Benny Napoleon's comments = RUDE

**Honky Tonk** · January-02-13, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Kwame could have - and did - say the exact same shit about coming up and living in the city. We all know how well that worked out.

The man may be acting like a retard, but that doesn't mean he is one. I think he understands full well that many of the neighborhoods like Palmer Woods, Rosedale, Corktown, Indian Village, East English Village, etc., may in large part go to Duggan. They see the change in Detroit they would like to see.

The more hard-scrabble neighborhoods have in recent decades resented those places that maintained some semblance of a middle class existence. He's playing off that. He's going all-in with the grassroots game. These are straight up JoAnn Watson, Reverend David Murray maneuvers. Hell, let's include George W. Bush in that while we're at it. Play on the fears, anger, and resentment of the least-educated and most disadvantaged.

What's galling in a different way is that every neighborhood - even Palmer Woods - has, in the past 5 years at least, felt the pain traditionally felt by the poorer neighborhoods. Remember the squatter nut in Palmer Woods? Romney's childhood home was demolished because it was beyond salvaging. You think they're getting a different Police Department or school system?

So clearly Benny isn't as in touch with the city as he claims to be. Otherwise he'd understand that we're all catching hell here, even if our houses aren't falling down.

I'm a real Detroiter. I live in the city of fucking Detroit in a modest home and pay my taxes. I shovel my sidewalks and watch out for my neighbors. And I'm sure as hell not voting for this dirtbag charlatan. Duggan for Mayor.

I've lived in Detroit just about my whole life. I've been reading DY for years. I've said it before, and @ the risk of repeating myself, I'll say it again. Until you get the right people into City government, [[AND I don't necessarily mean "white"), and start making the changes that need to be made to Detroit, everything else is just fluff and icing. If things stay the way they are, I can see the 40% population exodus prediction come true.

**AGinthe313** · January-02-13, 02:47 PM

Originally Posted by Zacha341

^^^ Well stated Gazhekwe! He is kicking the ladder from beneath him with this nonsense. I wonder what his 'damage control' statement will be comprised of?

Here it is [[the damage control) from Benny's Facebook Page...

“Palmer Woods is not Detroit? Nothing is further from the truth. It is one of our prized neighborhoods. However, the Palmer Woods experience is far different from that of the average Detroiter’s neighborhood experience. Most Detroiters, including those in Palmer Woods, understand that without clarification. But to set the record straight, I believe Palmer Woods is not only Detroit, it is what we want Detroit neighborhoods to aspire to be. And our city won’t be transformed until the Palmer Woods experience is one that is shared by all Detroiters.”

“As Detroiters, we embrace our city’s non-residential stakeholders. We embrace the fact that many are rooting for us; understanding that we will never have a thriving state of Michigan, or southeast region without a vibrant city of Detroit. However, they should respect that those of us who raise families here amid the crime, joblessness, dwindling city services and a struggling education system, and understand how personal it is when one lives amongst it.”

**poobert** · January-02-13, 02:57 PM

Originally Posted by AGinthe313

Here it is [[the damage control) from Benny's Facebook Page...

“Palmer Woods is not Detroit? Nothing is further from the truth. It is one of our prized neighborhoods. However, the Palmer Woods experience is far different from that of the average Detroiter’s neighborhood experience. Most Detroiters, including those in Palmer Woods, understand that without clarification. But to set the record straight, I believe Palmer Woods is not only Detroit, it is what we want Detroit neighborhoods to aspire to be. And our city won’t be transformed until the Palmer Woods experience is one that is shared by all Detroiters.”

“As Detroiters, we embrace our city’s non-residential stakeholders. We embrace the fact that many are rooting for us; understanding that we will never have a thriving state of Michigan, or southeast region without a vibrant city of Detroit. However, they should respect that those of us who raise families here amid the crime, joblessness, dwindling city services and a struggling education system, and understand how personal it is when one lives amongst it.”

If he actually meant that, which I believe he does, he should have just said it, instead of being inflammatory to whip the masses up.

**Honky Tonk** · January-02-13, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

If he actually meant that, which I believe he does, he should have just said it, instead of being inflammatory to whip the masses up.

