Bing tells troubled city: 'Let's stop the madness'

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · February-28-12, 12:58 PM

Does Mr Mayor really think that a 2 minute news conference is going to fix the cultural ill that affects the citizens of Detroit. Does he believe that parents at home watching and listening to his words are going to suddenly "wake up" and say yeah that's right I have to go discipline my teenager who carries a "ghat" The only thing that can fix this problem is the perpetuation of family values and basic human respect for life and you don't get that from a news conference, its too late. His job is to make the residents safe...The people who are committing these crimes and atrocities cannot be fixed only incarcerated. Increase police presence and tactics, get aggressive in prevention, round them up and throw away the key for they have lost the right to freedom. Detroit is a very violent and dangerous place and is sorely in need of some form of STRESS or Big Four units to crack down on rampant criminals. I'm just glad that my DFD/DPD relatives are longer forced to live in the city where they serve.

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 01:11 PM

What do you expect him to say? He's actually 100% right about the parenting. It's ridiculous that people have 7 kids with no job then can't/won't/don't teach them how to act responsibly. I agree that there needs to be way more police, but people need to keep it in their pants down there and stop acting like savages. It's a two way street.

**trotwood** · February-28-12, 01:15 PM

The increasing violence in the city[[&the region)is frightening,troubling&disgusting. I'm not certain what the answer is but this must end!
As for the mayor I completely agree with Mr.Bing when he says "Let's stop the madness". A good place to begin would be with his immediate resignation imo.

**firstandten** · February-28-12, 01:17 PM

He's doing the PC thing and thats what so frustating about him. We already know the parenting skills of many Detroiters are terrible. What we need from him is leadership

**SWMAP** · February-28-12, 01:19 PM

Leadership on Parenting skills???

Is he the papa now or the Mayor of a city?

**poobert** · February-28-12, 01:22 PM

It's just too much. I'm not only completely ready to give up on Detroit but on this country. My family lives in Europe and I am thinking of joining them. They don't slaughter each other over there and you don't have to live in fear of your life when you live in a city. They also have self-respect and manners and decency even though by and large their living standards are far below ours.

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 01:24 PM

What do you mean by leadership? Bing going door-to-door and teaching each and every mal-adjusted parent/kid how to be respectful human beings? That is not his job. Churches, parents, schools...it is THEIR job to help eachother. I'm not saying Bing's a great mayor but he's a helluva lot better than that j@ck@ss Kwame. It is his job to help protect them with police, definitely, but he can't pay cops because of the tax base. It's easy to blame it on others for a lack of accountability.

**firstandten** · February-28-12, 01:24 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Leadership on Parenting skills???

Is he the papa now or the Mayor of a city?

No ! leadership in coming up with policies to enforce either by fine's or imprisonment to hold parents accountable for their minor children's actions.

Let's leave parenting skills to the social workers.

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 01:27 PM

And further, a lot of the tax base that IS there are the ones that are causing the problems. Get off your butts. Read a book. Teach morals and responsibility. Stop whining that life hasn't been fair. IT'S NOT FAIR. The sooner they realize that and get up and fight for a better life, the better off Detroit, and the REGION will be. Pushing the criminals out of Detroit won't solve the problem for the state/region. They'll just kill and rob people somewhere else. Parenting. That's the key.

**firstandten** · February-28-12, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

What do you mean by leadership? Bing going door-to-door and teaching each and every mal-adjusted parent/kid how to be respectful human beings? That is not his job. Churches, parents, schools...it is THEIR job to help eachother. I'm not saying Bing's a great mayor but he's a helluva lot better than that j@ck@ss Kwame. It is his job to help protect them with police, definitely, but he can't pay cops because of the tax base. It's easy to blame it on others for a lack of accountability.

Leadership in his position is making sure that he is holding parents accountable not only for following the law but making sure their minor children are following the law.

