Karen Dumas- Is There a Memo To Promote Her That I Didn't Get?

**SWMAP** · February-20-13, 10:11 PM

Today both the Freep and the News gave "airtime" to the airhead Karen Dumas. The News gave her space for another lengthy Op-Ed, this time gratuitously attacking Emily Doehr for, in Dumas' opinion, asking to be mugged by living in Woobridge for a mere five years [[Dumas points out that she is a life-long Detroiter who, incidently, lives in IV and can afford the private street security there because her husband owns those strip clubs).
The Freep had a video interview with her commenting on the EM situation.
IMO, Dumas, as a former KK groupie, should be retired to the dust-bin of Detroit history asap. Jeff Wattrick has it right about her today in his column on Deadline Detroit.
What gives, News and Freep? Is it because she has the right friends? It can't be because she has anything but a certain celebrity to contribute?

**Honky Tonk** · February-21-13, 03:26 AM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Today both the Freep and the News gave "airtime" to the airhead Karen Dumas. The News gave her space for another lengthy Op-Ed, this time gratuitously attacking Emily Doehr for, in Dumas' opinion, asking to be mugged by living in Woobridge for a mere five years [[Dumas points out that she is a life-long Detroiter who, incidently, lives in IV and can afford the private street security there because her husband owns those strip clubs).
The Freep had a video interview with her commenting on the EM situation.
IMO, Dumas, as a former KK groupie, should be retired to the dust-bin of Detroit history asap. Jeff Wattrick has it right about her today in his column on Deadline Detroit.
What gives, News and Freep? Is it because she has the right friends? It can't be because she has anything but a certain celebrity to contribute?

Do you think you could post a link to said articles so the rest of us could follow along? Thanx.

**kenp** · February-21-13, 08:14 AM

She needs to pack and leave

**bopcity** · February-21-13, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Do you think you could post a link to said articles so the rest of us could follow along? Thanx.

Here's the links for Honky Tonk and anyone else too lazy to search for said articles. Seems an uncalled for shot at Emily Doerr, perhaps Dumas felt some need to play the more Detroiter than thou card. Odd that she'd feel a need to draw attention to that, given her insider role in a failing city government about to be upended by the inevitable emergency manager. Then again, I suppose Nero was proud, too.

Emily Doerr, Karen Dumas And Detroit's Dysfunctional 'Urban Environment' http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...an_environment

Dumas on Detroit: Be a booster for the city but don't be clueless http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...don-t-clueless

Karen Dumas: The good and the bad news about an emergency manager for Detroit http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2013130218037

**Wheels** · February-21-13, 09:14 AM

Maybe the dailies should read her blog to hear how she really feels?

http://karendumas.com/2012/01/09/96/

**Honky Tonk** · February-21-13, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by bopcity

Here's the links for Honky Tonk and anyone else too lazy to search for said articles. Seems an uncalled for shot at Emily Doerr, perhaps Dumas felt some need to play the more Detroiter than thou card. Odd that she'd feel a need to draw attention to that, given her insider role in a failing city government about to be upended by the inevitable emergency manager. Then again, I suppose Nero was proud, too.

Emily Doerr, Karen Dumas And Detroit's Dysfunctional 'Urban Environment' http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/artic...an_environment

Dumas on Detroit: Be a booster for the city but don't be clueless http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...don-t-clueless

Karen Dumas: The good and the bad news about an emergency manager for Detroit http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a...=2013130218037

Sorry man, some of us don't have the time and luxury to sit around the basement on the internet waiting for momma to bring us our coco, but Thanx for the links.

**bopcity** · February-21-13, 09:38 AM

Some of us us also know it takes less time to search, or look at the front page of the paper, than it does to post condescending and baseless insults.

But you're welcome.

**Honky Tonk** · February-21-13, 09:51 AM

Originally Posted by bopcity

Some of us us also know it takes less time to search, or look at the front page of the paper, than it does to post condescending and baseless insults.

But you're welcome.

You reap what you sow.

**Novine** · February-21-13, 10:07 AM

An ingrate and a jerk. Nice combo HT.

**iheartthed** · February-21-13, 10:20 AM

I walk alone at night often without a second thought in a city more than 10 times the size of Detroit. Heck, I've even walked alone at night in cities more statistically dangerous than Detroit like Rio and Salvador, Bahia. Granted, I wouldn't walk on any block in any city without working street lights... yet, still Karen Dumas's rebuttal was "blaming the victim".

But let's be real -- her issue isn't with Doerr walking alone at night. She's irritated that Emily Doerr's situation gave the media a new narrative about a young white woman from the suburbs being a victim of crime in the big black city.

**Islandman** · February-21-13, 10:38 AM

Originally Posted by kenp

She needs to pack and leave

Sounds like she wants to according to her blog. Love her or hate her, I see nothing in this entry that hasn't been echoed here on multiple occasions, and I completely understand.

"I have always felt a bit restless in my hometown of Detroit. A city that I love, but sometimes feel stifled by. Always working and in the process of being better, Detroit seems to be in a constant state of emergence…without ever really coming out. For as many years as I have been here, it continues to be the same issues, the same people, and the same outcome. It’s also the place where people who are born here, seem to remain their entire lives. Visiting other cities, you can easily meet people from other places, domestic and international. But here, you seem to only meet other Detroiters. There is so much more “out there.” A better quality of life, an energy that you can enjoy although you may not be able to define; a need and desire to grow, and a place where you can enjoy what this city constantly seems to be working to become. I love Detroit. It’s a place of good people with even better hearts. But, I’ve been here all of my life, and not so sure I want to always say that. I’m hearing the call of other far away places. It won’t ring forever. The time to answer is close."

**Honky Tonk** · February-21-13, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

An ingrate and a jerk. Nice combo HT.

