1990 ABC Primetime

[401don]

Racist whites vs. a defiant, devisive Coleman Young. Is it any wonder things haven't changed much in 20 years. The downtown vs. neighborhood development theme is already raging as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbsgLcV4o1k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvTvLk2zySw

[callmefbm]

Curiously relevant in 2013. I found myself asking, what has changed in 23 the years since this was broadcast?

[Detroitnerd]

Curiously relevant in 2013. I found myself asking, what has changed in 23 the years since this was broadcast?

Suburban Rizzos no longer have Coleman Young to blame, so now they blame the hundreds of thousands of poor Detroiters for not "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."

[Shollin]

Suburban Rizzos no longer have Coleman Young to blame, so now they blame the hundreds of thousands of poor Detroiters for not "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."

It's everyone elses fault except the felons committing the crimes.

[softailrider]

Suburban Rizzos no longer have Coleman Young to blame, so now they blame the hundreds of thousands of poor Detroiters for not "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."

That's right, CAY's been six feet under for more then a decade now. Let's blame it all on Kwame.

[coracle]

Suburban Rizzos no longer have Coleman Young to blame, so now they blame the hundreds of thousands of poor Detroiters for not "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."

No you're wrong as usual; us Rizzos still like to blame Young. But we don't blame your "hundreds of thousands" of poor people who are paid enough by Democrats to remain poor. We'd like to get in on the free stuff ourselves.

[Drexciya68]

Suburban Rizzos no longer have Coleman Young to blame, so now they blame the hundreds of thousands of poor Detroiters for not "pulling themselves up by their bootstraps."

"Poor Detroiters"? There are much "poorer" areas in the State and they don't have a fraction of the crime, violence, murders and incompetent and corrupt leaders as Detroit. Yes I place a lot of blame on coleman young's administration that helped lead Detroit into the gutter for 20 years. I blame him and many of his crooked friends and cronies. I also blame the total lack of accountability by crooks like coleman, kwame and the rest of the losers who have embarrassed my hometown since I was born.

[Detroitnerd]

"Poor Detroiters"? There are much "poorer" areas in the State and they don't have a fraction of the crime, violence, murders...

Must be all that blackness, then. Or maybe it's just the daishikis, fried chicken and that appetite for watermelon.

[Drexciya68]

Must be all that blackness, then. Or maybe it's just the daishikis, fried chicken and that appetite for watermelon.

Your comments are a reflection of your own ignorance. Good luck with that.

[old guy]

"Poor Detroiters"? There are much "poorer" areas in the State and they don't have a fraction of the crime, violence, murders and incompetent and corrupt leaders as Detroit. Yes I place a lot of blame on coleman young's administration that helped lead Detroit into the gutter for 20 years. I blame him and many of his crooked friends and cronies. I also blame the total lack of accountability by crooks like coleman, kwame and the rest of the losers who have embarrassed my hometown since I was born.

Come on, I lived in Detroit before Coleman Young was mayor and the city was one filled with about as many corrupt politicians as any city I've ever lived in. Hell, we used to make weekly payments directly to judges in order to function in the city. It was almost done right out in the open, and was normal policy. It's always been just about like any other big city or small town across the country. I always thought it was a bit dysfunctional though.

I lived in Chicago before I lived in Detroit and was in some weird way impressed with how corrupt the politicians were. They were so good at it, they actually made the city function well. I was never involved with anything there, just an observer, but it truly was a well oiled machine. For some odd reason, the government there functioned as well as a non corrupt governing body probably would have.

Maybe Young's administration had problems, but to say that corruption in Detroit politics began when he became mayor is somewhat naive in my opinion.

[softailrider]

Come on, I lived in Detroit before Coleman Young was mayor and the city was one filled with about as many corrupt politicians as any city I've ever lived in. Hell, we used to make weekly payments directly to judges in order to function in the city. It was almost done right out in the open, and was normal policy. It's always been just about like any other big city or small town across the country. I always thought it was a bit dysfunctional though.

I lived in Chicago before I lived in Detroit and was in some weird way impressed with how corrupt the politicians were. They were so good at it, they actually made the city function well. I was never involved with anything there, just an observer, but it truly was a well oiled machine. For some odd reason, the government there functioned as well as a non corrupt governing body probably would have.

Maybe Young's administration had problems, but to say that corruption in Detroit politics began when he became mayor is somewhat naive in my opinion.

I believe all of the above is completely true. However, the fact remains that at the beginning of CAY's first administration the city was still a fully functional, livable place even after the 1967 riot. After the end of his terms, Detroit looked pretty much like it does now. Don't tell me that isn't true, I've lived or worked in the city for 50 years, I saw it all happen.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Come on, I lived in Detroit before Coleman Young was mayor and the city was one filled with about as many corrupt politicians as any city I've ever lived in. Hell, we used to make weekly payments directly to judges in order to function in the city. It was almost done right out in the open, and was normal policy. It's always been just about like any other big city or small town across the country. I always thought it was a bit dysfunctional though.