The things you are talking about no mayor can legislate

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 01:33 PM

It seems like those are the things that YOU are talking about. How do you propose that he holds parents accountable? The minute that it is suggested that the parents go to jail and get fined for their kids actions, there will be an uproar amongst parents and families that will be heard across the country. He, nor any other policitican for that matter, will get away with that.

**401don** · February-28-12, 01:35 PM

I would think that the culture of decency that exists with law-abiding neighbors has some influence on others, whether it's another child's parent, the local storekeeper, the fireman or policeman, etc. The problem is that a large portion of the solid, working-class families have moved out, leaving behind a culture of indecency that perpetuates this as the norm.

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 01:36 PM

If he wants to start some sort of program to help mentor kids, that is cool. I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of programs like that already. I was at that Charles Pugh Call to Action meeting last week and they are offering plenty of volunteer opportunities for that sort of thing. There are a lot of parents out there in the D that are good parents but are simply outnumbered by the thugs and criminals [[ie: that woman that got blasted by her son yesterday). Bing probably can't afford to pay for more of those programs because they can't even offer good city services so like it or not, it's going to have to fall to the parents/churches/schools/volunteers to pick up the slack here.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-28-12, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

He's doing the PC thing and thats what so frustating about him. We already know the parenting skills of many Detroiters are terrible. What we need from him is leadership

The first step in leadership is recognizing the problem, and acknowledging it. See AA 12-step.
It translates well to this situation, although I'm sure if you make the assumption that the 'higher power' looks different than you [[touch back of left hand here) or from Lansing, you'll miss the point.

admitting that one cannot control one's addiction or compulsion;
recognizing a higher power that can give strength;
examining past errors with the help of a sponsor [[experienced member);
making amends for these errors;
learning to live a new life with a new code of behavior;
helping others who suffer from the same addictions or compulsions.

**firstandten** · February-28-12, 01:41 PM

To further clarify my position on mayorial leadership its my feeling that right this minute he should be talking about possible increased enforcement of the curfew laws already on the books. Or he is going to discuss with DPS police cracking down on truants. Or grasp !! some version of stop and frisk.

This sends a message to parents that if I don't get on the job, my kid is going to cost me money that I don't have which might result in jail time. You will be surprised how many people can parent when they are actually being made to parent

**Danny** · February-28-12, 01:49 PM

Stop the madness!

Give Detroiters more police protection and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters 24 hr. bus sevices and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters more EMS assistance the the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters city leaders that would stand for their principles and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters better housing and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters better public schools and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters recreational facilities and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters regionalizational growth and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters JOBS, JOBS, JOBS and the madness will stop.

If you want the madness to stop KING BING, Step up and Detroiters will stand up for you.

**firstandten** · February-28-12, 01:52 PM

Originally Posted by dmike76

It seems like those are the things that YOU are talking about. How do you propose that he holds parents accountable? The minute that it is suggested that the parents go to jail and get fined for their kids actions, there will be an uproar amongst parents and families that will be heard across the country. He, nor any other policitican for that matter, will get away with that.

That why we need a mayor strong enough to stand the heat. I didn't say it would be easy. The mayor will have many forces aligned against him including the ACLU.
A man willing to be a one term mayor like Bing said he would be might be willing to fight the good fight. Now that he said he is running for re-election he would never do what I am suggesting.

Michael Nutter of Philly has and is doing some similar things and for the most part the people love him.

At this point however I am of the mind that if parents don't parent then they need to be made to parent. Now thats doesn't mean we don't educate, but if parents aren't held accountable how can they teach accountablity to their children.

Because when people are held accountable for there actions they might not be so quick to do the things that hurts our society at large.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · February-28-12, 01:54 PM

From the Top Cop...

"Detroit, this absolutely has to stop," Godbee said. "We overcame slavery. We overcame Jim Crow. We overcame with the bus boycotts. But it's unfortunate in 2012 we can't overcome ourselves."

