Could Detroit be the next Ferguson or Baltimore?

[mtburb]

Have there been riots in Birmingham? Grosse Pointe? Bloomfield Hills? [[and hundreds of other affluent areas across America).

The 1970 Memorial Park riots did spill over into Birmingham. Plus, quite a few Beverly Hills and Hollywood storefronts were vandalized in the 1992 Los Angeles Rodney King riots.

I don't think there were any disorders in Grosse Pointe or Bloomfield Hills-although there was unrest in Pontiac at the very same time as the 1967 Detroit riots, so that's close.

[emu steve]

The 1970 Memorial Park riots did spill over into Birmingham. Plus, quite a few Beverly Hills and Hollywood storefronts were vandalized in the 1992 Los Angeles Rodney King riots.

I don't think there were any disorders in Grosse Pointe or Bloomfield Hills-although there was unrest in Pontiac at the very same time as the 1967 Detroit riots, so that's close.

I hear you, but they were city riots which spilled into nearby areas.

I do remember the 1967 riots where Dearborn [[I assume) police guarded the area by Michigan Ave., Ford Rd., Wyoming, etc. to prevent any spill over.

Far cry from saying the folks in San Clemente [[CA) might decide to riot because of lack of water for their lawns [[Gov. Brown's water restrictions) or some other cause.

[noise]

Don't ever ever ever tell me I don't have great neighbors again! Jealous maybe? Sumas

For anyone keeping score, nobody told her that.

Some people are in outer space, even when their feet are firmly planted on Earth.

[Wesley Mouch]

Never understood what burning your neighborhood does. Detroit is essentially burned down.

Its not the residents burning the neighborhood. Its a small subset of troubled youths and misguided adults. They don't speak for the community -- who may have a grievance -- but wouldn't burn down their own 'hood.

You ask 'what burning your neighborhood does'? 1) Gets attention, 2) Is fun.

The participants who are rioting at the protest are not socialized adults, but people with the mentality of a child. Get attention. Do whatever feels good in the moment to be important. Don't care about others.

Its very childish behavior.

[emu steve]

Its not the residents burning the neighborhood. Its a small subset of troubled youths and misguided adults. They don't speak for the community -- who may have a grievance -- but wouldn't burn down their own 'hood.

You ask 'what burning your neighborhood does'? 1) Gets attention, 2) Is fun.

The participants who are rioting at the protest are not socialized adults, but people with the mentality of a child. Get attention. Do whatever feels good in the moment to be important. Don't care about others.

Its very childish behavior.

Lot of it, as I understand it, were high school students who were released from the nearby high school and went to the mall [[as I understand it, the mall, high school and Coppin State are all pretty much adjacent). The Balto police were ready for it and then on to North Ave. where mob mentality took over.

As far as outsiders, local adults, etc. I haven't heard much good info.

[G-DDT]

Time to look at the forest here, folks. In the past, I will usually be the first to drag out a laundry list of past offenses. Yet, when I see an all too popular trend, I am quick to mistrust it.

This thread blew up all too quickly by someone [[and I will agree with Ihearthed here, it is a dumb question) named "noggin" [[who should be named "eggin'", as in "eggin' a situation on"), who if you look at their posts, so far, seem to be based on very one-routed imperative/implicative questions [["huh? huh? don't you think? HUH?!"-style). Also, I can't help but see a clear distinction between more level-headed veteran posters [[and I wish some of them wouldn't bicker amongst each other back and forth, at this time, please) and a slew of obscure names [[sock puppets?-check their user backgrounds-do they have generic "I'm from Detroit" profiles) who just happened to jump into the scene to chime in what appears to fan fire for white-conservative paranoia and "clamp down" ideology.

Yes, Detroit has been through it [[for the same reason if there were ever a "religious takeover" from an "apostate" church as apocalyptic nuts like to speculative-it wouldn't be from the Catholics, because-as a movement that takes a longer time to age, than say, a person does-they've been through their "terrible twos")-and Detroit is a little more mature because of it. Police in Detroit are mildly corrupt [[I've seen them at afterhours huffing NO2) shakedown artists who are in a constant state of trying to keep the crack and guns on the streets to a minimum. They are no where near as bad as L.A. or Cincinnati. Yet, I do see a more developed race relations between cops and people and the folks between themselves here. Those are observations not to overlook. IF [[big "I" big "F") this were to go down-yes, I'd see Inkster or Southfield as being more likely candidates for such things. Yet, I'm not going to encourage such thinking. Which leads me to...

