- let's fight injustice instead of each other.

[Wesley Mouch]

From what I am reading into the piece is being black has nothing to do with anything...

He already had the marina in his possession,he pissed the mayor off by attending the meeting....

It has nothing to do with being black or being black doing business in Detroit ...

except for the part where a black administrator served the black mayor to use the tools of racial discrimination against a black businessman.

The motivation to use the tool was race-neutral.

[Detroit Stylin]

Yep, that's right. Kumbaya.

A black man asked for his papers. A black-only need apply policy hurt him. He was already a victim of white racism, now he's got black racist corruption to worry about. No whites in this story, but you still see white racism. Must suck to be you.

I've got a better idea -- let's fight injustice instead of each other.

When Livionia and much of oakland Cpuntry play by the rules that the CoD for some reason seems to be the only one to sworn to play by and better not veer to the left or right of...then I will shed a tear or two for your 'plight' but until then....

[poobert]

I don't have my birth certificate handy [[I don't have to keep it on me because in all my dealings with the city there's no escaping the fact that I'm white so we don't bother to argue about it) but does it even list race on there??

Human Rights Department...always a funny one. Is the CoD the United Nations now? I recall hearing it was a required by the old charter but I think we can safely do without the salary-collecting birth certificate scrutinizers and scrap the idea. I like human rights and all, but as we can see the city that can't keep the streetlights on isn't in a position to be enforcing human rights.

I really want to call them and say "Help, help! I'm being repressed!"

[iheartthed]

I don't have my birth certificate handy [[I don't have to keep it on me because in all my dealings with the city there's no escaping the fact that I'm white so we don't bother to argue about it) but does it even list race on there??

Good question. I imagine that it varies by state but from what I see on the internet the long form certificate usually states the race of the parent.

However, race is usually identified on an "honor system"... Since there's not a scientific basis for it. This might be the first time I have ever heard of an entity demanding government issued documentation of race [[except for Native Americans). Even college applications have always relied on the applicant to honestly identify his/her race since there's no real way o challenge what the person said.

[Detroitnerd]

I love it how people who aren't exactly freedom riders love to jump in with both feet when they think they see an instance of racism from anybody darker than a paper bag.

White people are funny. On the street, they're all, like, totally not racist. "Racism is in the past now! Let's leave the past in the past!"

And then you should hear how they talk in the barber shop ...

[poobert]

White people are funny. On the street, they're all, like, totally not racist. "Racism is in the past now! Let's leave the past in the past!"

Aren't you white?

[jt1]

Aren't you white?

I'm outraged! Outraged, I tell ya. I can stand on the sidelines and ignore the predatory lending, racial profiling, longer prison sentences from the courts, less consideration for a job [[if your name sounds 'black') but this is just unacceptable and we must unite and do something now.

Who's with me? [[I'd recommend that the black people stay behind because the cops would likely charge them with civil disobedience or something like it for joining the protest). The rest of us need to stand up for a color blind society in this case.







I really, really hope everyone piked up on my sarcasm.

[Detroit Stylin]

I'm outraged! Outraged, I tell ya. I can stand on the sidelines and ignore the predatory lending, racial profiling, longer prison sentences from the courts, less consideration for a job [[if your name sounds 'black') but this is just unacceptable and we must unite and do something now.

Who's with me? [[I'd recommend that the black people stay behind because the cops would likely charge them with civil disobedience or something like it for joining the protest). The rest of us need to stand up for a color blind society in this case.







I really, really hope everyone piked up on my sarcasm.

But of course....lol

[Motor City Sam]

I'm outraged! Outraged, I tell ya. I can stand on the sidelines and ignore the predatory lending, racial profiling, longer prison sentences from the courts, less consideration for a job [[if your name sounds 'black') but this is just unacceptable and we must unite and do something now.

Who's with me? [[I'd recommend that the black people stay behind because the cops would likely charge them with civil disobedience or something like it for joining the protest). The rest of us need to stand up for a color blind society in this case.







I really, really hope everyone piked up on my sarcasm.

LOL. Clever.

[Detroitnerd]

Aren't you white?

Oh, yeah, I'm Caucasian. But that doesn't mean I can't see the humor in white people -- and explains why I know how they talk in a barber shop ...

[DetBill]

I always find it interesting how you use racial bias to fight racial bias.. very confusing and why Detroit is the way it is today. one of the few large cities left who need to behave this way, . Im still trying to figure out who is the minority in this town anyway, its pretty apparent who is. Also interesting how "non minority money" certainly isnt frowned up when investing. I guess one can take but certainly not give.