Maybe you ought to read the "lazy" part again, in case you missed it.

**Detroitnerd** · February-21-13, 10:50 AM

It's pretty obvious that Karen Dumas sees her political future in being a sort of demagogue exploiting the fears of longtime Detroiters and harumphing anybody who has moved to Detroit and giving them a view up her nose.

That said, new Detroiters should be developing spokespeople who will acknowledge some very real tensions among longtime Detroiters and show that any concerns are taken seriously and allayed, or else shit-stirrers like the odious Ms. Dum-ass will only find it easier to gain support.

**Novine** · February-21-13, 10:51 AM

The shoe fit. You should have thanked bopcity for doing the work you were too "busy" to do yourself instead of responding with your own insult.

**Honky Tonk** · February-21-13, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Novine

The shoe fit. You should have thanked bopcity for doing the work you were too "busy" to do yourself instead of responding with your own insult.

Maybe if his response would have been "here you go", mine too would have been different. As far as "fitting a shoe somewhere"......

**bopcity** · February-21-13, 11:16 AM

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

Maybe if his response would have been "here you go", mine too would have been different. As far as "fitting a shoe somewhere"......

Give it a rest already. For someone who doesn't "have the time and luxury to sit around the basement on the internet waiting for momma to bring us our coco" you're wasting an awful lot of time and space flipping out over the word lazy.

Anything to add to the topic at hand or the requested links?

**Honky Tonk** · February-21-13, 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by bopcity

Give it a rest already. For someone who doesn't "have the time and luxury to sit around the basement on the internet waiting for momma to bring us our coco" you're wasting an awful lot of time and space flipping out over the word lazy.

Anything to add to the topic at hand or the requested links?

Thank you for asking. I'm sorry about what happened to Ms. Doehr. I don't feel she did anything unreasonable, unsafe, or out of the ordinary, to deserve it. Ms. Dumas does have some good points about not getting too comfortable in the City environment, and keeping your guard up. I try to relay that message to people I know that are new here, because I've had this, and unfortunately, worse, happen to friends who live here.

**rutlev** · February-21-13, 12:27 PM

I don't understand Dumas at all. She seems to knock people that are doing something successful in Detroit, especially if they are white - she attacked Greg Mudge last year. It is time for her to move on. She can take JoAnn Watson with her.

**Hypestyles** · February-21-13, 01:57 PM

Likely, Ms. Doehr’s race/gender played a role in the reaction. This seems to particulary be a problem for the latter-day baby boomer types [[50+) and older. It needs to be understood that not every 20-something, college grad, [[usually)non-black, [[relatively)new resident is a hipster Pollyanna who is aghast at the idea that there are segments of the city where you can’t leave your car windows rolled down [[day or night). Going further, there has to be a way to bridge the glaring cultural chasm that has already taken root, between newer stakeholders and the “born and raised”-ers; the toxicity and perceived aloofness/animosity doesn’t help either demographic [[and uh, yes, the “native” population’s needs have not been prioritized in years/decades).

**detroitsgwenivere** · February-21-13, 03:04 PM

I'll tell you guys what's getting old. This story.

A few people have already said it best in the DeadlineDetroit comment section:

"But it’s also fair to say that when a particular crime manages to capture the imagination, we should use that moment to shine a light on the larger problem."

Who's imagination did this story capture exactly... besides you media types? I though it was overblown from the minute the ink hit the page. Yet here you are weeks later blowing hot air into a dry rotted latex balloon. Give it up, Doerr is not a Martyr, she's a business woman with a pretty face... but I guess in this town that's all you need to drag a simple mugging on for weeks.

And this:

"Detroit's ruling class doesn't give a flip about anyone else. This will become clearer as the financial crisis unwinds. Did you really think neighborhood folk were thrown under the bus because we're all uneducated, unemployed, non-contributing, unworthy, criminal scum, while newly arrived residents are extra-special? Welcome to what it really is, what it really be like. Surprise!"

Sorry, but I see this for what it really is... a bunch of social media hipster "in-crowd" types falling over each other to overhype one of their own being a victim of a crime. While my family just buried a father of 8 children who was murdered on Greely, shot 9 times over some dumb shit. To be REALLY honest, this all just makes me want to punch a hipster in the face.

Call me part of the problem if you want, I don't care. Fuck a urban pioneer popularity contest.

I also wonder if the timing of her op-ed, written weeks after her victimization happened, had anything to do with applications for the new lighting authority being due that following Friday?

**SWMAP** · February-21-13, 03:56 PM

Gwenivere: aren't you one of those Corktowners who are so opposed to the Cooley influence?

And by the way - before you accuse me of anything, I lived and taught in Corktown probably before you were born. I am a seventh generation Detroiter and so I guess I have a stake.

**kenp** · February-21-13, 04:07 PM

hey, lunch on me at Mudgies!!!

**detroitsgwenivere** · February-21-13, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by SWMAP

Gwenivere: aren't you one of those Corktowners who are so opposed to the Cooley influence?

And by the way - before you accuse me of anything, I lived and taught in Corktown probably before you were born. I am a seventh generation Detroiter and so I guess I have a stake.

Nope, I'm one of those DETROITERS who doesn't think that a few well connected people in a desireable part of town are more important than the rest of us.

As far as you are concerned, didnt you just admonish Karen Dumas for doing the same thing you just said to me? The us vs. them, "I've been here longer so my opinion counts more" crap? And praytell, what does the "Cooley influence" have anything to do with what I'm talking about? Unless there's something you know that I don't....

**kenp** · February-21-13, 04:22 PM

There is no money in this town to pay for safety, lights, cops.......
The only answer in the city is to keep it the same DUH
And now there are new people coming in who actually have the money to start paying taxes.
The city is and has to change.