The man has courage to say that, now lets see if he has the courage to send the police out in force to help "overcome ourselves" IMHO you meet force with a stronger force.
Godspeed Godbee!

**firstandten** · February-28-12, 01:54 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Stop the madness!

Give Detroiters more police protection and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters 24 hr. bus sevices and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters more EMS assistance the the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters city leaders that would stand for their principles and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters better housing and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters better public schools and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters recreational facilities and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters regionalizational growth and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters JOBS, JOBS, JOBS and the madness will stop.

If you want the madness to stop KING BING, Step up and Detroiters will stand up for you.

Danny one question and only one.... Where does the money come from ?

**JBMcB** · February-28-12, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

Danny one question and only one.... Where does the money come from ?

Somebody else.

**JBMcB** · February-28-12, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

My family lives in Europe and I am thinking of joining them. They don't slaughter each other over there and you don't have to live in fear of your life when you live in a city.

My Serb friend would beg to differ. There are areas of Europe that are fairly peaceful. Just like the US.

**SWMAP** · February-28-12, 02:02 PM

Think now - who isn't doing their jobs? I think its the judges and juries that are letting the people off with slaps on their hands after the police have done their jobs arresting. Pretty soon you would get blase about arresting too if the perpetrators you arrest are walking away.

I have seen it happen. I was on two juries that would not convict men who were clearly dealing drugs. The first had a guy in the jury room reading the Bible to us, the passage about forgiving "70 times 70." The ladies would not convict. The second had a jury worried about the penalty law that requires life in prison for relatively low level of dealing. Even though instructed not to consider that, they would not convict to send one of their own away for life.

Look at th judges lately: Black women who appear to spend a lot of time at the spa and the beauty salon. They have big fur coats and bad attitudes. They are often late to court and they defer to the community that thinks their boys are always good boys. That's how they keep their jobs.

Our courts share a lot of blame for the culture we find ourselves in.

**Wesley Mouch** · February-28-12, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by Danny

Stop the madness!

Give Detroiters more police protection and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters 24 hr. bus sevices and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters more EMS assistance the the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters city leaders that would stand for their principles and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters better housing and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters better public schools and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters recreational facilities and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters regionalizational growth and the madness will stop.

Give Detroiters JOBS, JOBS, JOBS and the madness will stop.

If you want the madness to stop KING BING, Step up and Detroiters will stand up for you.

Change the word 'give' to 'create', and we agree. All the things you list are impossible to 'give'. They can only be 'created'.

The challenge is how.

I don't believe you can create things by taking them from others and 'giving' them to the needy. In fact, that creates dependency -- the most destructive force against our cities.

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 02:08 PM

I don't think he necessarily needs to speak totally to African Americans, even though the vast majority of the population is; bad parenting/discipline transcends race. That being said, I totally agree with this.

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

From the Top Cop...

"Detroit, this absolutely has to stop," Godbee said. "We overcame slavery. We overcame Jim Crow. We overcame with the bus boycotts. But it's unfortunate in 2012 we can't overcome ourselves."

The man has courage to say that, now lets see if he has the courage to send the police out in force to help "overcome ourselves" IMHO you meet force with a stronger force.
Godspeed Godbee!

**dmike76** · February-28-12, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by firstandten

To further clarify my position on mayorial leadership its my feeling that right this minute he should be talking about possible increased enforcement of the curfew laws already on the books. Or he is going to discuss with DPS police cracking down on truants. Or grasp !! some version of stop and frisk.

This sends a message to parents that if I don't get on the job, my kid is going to cost me money that I don't have which might result in jail time. You will be surprised how many people can parent when they are actually being made to parent

I agree about the curfew, but.....isn't the parents' job to reign their kids in and make sure they're home at night? Obviously, kids don't listen and sneak out blah blah blah....I would like to see cops enforcing a curfew but man, they are so busy chasing down murderers and thieves. I just don't know if they have the resources. I still think it's on the parents. They are the first line of defense.