Rosa Parks said NO 58 years ago today

Soon, we will be voting on the SMART millage and possibly an RTA car registration fee to help pay and coordinate SMART and DDOT public bus systems. Should we all say NO to more cuts in funding from the tax on State fuel collected by the Michigan Department of Transportation to pay for DDOT and SMART operating and grant money? Or, should we demand in writing that there be no more cuts first before we decide to vote YES?

As a SMART bus rider, I have no problem paying $225 per year instead of $60 for the property tax and then again for the RTA. But, what about the single woman with 2 children who works in the fast food industry? DetroitYES people, a wage of $15 per hour is not very greedy for an average worker anymore, in my opinion. But asking for more transportation tax money without increasing public bus ridership, attracting good jobs, protecting city pensions and helping Detroit is indeed greedy, in my opinion.

So, what are all your thoughts of honoring Rosa Parks by protecting our bus money and service? How many more Livonia's do we need? How many more service reductions? How many more job losses? It is time to write to our leaders now before next August 2014 and before next November 2014 when the RTA tax is planned to be on the ballot. Or, maybe that extra $100 Million per year is not really needed? What will we do if it is not in writing to get Federal and State grants to replace old buses? What will people do if they have to pay a transit tax first before they pay for food or health insurance and there is just not enough money to do so?

I-94 should not be widened without first protecting bus service and funding. Your many letters are again needed and the widening of roads and slashing of bus service is concrete proof of this.

Your thoughts please?

How about honoring Rosa Parks by behaving like responsible citizens on the DDOT and SMART buses?

I was watching the PBS documentary "The African Americans" last week and I learned that the whole incident was planned by the NAACP. Rosa Parks was an activist and chosen as the right individual for the protest. It was not random. I don't think it diminishes the act but I had no idea and never heard this before.

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Originally Posted by 401don

I was watching the PBS documentary "The African Americans" last week and I learned that the whole incident was planned by the NAACP. Rosa Parks was an activist and chosen as the right individual for the protest. It was not random. I don't think it diminishes the act but I had no idea and never heard this before.

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I never heard that before either. It most certainly does not diminish the stand that she took 58 years ago.

I would vote YES, YES, YES on the millage. Voting No will destroy both D-DOT and SMART. Imagine this, Metro-Detroit area with no Public Transit busses.

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Originally Posted by 401don

I was watching the PBS documentary "The African Americans" last week and I learned that the whole incident was planned by the NAACP. Rosa Parks was an activist and chosen as the right individual for the protest. It was not random. I don't think it diminishes the act but I had no idea and never heard this before.

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THE AFRICAN AMERICANS: MANY RIVERS TO CROSS: Rosa Parks

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Rosa Parks was a seasoned activist whose actions on the Montgomery bus were well planned. This video is an excerpt from Episode Five, Rise!, from the series The African Americans: Many Rivers to Cross with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

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Yes, it was staged. Still the right thing to do, but the facts behind the act cast it in a different light than if she just happened to get on the bus that day and decided she had had enough. Kind of a pre-planned heroism.

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Originally Posted by Det_ard

Yes, it was staged. Still the right thing to do, but the facts behind the act cast it in a different light than if she just happened to get on the bus that day and decided she had had enough. Kind of a pre-planned heroism.

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It was staged and the fact it was staged was, if not outright hidden from the narrative, downplayed for quite a while. I had always heard it told that she was just fed up and tired and sat down because it was the only open seat...and that simple act of defiance shammed America out of its benign neglect of the plight of black people. I did not, until well after college, hear [[from anyone other than my tin hat wearing uncle) that she was an activist and it was a planned act of civil disobedience.

It was basically the same thing as the kids who sat at the white only lunch counters. In fact, others had been arrested earlier [[Claudette Colvin said "no" 9 months earlier...for one.) for doing exactly what Parks did, but Parks was a better "face" to put on the issue.

I don't think it diminishes the act but it does diminish the legend that grew up around it...

Rosa Parks was a true heroine of the 20th Century. I am honored she called Detroit home. The service she provided to the whole country by her brave stand on the bus [[and lifetime of civil rights activism), however, is unrelated to how we should run our transit in Metro Detroit. She did not go to jail to argue for a tax rate or level of funding. A little disturbing that some would either not understand what she protested or be willing to exploit it. Support the transit policies you want. Rosa Parks supported freedom. It wasn't really about bus policies.

Seeing as how things were not that cheery for AA's before the civil rights movement gathered steam, it doesnt surprise me that a little timing job was needed for this event.

She was a lot more courageous than I will ever be.

She has a new metro station in the works with her name on it in Paris, France;
La Station Rosa Parks.