I lived in Chicago before I lived in Detroit and was in some weird way impressed with how corrupt the politicians were. They were so good at it, they actually made the city function well. I was never involved with anything there, just an observer, but it truly was a well oiled machine. For some odd reason, the government there functioned as well as a non corrupt governing body probably would have.

Maybe Young's administration had problems, but to say that corruption in Detroit politics began when he became mayor is somewhat naive in my opinion.

All valid points. When the corrupt white administrations of Louis Miriani and Jerome Cavanaugh preceded CAY, it's barely a blip on the radar screen. Miriani was a devout racist, and Cavanaugh encouraged "white flight" from the city after the riots. CAY had his faults, but he didn't start the demise of Detroit. It started in the late 50's throughout the 60's.

[Danny]

Curiously relevant in 2013. I found myself asking, what has changed in 23 the years since this was broadcast?

A desolute Downtown Detroit, Dennis Archer's regional revolution, Kwame Kilpatrick's Manoogian Parties and Bing's sloppy work. Detroit is back to square one, a dark age city filled murderers, madness and mayhem. Too many broken families with uneducated kids. Detroit is financially broke and its under an emergency financial manager to oversee its monetary issues. And it all started with the Kleptocracy of our first black mayor Coleman A. Young.

[ElbertHanks]

Curiously relevant in 2013. I found myself asking, what has changed in 23 the years since this was broadcast?

Well Detroit still had around a million residents and a black middle class. And an official unemployment rate only a little north of 10%. Sounds like those were the golden years by comparison.

[DetroitPlanner]

In 1990 the neighborhoods were significantly stronger while the final stores were closing downtown. The City has changed significantly over the last 23 years.

[coracle]

I'm not sure of where you're coming from 401don. Detroit achieved exactly what it set out to do. It got rid of racist whites. Non-racist blacks have controlled the city since and run it in a way that would persuade them not to return. I would say mission accomplished.

[Smirnoff]

I'm not sure of where you're coming from 401don. Detroit achieved exactly what it set out to do. It got rid of racist whites. Non-racist blacks have controlled the city since and run it in a way that would persuade them not to return. I would say mission accomplished.

Also eliminated the majority of racist white businesses.....great job!

[DetroitPlanner]

I'm not sure of where you're coming from 401don. Detroit achieved exactly what it set out to do. It got rid of racist whites. Non-racist blacks have controlled the city since and run it in a way that would persuade them not to return. I would say mission accomplished.

It got rid of a lot of wealthy folks too regardless of ethnicity. In 1990 there were several wealthy neighborhoods where people wanted to live. Now there are a lot fewer.

[TKshreve]

Wow, all it takes is a 20+ year old video of Coleman Young to fire up a nice racial "debate" here on Dyes. Yay!

I don't think the suburbs blame Detroiters as much as they would blame the elected officials that have selfishly run this city through the mud with only self preservation in mind. How many years has the city been roiled in pay-to-play?

As much as any population that has wallowed in its own demise for this long seems to think there is no answer moving forward, they DO still need to reach on down and take a firm grasp of those bootstraps. It's what separates the winners from the losers. Unless of course you believe there are only two choices: Giving up and waiting for a hand out.

Those who give up only further exemplify the dubious leadership that have hijacked the city to begin with.

[Detroitnerd]

Hahaha. Look at all the white racists come out to play. What a surprise your ideas on everything else make about as much sense as your tribal chauvinism.

[Shollin]

Anyone who is white, moved to the suburbs, and doesn't want to live in Detroit is racist.

[TKshreve]

Anyone who is white, moved to the suburbs, and doesn't want to live in Detroit is racist.

What if your family never lived in the city, and only went downtown to spend money on goods and services? Does that exonerate you from the broad strokes of the racist label?

[Shollin]

What if your family never lived in the city, and only went downtown to spend money on goods and services? Does that exonerate you from the broad strokes of the racist label?

Nope. If you're white and living in the suburbs you're racist.

[Detroitnerd]

What if your family never lived in the city, and only went downtown to spend money on goods and services? Does that exonerate you from the broad strokes of the racist label?

Depends. Are you buying daishikis and fried chicken downtown?

[TKshreve]

Depends. Are you buying daishikis and fried chicken downtown?

Nope - $11 beers at the Joe and maybe a couple loose's at Laffayette. Maybe drop a twen into a slot and bolt. No gas, no clothes, no groceries [[obviously) and definitely no daishikis, cuz I have no clue what those are.