Also, in short [[heh!), as I stated quite clearly in other posts-and this is very important to consider-the recent trend for the media to put a disproportionate magnifying glass heavily on police brutality [[which was always there and greatly ignored by the media in selectively-no-less devisive times past. For it is obvious the corporate media serves as an arm for a larger shadowy purpose.) may be to inflame folks to riot and lead up to vast urban pacification, curfew-imposition, lockdown, and incarceration. This can also lead to putting Obama in a bad pinch-position catch-22 that will look bad for him, and yes, steer all public sentiment to getting a conservative candidate [[and none of the silly red herrings like Jeb or Trump thrown out there to make us speculate like a bunch of dumb Kardashian gawkers.) in the White House.

[G-DDT]

I also think that the best thing to consider in all of this is how Rev. Charles Williams and Rev. Wendell Anthony are amassing protests [[which is a right of the people-from women's suffrage, to labor, to civil rights, etc.) and insisting folks stay disciplined and peacefully controlled during them. This is no different than the family of Walter Scott encouraging folks to be peaceful and forgiving.

What is [[or continues to be) downright suspiciously prominent is a.) how such peaceful sentiments go under-reported in the media, b.) should a a riot suddenly blaze forward from such a peaceful protest, you can guarantee it was from a group of agents provocateurs [[good term to look up here folks-oldest trick out there straight from the Machiavelli playbook) who suddenly appeared on the scene and took prominent presence to incite violence and make things look really bad [[saw it firsthand with the Boston occupy from hooded, nondescript groups who just jumped out of nowhere to discredit the protests-people do have low-prices or strict assignments from their fellow clubs), and c.) folks better start questioning the paranoiac tone put forth by the originators and perpetuators of "white fear" that characterizes this thread.

[Danny]

Detroiters so far have no reported civil unrests since the 1967 riot. Here justice has been served from Malice Green to Floyd Dent. If if there's no justice for both of them. Then riots will happen and out ghetto-hood will be burned down like just the Chaka Zulu's tribal capital in 1823. It will spread like wild fire one place and other. This keystone cops tomfoolery against unarmed black folks must stop. If only cops followed simple check the perp and go scenario, then more black men from Michael Brown to Freddie Gray would have lived.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET!

In Memoriam:

Django, Guy Fawkes, Neda, George Stinney, Rodney King, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Dana Troup and Malice Green and Walter Scott.

[Wesley Mouch]

Time to look at the forest here, folks. In the past, I will usually be the first to drag out a laundry list of past offenses. Yet, when I see an all too popular trend, I am quick to mistrust it

Wise. The usual suspect isn't usually the guilty party -- or sometime even involved.

....snip... Also, in short [[heh!), as I stated quite clearly in other posts-and this is very important to consider-the recent trend for the media to put a disproportionate magnifying glass heavily on police brutality [[which was always there and greatly ignored by the media in selectively-no-less devisive times past. For it is obvious the corporate media serves as an arm for a larger shadowy purpose.) may be to inflame folks to riot and lead up to vast urban pacification, curfew-imposition, lockdown, and incarceration. This can also lead to putting Obama in a bad pinch-position catch-22 that will look bad for him, and yes, steer all public sentiment to getting a conservative candidate [[and none of the silly red herrings like Jeb or Trump thrown out there to make us speculate like a bunch of dumb Kardashian gawkers.) in the White House.

I see the logic, but I just don't think the right is that smart. In spite of my agreement with you on 'mistrust', sometimes a cigar is a cigar. So maybe those inflaming the rioting really are radical leftists who detest the police state. It might be simple.

But regardless, we should realize that we are being fed 'a line' here. The truth is that police brutality isn't out of control, and the rioters aren't protesters. We and the media area being played.

[KJ5]

Time to look at the forest here, folks. In the past, I will usually be the first to drag out a laundry list of past offenses. Yet, when I see an all too popular trend, I am quick to mistrust it.

This thread blew up all too quickly by someone [[and I will agree with Ihearthed here, it is a dumb question) named "noggin" [[who should be named "eggin'", as in "eggin' a situation on"), who if you look at their posts, so far, seem to be based on very one-routed imperative/implicative questions [["huh? huh? don't you think? HUH?!"-style). Also, I can't help but see a clear distinction between more level-headed veteran posters [[and I wish some of them wouldn't bicker amongst each other back and forth, at this time, please) and a slew of obscure names [[sock puppets?-check their user backgrounds-do they have generic "I'm from Detroit" profiles) who just happened to jump into the scene to chime in what appears to fan fire for white-conservative paranoia and "clamp down" ideology.

