Curbed: GPP doesn't want Detroit

[jt1]

I certainly hope the attempt at humor was picked up in my post.

[TKshreve]

You are the ones that run lights, hit cars and keep going because you are so worried that that the blacks will gang you. SOOOO annoying. See that crap every day.

^THIS^ is rather amusing to see from a die hard Detroiter. I wanted so much to make a thread surrounding my detour through Detroit last night, but I bit my tongue. Alas, leave it to chance a small snippet from Dyes would bring it back to mind.

For some reason or another, on my way home via EB I-94, they had the freeway closed @ Mt. Elliot. Scores of traffic were forced off and kicked onto the broken, defunct wanna-be service drive. Anyone not familiar with this "system" would probably hastily make a wrong turn down the wrong street or simply battle looking for a route back to the freeway.

Well, between Mt. Elliot and Van Dyke, the "service drive" crosses the freeway once. It is a two lane road, and traffic was slow since they jammed the entire freeways volume onto this undeserving road. Trucks and cars alike were patiently waiting for each light and idling through the ~1.5 mile stretch. Unfortunately, the pace of the delay was not quick enough for one person, and they decided to pull into the oncoming lane and dart a 1/2 mile up to Van Dyke like an impatient animal. What followed was a little scary. At least 10 more cars followed suit, turning whatever-road-it-is into some kind of drag strip, lawless, do-as-you-want, INDY 500, me-first extravaganza. I honestly wasn't surprised, but very appalled.

And something deeper occurred to me at that moment. An underlying premise - one of Detroit's harshest ailments; that people allow this lawless, whatever-goes attitude when someone else does it first. It's a riot mentality of "well, if he's doing it, then I guess I can too". And I see this as a glowing example of how the city let itself get away from itself over the years. As long as one person can cut a corner, it is OK if others do as well.

With a predominant attitude such as this, the people of this city will never be able to pull themselves up by the boot straps. For every person out there volunteering their time, money and sweat - there's another Al Unser Jr. waiting undo that contribution. But more than that, there are 10 others who will do the same, and feel ok about it because "they didn't do it first".

What a way to absolve one self of any guilt and responsibility.

I'd love to round this story out with some kind of silver lining, rosy toned moral. But unfortunately we just don't see enough of the good. I believe it's our there, but am often reminded that the other side of the coin seems to be winning the flipoff.

Lastly, and to tie this in with the thread, I read points from SUMAS who seems like an intelligent individual, but is very misguided when she paints the majority of GP as racist. Pleased as punch you were able to move in and use the city for its schooling. Glad it worked out. But very disrespectful of you in that once the city no longer served you personally, you walked away with a big middle finger pointed back. Kind of a small thing to do. Classless, really. Then to turn around and blame suburbanites for running roughshod throughout your city..... well, that's what you say. I outlined in detail above exactly the opposite. I guess we'll just have to take your word on it. Again.

[Dan Wesson]

To err is human,
to forgive is divine.

[sumas]

So glad you are pleased as punch that I "walked " through your city and apparently abused my "privileges". Of course, we paid taxes, supported the schools, did the field trips, sat on the board for the Detroit/Grosse Point group meetings, but then we are just old dummies.

Nice to hear that I might have a modicum of intelligence from people who are brain dead socially.

I will stick to the Detroit Yes pact. I live in my city and love it. I invest time and money. I am a minority and not all opinions are acceptable to the majority. BFD, I am involved, my specific neighborhood has seen an up tick in crime, we work with community and police to combat this.

[Lowell]

Dear all, We have removed several post from this thread as they stepped over the lines of civility permitted on this forum. For more explanation please go to this thread and do not post about it here. Please, only post information relevant to the topic at hand and kindly avoid personal attacks.

[gnome]

Does that mean all the wig pulling and cobra-neckin smack-talk is over?

too bad.

[TKshreve]

Does that mean all the wig pulling and cobra-neckin smack-talk is over?

too bad.

Yes gnome. And we know you like to get dirty.

[bailey]

Does that mean all the wig pulling and cobra-neckin smack-talk is over?

too bad.

oh just wait until wednesday when she gets back from the doctor and drops her list of all those streets that racist grosse pointers closed.

[GP For Life]

This all started because some people watched too many reruns of Dukes of Hazard.

[TKshreve]

This all started because some people watched too many reruns of Dukes of Hazard.

Haha GP! I was looking for this picture yesterday, as someone posted it via FB a couple weeks ago. Wow, how pertinent!

[GP For Life]

Haha GP! I was looking for this picture yesterday, as someone posted it via FB a couple weeks ago. Wow, how pertinent!

Just a heads-up to Lowell that I had some trouble uploading the picture from my computer. I tried using Chrome and Explorer with no luck. I ended up having to "host" it on my website and use a URL to upload it.

Also, to be perfectly fair, I almost did the exact same thing the other day in a snow storm.

[townonenorth]

I was shocked to see this thread so far down in the post listing. Looking for the list of closed GPP streets that Sumas was thinking of providing us with for our education. I figured that she would have reported back by now.

[Radiogoon]

Sumas, what streets can you name now that the Wednesday trip to the hospital has been completed?

[48205to24]

A bunch of nonminority people arguing about racism in GP with little to no input from actual minorities who visit or live in the community.

Its like reading a twitter war between bill o'rielly and joe biden about who has more 'street cred'

[GP For Life]

A bunch of nonminority people arguing about racism in GP with little to no input from actual minorities who visit or live in the community.

Its like reading a twitter war between bill o'rielly and joe biden about who has more 'street cred'

Yeah, because only minority people experience racism. Being labeled a minority is a hyper-local event.

If I walk down Kercheval, I am not going to experience racism. If I walk down Harper, I will.

I just like to rise above it and hope that I set a better example for future generations.

[TKshreve]

FYI - The street is currently open on Kercheval. Not sure who made the decision to "tear down this wall!", but it happened. They must be out of snow I'm guessing. Or they are laying the foundation for the permanent wall, with archers and spotlights. It's gonna be incredible. There's also talk of a moat...... but that could be rumor.

[EASTSIDE CAT 67-83]

FYI - There's also talk of a moat...... but that could be rumor.

The moat has been there long before said walls [[or snow piles) of racism, it called Fox Creek

[Honky Tonk]

The moat has been there long before said walls [[or snow piles) of racism, it called Fox Creek

That explains why they're trying to resurect it. I KNEW it!

[Det_ard]

Wednesday's past, right? Did I miss the closed street list? Sumas? You out there? Or was that you that got high-centered on that snow pile and you're still pushing it out?

[Det_ard]

Bump.

I might be heading to GPP tomorrow in the rain storm. Don't want to get caught trying to go down a blocked off street.

Been a couple Wednesday's now, Sumas, whatcha got for us?