Kwame doesn't reflect on me as a Detroiter

[RickBeall]

Wow! What an amazing life and output, and dead by age 25.

Alas, where is Detroit's Aubrey Beardsley to document our torment?

[canuck]

Wow! What an amazing life and output, and dead by age 25.

Alas, where is Detroit's Aubrey Beardsley to document our torment?

Yeah, not exactly my aesthetic but great art nonetheless.

[Zacha341]

I voted for him the first time but knew better than to do so the second. No, he does not reflect me. I was busy going on about my life when some continued to defend him, soon some of the die-hard defenders began to wain. And those invitations to the hard court room seats really wore the defense thin....

Still the machinations, twists and turns some people took to justify and defend Kilpartrick taught me some things I will reference when I see it play out in other settings.

[Zacha341]

In Detroit, a repub would have been 'called out' [[possibly replete with Jackson and Sharton visits) fast and quick for stuff that KK was given an 'eyes wide shut' pass on. That's the way of it.....

Personally I don't really think there is much doubt that Bush's policies were destructive--there is a reason he is a non-person even in GOP circles. However, my point was more that by the time he was re-elected it was clear that his administration had deceived the country into a war, in the same way that it was pretty clear that KK wasn't exactly honest when he was re-elected. I'm actually not sure it was so clear that KK was a destructive force by then; my memory is that became a lot clearer later on.

[Chinman]

have you folks ever bothered to look up blogs or read local papers from every major cities in this country? they are all having corruption issues. this is not a Detroit issue...it is a city corruption issue. but let's just keep thinking that it only happens in Detroit.

[canuck]

In the past couple of months, Montreal's mayor and that of its biggest suburban city stepped down [[Laval). The new interim mayor, Michael Applebaum is under investigation too for shady deals with property developers.
Detroit is definitely not the only city where this happens. At least, you can find comfort in the fact that these people do get prosecuted.

[Zacha341]

Hah! I hear that. However, I'm an avid news follower, as time allows and never thought the 'joy' was local only to Detroit.

But of course it's been top of mind as being a Detroiter the consequences of the corruption are direct and personal.

have you folks ever bothered to look up blogs or read local papers from every major cities in this country? they are all having corruption issues. this is not a Detroit issue...it is a city corruption issue. but let's just keep thinking that it only happens in Detroit.

[RickBeall]

A mirror doesn't reflect on me as a Detroiter.

In fact, I don't reflect at all.

[Honky Tonk]

A mirror doesn't reflect on me as a Detroiter.

In fact, I don't reflect at all.

Do you cast a shadow?

[erikd]

Yeah, well, the people of Detroit decided to re-elect him in 2005 even amidst a multitude of scandals, so he reflects on somebody. You might be able to disown him personally, but the majority of your neighbors cannot. He wouldn't have stood a chance of re-election in most communities in southeast Michigan or elsewhere, and the rest of us watched in amazement as Detroit deliberately sent a known sleaze who was caught stealing from them back to the City's highest office. Once you buy something, you own it.

The Kilpatrick scandals in 2005 consisted of the Navigator lease, and the Manoogian Party, which was officially declared by the Republican state attorney general to have "no basis in fact, and was simply an urban legend."

As stated above, Kilpatrick barely won re-election, and it would not have happened without Mike Cox stepping up and declaring that most of the accusations against Kwame were completely false and baseless. Kwame was able to parlay that into a reasonable scenario where the navigator lease was just a paperwork oversight that was blown out of proportion by the same people who created an elaborate lie about a party that never happened.

[erikd]

Yeah, well, the people of Detroit decided to re-elect him in 2005 even amidst a multitude of scandals, so he reflects on somebody. You might be able to disown him personally, but the majority of your neighbors cannot. He wouldn't have stood a chance of re-election in most communities in southeast Michigan or elsewhere, and the rest of us watched in amazement as Detroit deliberately sent a known sleaze who was caught stealing from them back to the City's highest office. Once you buy something, you own it.

The rest of America has it all over us when it comes to crooked leaders. Macomb County Sheriff Hackel was convicted of rape in April 2000, and his son was elected to replace him that November.

