WSJ: "Revival Bid Pits Detroit vs. Donor" [Kresge Foundation].7.2.11‏

[Wesley Mouch]

...Yet, Kresge wants to tell the city how it should design its light-rail system because it forking over some of the money, right? ...

No.

They're doing no such thing. Detroit can build whatever it wants.

Kresge is excercising stewardship of their funds. You want them to just give?

I really dislike the argument you've made here. Just give me the money, please. No appreciation whatsoever for the fact that Kresge has shifted their mission to include Detroit, and to include some non-'brick and mortar' projects. Just complaints about how they are doing it.

We should be ever-so-pleased that they care enough about Detroit to have CHOSEN to invest in Detroit -- in spite of Detroit's massive mismanagment of just about everything possible. Even if some of THEIR money went to a quirky art project.

[Woodward's Cousin]

Wattrck in MLive quoting Rapson of Kresge Foundation:

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...ndation_r.html

[Hypestyles]

What have you heard lately that is "afrocentric" or "anti-suburbanite"?

The complaints that I've heard about Mayor Bing belong in one of two categories. Some, like myself, are upset with how little he has accomplished towards addressing the problems that Detroit's neighborhoods face. The Detroit Police Department currently has one of the largest budgets in the nation on a per resident basis. In spite of that, Detroiters can't get a cop to show up promptly when one is needed.

How is that "afrocentric" or "anti-suburbanite"?

The second group of complaints comes from those who feel that the concerns of Detroit residents simply aren't listened to. What precisely is "afrocentric" or "anti-suburbanite" about that?

for moderate-minded folk, nothing.. but in several public meetings i've attended.. detroit works project, detroit charter commission, and others.. several comments from different folk have veered into the zone of, well... "bing wants us all picking cotton & vegetables".. "if i want tomatoes i'll go to a grocery store.." "these billboards here are demonic".. "ACLU of detroit.?. who are they and why are they here? are they even from detroit?" "the charter commission is illegal.." "they want to take over everything".. "bing is a puppet of ________"... "this is like nazi germany!"..

[corktownyuppie]

for moderate-minded folk, nothing.. but in several public meetings i've attended.. detroit works project, detroit charter commission, and others.. several comments from different folk have veered into the zone of, well... "bing wants us all picking cotton & vegetables".. "if i want tomatoes i'll go to a grocery store.." "these billboards here are demonic".. "ACLU of detroit.?. who are they and why are they here? are they even from detroit?" "the charter commission is illegal.." "they want to take over everything".. "bing is a puppet of ________"... "this is like nazi germany!"..

That's the beauty of opinions. Everyone is allowed to have one. There are idiots in all communities, and showing up at any public forum in an environment where people are hungry, angry, or distrustful...you're going to hear stuff like this.

And don't think it's limited to Detroit politics. Most school board meetings, political arenas...and even the internet. Never forget Godwin's Law:

"As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1 [[100%)."

Ignore the Ignorant.

[Fnemecek]

I concur w/ Corktownyuppie.

I've been to most of those same meetings. There are always a few idiots. However, the vast majority of people are reasonable in their complaints.

To compare the majority of Mayor Bing's critics with those who argue that urban gardens = share cropping is nonsense.

[Locke09]

Wattrck in MLive quoting Rapson of Kresge Foundation:

http://www.mlive.com/news/detroit/in...ndation_r.html

The article makes it appear that the only issue now is who will run this when it goes live.

[bailey]

Ignore the Ignorant.

easier said than done. Especially when they tend to outnumber..and out vote...the rest.

[corktownyuppie]

easier said than done. Especially when they tend to outnumber..and out vote...the rest.

Outnumber, maybe. In running groups and organizations, one common thread that transcends race, income, age, is that the fringe opinions seem to be voiced the loudest, while the silent majority goes unheard.

But outvote? I'm unconvinced. In the last general election, only 31% of registered voters showed up. In the Bing vs. Barrow election 22% showed up. In comparison, nationwide, the presidential election averages are usually between 50-60%.

I love being a Detroit voter. My vote counts 2-3x as much!

[Woodward's Cousin]

Laura Berman in the DN [7.15.11]on Kresge Foundation/President Rip Rapson/Detroit WorksProject/ Bing Aministration:

http://detnews.com/article/20110715/...#ixzz1SB7HVFFM

[Hypestyles]

... so Ms. Griffin is out? someone should interview her.. all that money wasted.. who all is heading up the d-works project now?

[Woodward's Cousin]

Extensive article in The Nonprofit Quarterly on COD, Kresge Foundation, Mr. Rapson, interplay of city gov't and foundations in Detroit:

http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/in...res&Itemid=336