The Tragedy of Detroit - By Frosty Wooldridge

[bailey]

I'm curious to know who made that claim and where.

His statement was

I moved into the city because it was multi-cultural.

That would imply he moved from somewhere "less" multicultural...and on this board, the sterile, not multicultural enough "somewhere else" can only be the suburbs.

To be a little more clear...my question is; How does detroit meet any definition of multicultural any better than it's suburbs? Per 2000 census the racial makeup of the city was 81.6% Black, 12.3% White, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.5% other races, 2.3% two or more races, and 5.0 percent Hispanic [[mostly Puerto Rican and Mexican). The city's foreign-born population is at 4.8%

Now, lets look at Troy....82.30% White, 2.09% African American, 0.15% Native American, 13.25% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 1.46% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race. Troy has the highest percentage of people of Asian descent of any city in Michigan.

I would think if one is looking for multi cultural, one would do just as well, or even better, in Troy.

[Bearinabox]

His statement wasThat would imply he moved from somewhere "less" multicultural.

Indeed it does. However, he didn't say that "somewhere" was "a neighboring city with 80% of its population made up of another ethnic group," nor did he say or imply that his current place of residence is the only multicultural place on the face of the planet. You're reading some kind of anti-suburban attack into his post that just isn't there. What is so objectionable about Rick liking the multiculturalism of his neighborhood?

[rb336]

Odd that good ol' Frosty would blame it on a program [[Great Society) that was largely gutted barely more than a year after it was enacted. Take it all with a grain of salt. The guy writes for David Duke, for cryinoutloud

[bailey]

Indeed it does. However, he didn't say that "somewhere" was "a neighboring city with 80% of its population made up of another ethnic group," nor did he say or imply that his current place of residence is the only multicultural place on the face of the planet. You're reading some kind of anti-suburban attack into his post that just isn't there. What is so objectionable about Rick liking the multiculturalism of his neighborhood?

I'm sure rick can speak for himself. however, I'm guessing he's referencing Detroit when he says "the city". I'm also inferring that he moved from the suburbs as he says he "moved into" the city. Maybe I read in too much, but generally when one says they "moved into the city" it's assumed they "moved out of" somewhere else. somewhere else, around here, generally means the suburbs.

He states he moved into the city for the specific reason that it was multicultural, my only question is how is Detroit [[city of), a city that is dominated by an 80% majority made up of one race any more "multi cultural" than the suburbs that surround it [[which are similarly dominated, just reversed)?

Or to really get simple, how is a city with 80% of the 900,000 or so people living in it one ethnic group ever considered to be a multicultural place?

[Bearinabox]

I'm sure rick can speak for himself. however, I'm guessing he's referencing Detroit when he says "the city". I'm also inferring that he moved from the suburbs as he says he "moved into" the city. Maybe I read in too much, but generally when one says they "moved into the city" it's assumed they "moved out of" somewhere else. somewhere else, around here, generally means the suburbs.

He states he moved into the city for the specific reason that it was multicultural, my only question is how is Detroit [[city of) any more "multi cultural" than the suburbs that surround it?

It doesn't make any more sense the more you repeat yourself, you know. I'm sorry you're butthurt that Rick didn't move to Troy, we all know Troy is the most multicultural place ever [[and has low taxes and good schools and all the rest). Don't worry, I'm sure someone else who knows a real multicultural community when he sees one will move in there and fill the void left by Rick's scathing rejection. Chin up, bailey.

[bailey]

It doesn't make any more sense the more you repeat yourself, you know. I'm sorry you're butthurt that Rick didn't move to Troy, we all know Troy is the most multicultural place ever [[and has low taxes and good schools and all the rest). Don't worry, I'm sure someone else who knows a real multicultural community when he sees one will move in there and fill the void left by Rick's scathing rejection. Chin up, bailey.

Where did I EVER ONCE ADVOCATE MOVING TO TROY? Not once not EVER. Troy could disappear from the map and I would not notice. I simply pointed out the similar [[albeit opposite) demographics of populations. One is despised, one is apparently lauded. I'm wondering why.

Simple question bearinabox, how is Detroit a multicultural place where 8 out of 10 are one race?

Also, 5% of Detroit [[the Hispanic population) is more than half the population of Troy. So what kind of diverse community does a couple hundred people of Asian descent establish in Troy? Versus 45,000 Hispanics in Detroit

It's all relative isnt it? 80% of the city is one race... 720,000. how many more times is that the size of the next largest city in the state? if it's NOT multicultural to have 80% of Troy be white...how is it multicultural to have 80% of Detroit be black?

[Bearinabox]

Where did I EVER ONCE ADVOCATE MOVING TO TROY? Not once not EVER. Troy could disappear from the map and I would not notice. I simply pointed out the similar [[albeit opposite) demographics of populations. One is despised, one is apparently lauded. I'm wondering why.

You're the only one doing any despising here. People should be allowed to say they like where they live without you jumping all over them.