[iheartthed]

I always find it interesting how you use racial bias to fight racial bias.. very confusing and why Detroit is the way it is today. one of the few large cities left who need to behave this way, . Im still trying to figure out who is the minority in this town anyway, its pretty apparent who is. Also interesting how "non minority money" certainly isnt frowned up when investing. I guess one can take but certainly not give.

This is not hardly unique to Detroit and it's certainly not unique to cities in decline. Nearly every major city, especially in racially diverse regions, has some type of system to give extra consideration to minority contractors.

[DetBill]

This is not hardly unique to Detroit and it's certainly not unique to cities in decline. Nearly every major city, especially in racially diverse regions, has some type of system to give extra consideration to minority contractors.

While not being"ünique"" to give extra consideration to minority contractors and needed for that matter in some circumstances , Detroits method and selection process criteria for "minority"" contract awards is the most stringent of the top 15 metropolitan cities in the nation. It would not cut the mustard anywhere else, maybe because of different racial makeups or maybe because its just bad busiiness in the long run to consistently prefer certain individuals, as evidenced by the calamity of crime that happened here when one group of business people basically feel they own any and or all contracts. The minority definition seems to be catered to the population which comprises 85 percent or more of the population base. It would be proper and correct for the city to refer to it as a contract process that should be awarded to the "majority "population base. It would make most people , including myself, cringe to think cities with large caucasian populations would have a process that made sure the majority of the contracts are awarded to like contractors and that they have to submit documentation to make sure they are caucasian. Pretty scary stuff. Smacks of the old south. Two wrongs never make a right.

[EastsideAl]

This incident is clearly just a part of a stupid tit-for-tat political struggle, with some good ol' fiscal favoritism thrown in on the side. There really isn't a race issue here, and "race" is just being used cynically as a tool of cheap intimidation.

All that aside though, I'm always amazed in these discussion of outrage over affirmative action for blacks and other minorities that the not-so-little historical matter of 300+ years of affirmative action for white people is so blithely ignored.

[9mile&seneca]

I thought the civil rights act of 1964 specifically said no one would be discriminated against because of the color of their skin?

[Scottathew]

I thought the civil rights act of 1964 specifically said no one would be discriminated against because of the color of their skin?

Yup, and for some reason some folks think it is OK.

I know there are still racist white people here, and there's also racist black people too. None of it is really that great and it keeps fading with each generation, but isn't gone yet.

However, there's only one place I know of where the government itself has policies on its books that contracts and employment are done so on a race basis, and that place is Detroit.

The mayor of Warren, once thought of as a hotbed of racism, is now welcoming Detroit residents with open arms. Warren has its first black fire chief, and the mayor does not discriminate based on race and that's how he runs his administration.

If Warren can move away from racism, so can Detroit.

[sumas]

Please people, yes it is abhorant that the city was tacky but Morgan is a bottom feeders of the worst sort. You wouldn't want to live near any of his failed project google what he did to the Fisher woodlot. Clear cut pristine riverfront wetland woods, scarred the land it it looks like a bleached whale boneyard now. Citizen groups have been begging the council and mayor to get rid of this turkey for years.

[sumas]

Numberous citizens objected to his PD development plans on Dickerson Lenox this included prestigious groups such as Friends of the Detroit River [[google the McMansion article by Jim Stone), Preservation Wayne, the Creekside CDC, 50 plus people showed up in front of council numerouse times. He got the contract years ago and now we have the disgusting mess he made. Drive up Dickerson Lenox past the fischer mansion and see for yourself.

[sumas]

He is a slimeball, plumbing parts manfacturer who operates and lives in the burbs. He is just a minority front for even more arrogant white developers. He is a part of that old pay to play scheme from the kwame administration.

From Fall of last year to the beginning of this year numerous citizens made the trek to speak in front of council to revoke this weasels development agreement.

Trust me this is no honest humble detroiter. Hah. We don't want him anywhere near our city. He is pure scum.

By any means possible get rid of this evil little toad, the city for once tries to rid us of disreputable people and unfortunately they choose as one avenue something stupid. Again he is just a minority front.

[sumas]

I am not a boat owner, but in front of council and community meetings I have heard the horror stories of his gross mismanagement of Harbor Hill Marina by boat owners.