City Council to Ask Mayor Bing to Remove New Apple Orchards from Palmer Park!

[SWMAP]

There are plenty of reasons to criticize council members on merit without ridiculing their appearance.

You have never read The Emperor's New clothes?

There is quite a deep connection in the human mind when viewing the image choices people make and how we in turn view them, trust them and/or choose them. African garb is a deliberate choice and one that the wearer's WANT us to note and internalize.

[Gistok]

I know this board gets heated sometimes, but I really don't think these kind of ugly personal attacks belong in a public forum. There are plenty of reasons to criticize council members on merit without ridiculing their appearance.

I can agree with that statement now with the current council. But ah... there was a time not too long ago....

[De'troiter]

There are plenty of reasons to criticize council members on merit without ridiculing their appearance.

You have never read The Emperor's New clothes?

There is quite a deep connection in the human mind when viewing the image choices people make and how we in turn view them, trust them and/or choose them. African garb is a deliberate choice and one that the wearer's WANT us to note and internalize.

What difference does it make that an AFRICAN American of AFRICAN descent decides to wear "AFRICAN Garb"? Do you get the same amount of hatred when you see a Native American wearing feathers in their hair or hanging from their ears? Do you get the same amount of hatred when you see Jews wearing Kippahs? This is AMERICA and people have the right to wear clothing that reflects their ethnic heritage, including heritages of people without blonde hair and blue eyes. Neither Joann Watson's nor Kwame Kenyatta's clothing is indecent. They are not exposing any of their goodies or baddies, so what is your beef? Is it that you believe that the African American Ethnicity is inferior to the White Ethnicity, therefore any display of African descent is shameful?

Please enlighten the board on why African garb should not be a deliberate choice and one that the wearer's WANT us to note and internalize.

[SWMAP]

Of course, all the Ethnic hard are political statements. I recognize and accept the right. I was however addressing a poster above who admonished that making internal judgements about how someone looks and dresses is somehow unacceptable in the civic sphere. I was pointing out that our council representatives who dreads in African costume while at work in a north American City do want to be noticed for their nationalistic choices and it is not unacceptable to refer to their clothes.

[Zacha341]

I'm not a Watson fan but the harsh judgment of Afrocentric attire in this manner is a bit much for me. This is not wall street... and they are not in jeans and tee shirts.

She is not wearing bed-slipper Walmart moomoos! The African or African inspired dresses and gowns she wears reflect her style yet IMO still professional, if not Kasper or St. John suits.

Kenyatta wears a suit often in addition to his African coordinates. Neither are wearing party clothes with their bodies exposed. And no more tiaras - thank goodness.

Andre Spivey wears a bow-tie often with his suits. Is he a member of the Nation of Islam because they tend to wear bow ties? Absolutely not. He is a minister of a Christian church.

There are other individuals on the council all 'appropriately dressed' in suits and tie [[and Kilpatrick had a room or two full of suits and ties I am certain) and I am not a fan of their ideas of policy and action either!

I am breaking the corporate mode myself daily it can be argued. I wear my hair natural... yet I am professional as I've needed to be.

While I am on the topic of Watson, let me just say that the City Council despite being full of morons, is a professional organization and in my opinion its members should dress accordingly. She and Kenyatta need to wear business attire. Wearing a moomoo or Dashiki is just not acceptable in the business world and it should not be acceptable here, and that goes for Kenyattas 1970's jumpsuits or whatever they are called. The man looks like he stepped out of a time machine and does not know what year it is.

[Zacha341]

Well stated. It cannot be ignored that certain African or African inspired clothing conveys in the minds of many a, dare I say um 'militancy' in the wearer. You have to know that when you choose that style. It makes a statement perhaps beyond intent. My thing is that a traditional corporate suit and tie or St. John suit does not fully DEFINE or convey ones full agenda either. We've seen that in the Council of the past and current.

What difference does it make that an AFRICAN American of AFRICAN descent decides to wear "AFRICAN Garb"? Do you get the same amount of hatred when you see a Native American wearing feathers in their hair or hanging from their ears? Do you get the same amount of hatred when you see Jews wearing Kippahs? This is AMERICA and people have the right to wear clothing that reflects their ethnic heritage, including heritages of people without blonde hair and blue eyes. Neither Joann Watson's nor Kwame Kenyatta's clothing is indecent. They are not exposing any of their goodies or baddies, so what is your beef? Is it that you believe that the African American Ethnicity is inferior to the White Ethnicity, therefore any display of African descent is shameful?

Please enlighten the board on why African garb should not be a deliberate choice and one that the wearer's WANT us to note and internalize.

[zipperiffic]

This is a case of NIMBY gone horribly wrong! There is blame on both sides, hopefully the final outcome will be positive for all involved.

[Detroit Stylin]

What difference does it make that an AFRICAN American of AFRICAN descent decides to wear "AFRICAN Garb"? Do you get the same amount of hatred when you see a Native American wearing feathers in their hair or hanging from their ears? Do you get the same amount of hatred when you see Jews wearing Kippahs? This is AMERICA and people have the right to wear clothing that reflects their ethnic heritage, including heritages of people without blonde hair and blue eyes. Neither Joann Watson's nor Kwame Kenyatta's clothing is indecent. They are not exposing any of their goodies or baddies, so what is your beef? Is it that you believe that the African American Ethnicity is inferior to the White Ethnicity, therefore any display of African descent is shameful?

Please enlighten the board on why African garb should not be a deliberate choice and one that the wearer's WANT us to note and internalize.

We know exactly why that is. Especially in this region. Anything that seems to celebrate anything Black or of African Heritage is likely to bring out the true colors in certain people [[remember the hell raised over African Town?) and anything that they can see by those who are on city government such as a Dashiki is perceived in their mind as SUPER black and strikes fear in the minds of the weak minded.

I'd also like to say that to slam an exclamation point on the mindset of those who brought up what attire certain people wear while on council has absolutely NOTHING to so with the trees in Sherwood Forest...

Now while I do not agree with anything for the most Part JoAnn Watson says nor do i like how she acts but what she wears in not indicative of who she is or other Black Detroiter's are, nor does it affect how she does her job. a Fuck up is fuck up period. Just look at the past moron who was in the white house for the previous 8 years and much of the members of Congress who wear respectable American suits...

[jtf1972]

I happen to find nothing at all wrong with a dashiki.  Looks comfortable to me.