Simple question bearinabox, how is Detroit a multicultural place where 8 out of 10 are one race?

What the hell has race got to do with multiculturalism?

[bailey]

You're the only one doing any despising here. People should be allowed to say they like where they live without you jumping all over them

. I'm not jumping all over anyone. it's a simple question. you're the one that has taken it personally...and hasn't answered it.

What the hell has race got to do with multiculturalism?

because in detroit race and ethnicity/culture overlap to the extent they are are virtually identical. Detroit's 80% black population is not made up of an amalgam of pan African or Caribbean immigrants bringing separate and distinct cultures to Detroit. [[maybe if it was, AfricaTown would have had more legs?) Detroit's black population is the result of the great migration of the teens and 20s from the American south. Detroit's black population is a multi ethnic as Grosse Pointe's whites are. Frankly if one had "multicultral" as one's top prioity [[as he seems to say) then wouldn't Dearborn be the city of choice? Or perhaps Hamtramck? or maybe those are "the city" he's talking about?

No it isn't all relative. By your logic, the entire country isn't "diverse" since 80% of the people who live here identify as "white". But that's a ridiculous assertion, especially when you realize that 20% of the U.S. population is millions of people

. You're confabulating the macro view and the micro there. If one were to zoom out far enough, the WORLD is a very diverse place. The fact is, Detroit clearly isn't. the same way Birmingham isn't. I'm not advocating this as a good thing...just stating the obvious.

Yes, Detroit is 80% black, but since Detroit is also very large, 20% of it is a large amount of people. On the other hand, 20% of Troy ain't all that much. And statistically, outside of a handful of other places like Dearborn, Southfield and maybe West Bloomfield, the suburbs only get whiter [[most much whiter than Detroit is black %age wise).

That makes no sense. 8 out of 10 is still 8 out of 10 no matter how many zeros one puts after the number. If 8 [[or9) out of 10 is "bad" in the suburbs how is it not "bad" in Detroit? If a Hispanic kid is going to school in detroit he's still going to be going to school with 80% being a different population. That 80% might be 2000 kids in Detroit, and it may be 400 in Troy. But the kid is still in a distinct and tiny minority as compared to the super majority.

[iheartthed]

Where did I EVER ONCE ADVOCATE MOVING TO TROY? Not once not EVER. Troy could disappear from the map and I would not notice. I simply pointed out the similar [[albeit opposite) demographics of populations. One is despised, one is apparently lauded. I'm wondering why.

Simple question bearinabox, how is Detroit a multicultural place where 8 out of 10 are one race?

It's all relative isnt it? 80% of the city is one race... 720,000. how many more times is that the size of the next largest city in the state? if it's NOT multicultural to have 80% of Troy be white...how is it multicultural to have 80% of Detroit be black?

No it isn't all relative. By your logic, the entire country isn't "diverse" since 80% of the people who live here identify as "white". But that's a ridiculous assertion, especially when you realize that 20% of the U.S. population is millions of people.

Yes, Detroit is 80% black, but since Detroit is also very large, 20% of it is a large amount of people. On the other hand, 20% of Troy ain't all that much. And statistically, outside of a handful of other places like Dearborn, Southfield and maybe West Bloomfield, the suburbs only get whiter [[most much whiter than Detroit is black %age wise). The only suburbs that don't get whiter are usually rundown, deteriorating communities with Detroit-like stigmas.

[Retroit]

This is starting to remind me of a thread I started a year ago. I tried to give a list of how well the racial makeup of each city/suburb of Detroit compares to the racial makeup of the region, but some people couldn't get it through their skull that a 50% white/50% black city is not a realistic yardstick for integration. http://www.detroityes.com/mb/showthread.php?t=943

[iheartthed]

His statement wasThat would imply he moved from somewhere "less" multicultural...and on this board, the sterile, not multicultural enough "somewhere else" can only be the suburbs.

To be a little more clear...my question is; How does detroit meet any definition of multicultural any better than it's suburbs? Per 2000 census the racial makeup of the city was 81.6% Black, 12.3% White, 1.0% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 2.5% other races, 2.3% two or more races, and 5.0 percent Hispanic [[mostly Puerto Rican and Mexican). The city's foreign-born population is at 4.8%

Now, lets look at Troy....82.30% White, 2.09% African American, 0.15% Native American, 13.25% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.36% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 1.46% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race. Troy has the highest percentage of people of Asian descent of any city in Michigan.

I would think if one is looking for multi cultural, one would do just as well, or even better, in Troy.

How much of the "white" population in Troy is made up of people from western and central European ancestry? And how much of the "white" population in Detroit is made up of people whose ancestral roots are not European at all?

Also, 5% of Detroit [[the Hispanic population) is more than half the population of Troy. So what kind of diverse community does a couple hundred people of Asian descent establish in Troy? Versus 45,000 Hispanics in Detroit?