Yes, Detroit has been through it [[for the same reason if there were ever a "religious takeover" from an "apostate" church as apocalyptic nuts like to speculative-it wouldn't be from the Catholics, because-as a movement that takes a longer time to age, than say, a person does-they've been through their "terrible twos")-and Detroit is a little more mature because of it. Police in Detroit are mildly corrupt [[I've seen them at afterhours huffing NO2) shakedown artists who are in a constant state of trying to keep the crack and guns on the streets to a minimum. They are no where near as bad as L.A. or Cincinnati. Yet, I do see a more developed race relations between cops and people and the folks between themselves here. Those are observations not to overlook. IF [[big "I" big "F") this were to go down-yes, I'd see Inkster or Southfield as being more likely candidates for such things. Yet, I'm not going to encourage such thinking. Which leads me to...

Also, in short [[heh!), as I stated quite clearly in other posts-and this is very important to consider-the recent trend for the media to put a disproportionate magnifying glass heavily on police brutality [[which was always there and greatly ignored by the media in selectively-no-less devisive times past. For it is obvious the corporate media serves as an arm for a larger shadowy purpose.) may be to inflame folks to riot and lead up to vast urban pacification, curfew-imposition, lockdown, and incarceration. This can also lead to putting Obama in a bad pinch-position catch-22 that will look bad for him, and yes, steer all public sentiment to getting a conservative candidate [[and none of the silly red herrings like Jeb or Trump thrown out there to make us speculate like a bunch of dumb Kardashian gawkers.) in the White House.

Great post. There is also all that fancy military gear they have. They want justification to be able to use it, and to acquire more.

[ABetterDetroit]

Also, in short [[heh!), as I stated quite clearly in other posts-and this is very important to consider-the recent trend for the media to put a disproportionate magnifying glass heavily on police brutality [[which was always there and greatly ignored by the media in selectively-no-less devisive times past. For it is obvious the corporate media serves as an arm for a larger shadowy purpose.) may be to inflame folks to riot and lead up to vast urban pacification, curfew-imposition, lockdown, and incarceration. This can also lead to putting Obama in a bad pinch-position catch-22 that will look bad for him, and yes, steer all public sentiment to getting a conservative candidate [[and none of the silly red herrings like Jeb or Trump thrown out there to make us speculate like a bunch of dumb Kardashian gawkers.) in the White House.

News is really not as big of a political conspiracy as people on the far right or left would like you to believe in my opinion. It is just about money, ratings or clicks, simple as that. If more people watch because the media covers story X than they cover story X more, higher ratings equals higher ad revenue. If more people click on stories about dogs or weather disasters than we get a dog story everyday on the internet and wherever the weather is worst they are covering it on TV. Almost all the time they could care less what side of a issue you take they just want you to care enough about one side to get you to tune in and collect the money for your attention. Controversy sells. If people are not talking about any given story then media has little interest to cover it and then we get another story about another amazing dog. [[P.S. Nothing against dogs, I like them to.)

[canuck]

Wasn't the 1967 Detroit riots a reaction to their grievances against the Detroit police?

Wasn't Ferguson a lot like Detroit circa 1967.

Of course, one could say the Baltimore riot was precipitated by a police action.

You know what the problem is; we are looking for a reason to these riots, where there are none, not even, sadly the biggies like Detroit 43, and 67. You could win or lose a Stanley cup like happened in Montreal and anything is good enough to burn police cars and trash and loot businesses. Even sweet Vancouver had one of those for no reason other than the thirst for loot and destruction.

We need to put a logical distance between organized peaceful protest and riots. Riots can be a pretty handy tool for Police forces to justify their positions. It comes down to how you can take the burr off Police brutality on an individual. So, riots don't really mean all that much. There is a lot of evidence about the Los Angeles riots and how they could have been contained.

[Now&then]

For those of old enough to remember, in 1967 Detroit was one of the most advanced in race relations until 12th Street started to burn and the national guard was called in. It may happen again.

??? Most advanced prior to 1967? Where do you get that? Even up until 1967 [[prior to the heavy white flight), Detroit was heavily segregated within it's own borders. The whole Northwest side was mostly white. Let's not forget riots prior [[like the one on Belle Isle in the '40s.) to 1967. Maybe Detroit mentality now and the relations with cops isn't as bad as Cincinnati, L.A., or parts in the South, but prior to 1967, it wasn't super.

[Now&then]

Now I may be wrong, and don't know enough about their history or how they fair now, but Pittsburgh [[and only because we are doing comparisons of cities here---at least when I see old photos by Teeny Harris and such of old time Pittsburgh) always seemed rather developed in decent race relations.

