Quote Originally Posted by dookie joe View Post
I grew up in the worst ghetto in Detroit, the Cass Corridor, which had the lowest income of any zip code in the United States back in the '70s, 48201. We had rats and roaches; one night when I got into bed, a rat darted out from under the covers and through a grate in the floor. And to this day I double-check each spoonful or Raisin Bran to make sure those little black things are raisins, not roaches.

I currently reside in southwest Detroit, smack dab in the middle of Latin Counts territory.

So I suppose I have as much "street cred" when it comes to "being from Detroit" as anyone.

And I can tell you: The only people who really give a crap about "who is from Detroit" are:

1. Hipsters who've moved here and don't want others horning in on their action.

2. Prejudiced black people who use the "outsider" schtick as a code word for "white people."

The hipsters crack me up. I know several of them; they're obsessed with who is and isn't from Detroit. As I said, they think it makes them interesting and they get more cred with the NPR crowd if they live in the gritty city.

Make no mistake: I don't live in Detroit as a badge of honor. I live here because it's cheap.
Well said, couldn't agree more.