I still find his remarks, segregating, alienating, AND inflammitory. His damage control is just as bad as his original statement, IMO. Respect is a 2 way street.

**jolla** · January-02-13, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

Kwame could have - and did - say the exact same shit about coming up and living in the city.

I went to middle school with him - in Lansing.

**Honky Tonk** · January-02-13, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by jolla

I went to middle school with him - in Lansing.

Poobert or Kwame?

**jolla** · January-02-13, 03:50 PM

Kwame [[when his mom was a state rep, I believe).

**rex** · January-02-13, 04:22 PM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

I've lived in Detroit just about my whole life. I've been reading DY for years. I've said it before, and @ the risk of repeating myself, I'll say it again. Until you get the right people into City government, [[AND I don't necessarily mean "white"), and start making the changes that need to be made to Detroit, everything else is just fluff and icing. If things stay the way they are, I can see the 40% population exodus prediction come true.

Its no were near as simple as the right person making the right changes. Just think about what happened under Bing's administration. Deep and painful cuts were necessary to keep the city from who knows what. Nobody is willing to loan Detroit money at this point. Correct me if im wrong on that. Detroit required the state stepping in which they seemed willing to do as long as Detroit jumped thru some hoops. I sort of saw it as the state insisting the city make changes so this arrangement would be temporary and the city would become self sufficient again. As opposed to a green light to do business as usual with the state indefinitely covering the difference. If you don't change what you were doing how could you expect any different outcome. Long story short the changes that were made happened at a snails pace, money was withheld, and the city is still deep in the shit. I guess what im getting at here. Detroit has a money problem. No matter who is running the show it will have a money problem and when the new mayor has to start trimming the fat [[if there is any left) he will end up getting stonewalled too. My guess is Duggan will get even less cooperation from Council. So Duggan is a business man with leadership qualities and Napoleon is a cop. These are entirely different perspectives.

**Richard** · January-02-13, 06:26 PM

But you are changing the mayor and city council in the next year so now is the time to make it right across the board,a fresh start.

Kudos for seeing through the smoke , nice job.

Interesting to see if DPD endorses Napoleon in the future.

**neavling** · January-02-13, 06:50 PM

I can't imagine how much Duggan and Napoleon are going to raise. This is going to be a very atypical election. Most likely, the mayor and city council won't have much power under an emergency manager. And businesses know that. If Duggan reaches his campaign goal, I'd be shocked.

One of these guys likely is going to end up being a mouthpiece without much authority. Lansing is not going to want a loud, divisive voice. But many Detroiters do want that voice because there's a genuine belief that the state is conspiring to steal the city's assets.

**Gistok** · January-02-13, 06:56 PM

Well Lansing won't have a choice in getting a loud voice if Duggan wins. While I don't care for the fact that he's a former MacNamara leftover... he's like a pit bull in getting things done. He has stepped on a lot of toes and is not well loved at DMC, but he has gotten things under control there. He's never been one to win a popularity contest... and maybe that is what Detroit needs. Harsh times call for harsh measures.

Now that said... I'm not a fan of his... but he may be what the city needs right now....

**Smirnoff** · January-02-13, 07:14 PM

If elected - maybe he can resurrect STRESS!

**softailrider** · January-02-13, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

This is a shrewd move by Napoleon. He is playing where he has the biggest base. By moving into Palmer Woods, Duggan has no street cred.

Where was he supposed to move to? He's a high paid exec, do you expect him to move on Barlow near Gratiot and drive around in a used Plymouth Neon?

**Richard** · January-02-13, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Well Lansing won't have a choice in getting a loud voice if Duggan wins. While I don't care for the fact that he's a former MacNamara leftover... he's like a pit bull in getting things done. He has stepped on a lot of toes and is not well loved at DMC, but he has gotten things under control there. He's never been one to win a popularity contest... and maybe that is what Detroit needs. Harsh times call for harsh measures.

Now that said... I'm not a fan of his... but he may be what the city needs right now....

He was appointed by Mr. Snyder in his last post so one could probably guess that he is more so Lansing motivated,Mr. Snyder's objectives are the bridge and Areo park I believe his interests in Detroit are in cleaning it up politically wise because of the stigma to outside investors.