[Bham1982]

??? Most advanced prior to 1967? Where do you get that? Even up until 1967 [[prior to the heavy white flight), Detroit was heavily segregated within it's own borders. The whole Northwest side was mostly white. Let's not forget riots prior [[like the one on Belle Isle in the '40s.) to 1967. Maybe Detroit mentality now and the relations with cops isn't as bad as Cincinnati, L.A., or parts in the South, but prior to 1967, it wasn't super.

Detroit had the wealthiest black population on earth in 1967. It had almost full employment, and high wages. It had a progressive pro-civil rights mayor. It had some of the highest homeowership figures anywhere. No one claimed it was perfect, or even good, but Detroit was essentially the last city in the U.S. expected to burn to the ground in '67.

[emu steve]

Detroit had the wealthiest black population on earth in 1967. It had almost full employment, and high wages. It had a progressive pro-civil rights mayor. It had some of the highest homeowership figures anywhere. No one claimed it was perfect, or even good, but Detroit was essentially the last city in the U.S. expected to burn to the ground in '67.

I believe the problems between the Detroit African-American community and the police were legendary.

Anyone wish to amplify...

[Wesley Mouch]

Detroit had the wealthiest black population on earth in 1967. It had almost full employment, and high wages. It had a progressive pro-civil rights mayor. It had some of the highest homeowership figures anywhere. No one claimed it was perfect, or even good, but Detroit was essentially the last city in the U.S. expected to burn to the ground in '67.

Rich blacks moved out after the riots. White Flight accellerated. Businesses fled. Ever wonder why there's a shortage of grocery stores in Detroit? A: Riots.

The riots of the 60s destroyed black America - which until then was on an upward trajectory. Today's riots won't harm blacks as much now. Most blacks have escaped the City too. But the remaining population is gonna feel the pain. CVS might not promote the next executive who wants to build in Northwest Baltimore.

I often wonder who really benefits from the riots. Who has the incentive to take a peaceful protest for valid causes and turn it into something that destroys the very people it purports to help.

I'm not sure, but I do know that the 60s riots hurt black America -- and were much of the cause of Detroit's problems today.

[emu steve]

Was watching this on television [[forgot who said it).

Some cities [[e.g., D.C.) rebuilt after their riots [[D.C.'s 14th street, 7th street corridor), while Baltimore still hasn't come back.

[Wesley Mouch]

Was watching this on television [[forgot who said it).

Some cities [[e.g., D.C.) rebuilt after their riots [[D.C.'s 14th street, 7th street corridor), while Baltimore still hasn't come back.

Would be curious to know more about the redevelopment of former riot sites. was this a rebirth of the 'indiginous' community, or was it the evil of 'regentrification'?

In other words, did the neighborhood rejuvenate or was it supplanted.

[emu steve]

Would be curious to know more about the redevelopment of former riot sites. was this a rebirth of the 'indiginous' community, or was it the evil of 'regentrification'?

In other words, did the neighborhood rejuvenate or was it supplanted.

Supplanted, I think. 14th and U. [[where D.C. has a government building) was a victim of the riots and now an 'place to be' with very expensive new housing going up.

Fmr. Mayor Marion Barry decided to try to jump start that area with a big D.C. government building but it seemingly led to gentrification.

[mtburb]

Well, guess what?