I do not think he would profit from stealing Detroit's jewels as there is way more opportunity in Areo, importantly for the city and surrounding burbs Areo is losing its luster fast and Fianco and others are also blocking it.

I think so far Mr. Duggan could be an asset to the city because he can work with Lansing which Detroit is in no position at this time to walk away from and who ever you guys put in as a city council as everybody needs to work together city and state to get through this initial mess to find some firm ground.

Having said that,no plans out there yet but it is still early.

Mr. Bing waited until reelection time to make it seem like something is being done,no disrespect but that's old school politics and does not work with educated voters anymore.

Mr. Napoleon gives me bad vibes,it's wrong to make a decision on that frame of mind but maybe he will work on that.But he is coming out of the gate slinging mud which is no class at all.

The rest I do not even have a clue about I see that they are running but no words yet as to what their goals are.

But personally I think Mr. Duggan is going to be there because that is the way it is set.I guess time will tell.

STRESS, they had them in several city's at the time they all seem to end up the same way but there are units out there now that are more surgical and tactical and are very effective.

**gnome** · January-02-13, 08:29 PM

Richard, do you have a pair of trained monkeys that do your typing? Well, tell them they have all their facts wrong and are grossly misinformed.

i know I can count on you to set them straight.

damn monkeys.

**Richard** · January-02-13, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

Richard, do you have a pair of trained monkeys that do your typing? Well, tell them they have all their facts wrong and are grossly misinformed.

i know I can count on you to set them straight.

damn monkeys.

Now now we already had this conversation a few month's back and I thought I made it clear that I was sending the monkeys to you so you could train them in your worldly expertise,so I guess in theory they are a reflection of yourself.

But please do not despair in your training failures because we all know even monkeys are entitled to their opinion such as they are.

You forgot to capitalize your i ,or maybe that was one of those damn monkeys again.

Shollin · January-02-13, 09:11 PM

Things aren't going to change. Most of the city is on welfare. When they elect the new mayor and they're still on welfare because they have no marketable skills, they'll just blame the mayor. Rinse, wash, repeat.

serpico · January-02-13, 09:15 PM

Benny Napoleon isnt the worry... you need to be concerned about The Reverend David Murray running for mayor and winning......
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcjl5cHneyw

**detroitsgwenivere** · January-02-13, 09:50 PM

I'm not worried. The rev can barely string a coherent sentence together. Plus he seems to be suffering from delusions about how he and the schoolboard saved DPS.

**neavling** · January-02-13, 10:00 PM

Unless someone surprising enters the ring, this race is going to be Duggan vs. Napoleon. Those are the blockbuster names that the media are endlessly covering. Duggan will be depicted as the competent, bulldog manager who can forge relationships. Napoleon will be described as a racial agitator and a voice of the "people."

serpico · January-02-13, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by detroitsgwenivere

I'm not worried. The rev can barely string a coherent sentence together. Plus he seems to be suffering from delusions about how he and the schoolboard saved DPS.

Well..... he gets elected..... and surveying the lot of voters in Detroit one gets the feeling many if not most Detroit voters are actually closer to The Reverend David Murray's intellectual level....

**DetroitPlanner** · January-02-13, 10:05 PM

Lowell for Mayor!

**Hypestyles** · January-02-13, 10:39 PM

I wonder how many pre-primary debates will be held; where will they be held, and who will be the moderators? Hmm..

**Zacha341** · January-02-13, 11:21 PM

Excellent point! I'd included some others who play on the fears, resentment etc of the least educated etc. but that's another subject

Originally Posted by poobert

The more hard-scrabble neighborhoods have in recent decades resented those places that maintained some semblance of a middle class existence. He's playing off that. He's going all-in with the grassroots game. These are straight up JoAnn Watson, Reverend David Murray maneuvers. Hell, let's include George W. Bush in that while we're at it. Play on the fears, anger, and resentment of the least-educated and most disadvantaged.

**Zacha341** · January-02-13, 11:27 PM

Yep... His 'damage control' is nice I guess but his original comments were specific to touch several bases including the resentment factor as mentioned by another poster. He 'supposes' himself to be the fix that everyone should rally to for restitution. Not.

Originally Posted by poobert

If he actually meant that, which I believe he does, he should have just said it, instead of being inflammatory to whip the masses up.