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...lice/26633109/

Detroit — Concern Thursday about the fatal shooting of a suspect by a federal agent turned to a discussion about rioting in Baltimore and how Detroit police might handle a similar situation.
At a meeting of the Detroit Police Board of Commissioners, some members of the civilian oversight panel were concerned the discontent seen after armed robbery suspect Terrance Kellom's shooting could escalate.
"I sit on the advisory board for Comerica Bank, and I'm getting asked: 'What is the plan if something like Baltimore happens in Detroit?' " Commissioner Eva Garza Dewaelsche said. "Corporations downtown want to know."
Assistant Police Chief Steve Dolunt said there is a strategy mapped out. "An evacuation plan would go through Homeland Security," he said. "We have plans in place if there's a problem."
After the meeting, Detroit Police Chief James Craig told The Detroit News: "There has always been a plan in place to address civil unrest and the potential for unrest. People got a snapshot this week of how we would respond to problems: We talk to community leaders, we work with them, but if someone commits a crime, we'll take appropriate action.
"I'm not going to publicly say how we'll stage up if we anticipate unrest, but we continually train and make sure our officers have proper equipment. That's not just something we're doing now; we do that on a regular basis."
Officials involved with local tourism and philanthropic efforts agree that turbulence in the streets has the potential to harm business as well as other areas in Detroit.
Pursuing a preventative strategy "is very forward thinking and very proactive," said Robert Thornton, a senior program officer at the Skillman Foundation. "What happens in Baltimore can happen in any community if the stakeholders are not responsive to challenges that face the community. I think it can very much happen here, I just happen to think that there are a number of people in the community that are beginning to come together to ensure that it does not."
Bill Bohde, senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Detroit Metro Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Thursday night his group isn't currently engaged with city authorities about a specific strategy but "will be prepared if anything were to occur."
"Right now we are very optimistic about what is going on in Detroit," Bohde said.
After U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Officer Mitchell Quinn on Monday shot and killed Kellom, 20, a group the next night protested the shooting, spilling into the street, blocking traffic and cussing at officers who were monitoring the protest.
"They came real close to crossing the line and getting arrested," Craig said Thursday after the video of the protest surfaced.
Immediately after Kellom was shot during a raid in a home in the 9500 block of Evergreen, Dolunt responded to the scene, and said the crowd that gathered outside the house was on the verge of getting violent.
"The last person they wanted to see was me, because I'm Caucasian," Dolunt said. "I understand that, which is why I called the chief to come to the scene."
Quinn was part of the Detroit Fugitive Apprehension Team, multi-jurisdictional task force of city, surburban and federal officers. They had an arrest warrant for Kellom, who was wanted for the armed robbery of a pizza delivery man. Craig said he lunged at agents with a hammer before he was shot.
"A lot of citizens feel uncomfortable with these task forces because they feel like they're white invading armies," Dolunt said. "Most of the federal agents are Caucasian." Quinn is black.
Dolunt called Craig, who responded to the scene and immediately spoke with Kellom's family, before addressing neighbors.
Commission Chairman Willie Bell complained the police board isn't being included in responses to the Kellom shooting.
Although the City Charter mandates the 11-member board oversee the police department, its powers were usurped when Kevyn Orr was appointed emergency manager. When he left, he issued Order 42, which transitioned power over the police department to Mayor Mike Duggan.
"When you hear the hue and cry across the country for more police oversight, I'm frustrated that we're still being kept out of the process," Bell said. "We want to be involved in the public safety of Detroit."
Bell and Ron Scott, director of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, lambasted ICE officials for not talking to the public about the incident, although ICE Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Adducci did address a crowd during a community meeting Wednesday.
"People thought DPD was involved, because ICE isn't making any statements," Bell said.
The shooting is being investigated by Detroit Police and the Department of Homeland Security Office of the Inspector General. A Homeland Security spokesperson could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Dolunt said investigators have gotten statements from every officer who was present, except Quinn.
While most of the protests of the shooting have been peaceful, a shaky 3:05 video emerged Thursday of Tuesday's protest.
A line of squad cars is seen moving slowly down the street, as members of the crowd yell, "Shoot! Shoot!" At one point, one man, clad in a T-shirt with the number 32 on the back, appears to pantomime striking the police cruiser.
After a few seconds, the crowd backs away, allowing the squad car, driven by a female corporal, to pass. Members of the crowd cheer, raising their arms and chanting "hands up!"
Another police car approaches, but is halted when a man walks into the street. "He got a hammer!" people yell as the man turns around, lifts his shirt, and says, "My back [[is) right here."
One man is heard yelling: "Don't get close to that car! You've got to know the law." Another man replies: "My back [[is) right here. They [[the police) don't know the law."
Craig said local community leaders were instrumental in calming things down.
"They did a good job of defusing things," he said.
"We will facilitate a peaceful protest, and we even give a little," Craig said. "Even though we don't want them in the street, because it impedes traffic, we've been allowing that, as long as cars can safely pass. We've been very compromising.
"But the other night, they got close to going to jail."

[gameguy56]

I often wonder who really benefits from the riots. Who has the incentive to take a peaceful protest for valid causes and turn it into something that destroys the very people it purports to help.

The police forces gain from destroying public solidarity with the protestors.

[Wesley Mouch]

The police forces gain from destroying public solidarity with the protestors.

Most certainly true. Law and order right-wing candidates gain, too. Police could plant agitators into the crowd. True.

[emu steve]

Interesting news day:

The indictments of six police in Baltimore and this Wayne County asst prosecutor who resigned after an inflammatory comment on her Facebook page [[not smart).

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...post/26707025/

Now this kind of statement can inflame...

[canuck]

Interesting news day:

The indictments of six police in Baltimore and this Wayne County asst prosecutor who resigned after an inflammatory comment on her Facebook page [[not smart).

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/new...post/26707025/

Now this kind of statement can inflame...

It may be true that her comment was uncharacteristic according to one of her friends, but if I had been in her position as a prosecutor, I would have been extra careful to "stay in character".

Or else, somebody's got to help her quit drinking.

Social media sites are a big burden to a growing number of folks aren't they?