After Kwame was brought up on charges, Detroiters had the common sense to vote his mother out of office. What with the apple and tree and all.

And since we are discussing how the stupid Detroiters re-elected Kwame with 53% of the vote, we should also talk about the incredibly stupid 61% of Americans who re-elected Richard Nixon in a LANDSLIDE in 1972.

I think we should also discuss how 4 of the last 7 GOVERNORS of ILLINOIS were sent to prison.

But no, never mind all of those facts. Corruption only happens in Detroit. You know, because of the coloreds, and how "those people" like to elect criminals. Which white people would never do, except when it happens all the time.

[gnome]

Kwame was an outstanding leader during the massive power outage in 2003. He was everywhere. He was calm. Upbeat. Focused. Positive.

During that crisis he was exactly the kind of leader who could lead.

Freeman? He described himself as someone who knew how to run things, but not as someone who could inspire others to run things. There was a phrase Freeman used and I can't recall it exactly, but it was something like "a process man" or "policy person" or some such thing. Very uninspiring.

oh yeah, having a middle man like Helmut didn't help him.

[Zacha341]

Yep. Outstanding post!

...But no, never mind all of those facts. Corruption only happens in Detroit. You know, because of the coloreds, and how "those people" like to elect criminals. Which white people would never do, except when it happens all the time.

[antongast]

oh yeah, having a middle man like Helmut didn't help him.

In English, that'd be like calling your kid...Lampshade, some shit like that.

[Honky Tonk]

In English, that'd be like calling your kid...Lampshade, some shit like that.

Outstanding movie.

[Wesley Mouch]

Wait.... so you think that 1 trillion dollars spent on Iraq, 4,409 US lives and 32,000 injured was not destructive?? A trillion is a thousand billions... just think of what a fraction of that could do right now in fixing the infrastructure of this country....

Gistok. I don't frame the debate in that manner. War is ugly. And Bush's stupidity in its prosecution was ugly. All war is ugly.

The problems of urban American are also ugly, but in a completely different way. I think we've wasted 1 trillion in urban policy, killed way more than 4,409 through corruption and municipal cronyism, and we've injured far more than 32,000 through bad drug policy in the US -- taking all cities into account.

While neither Bush nor Kwame were great for their constituencies, Kwame wins the harm to Detroit award.

[Downtown Lady]

The Kilpatrick scandals in 2005 consisted of the Navigator lease, and the Manoogian Party, which was officially declared by the Republican state attorney general to have "no basis in fact, and was simply an urban legend."

Prior to the 2005 election, one other scandal had come to light – I remember clearly that it was before the election because it specifically reinforced my decision not to vote for him.

This had to do with a foundation that he had started [[not the Civic Fund) to raise money for children, and even though hundreds of thousands had been raised, only a small portion [[something like 10%?) went to the intended purpose, while the rest went to the salaries of the employees of the foundation – his sister, his wife and Derrick Miller’s wife.

Sorry that I don’t have the specific details, but it was covered in the Free Press at the time. At that point not a lot had been brought to light, but this was the beginning of the big revelations and it was definitely before the 2005 election.

[Patrick]

Detroit = Kwame

Kwame = Detroit

Ha ha, he won.

It's in the history books.

Therefore when you think of Detroit you think of cars and Kwame. Get over it. He is part of your identity, he reflects on you whether you like it or not.

It's a shame, but except for Dennis Archer, Detroit has been run like a corrupt 3rd world country like Haiti since the late 1960's.

Pretty much THIS

[wolverine]

Some people look at Kwame's story as a reflection on Detroit and Detroiters. I say no that's one man plight and not mine even though I voted for him and know him personally.

Let's judge differently then. How about I say some Detroiters look too much at the past. Let's not reflect on Kwame Kilpatrick. Who cares. He's in jail, you have a different mayor and a financial manager. There's a whole different set of issues here that need your focus and the American public is only going to judge by what happens here and now. Detroit's historical problem has been its inability to embrace change, detach itself from a model in the past that no longer works.

[iheartthed]

Well, if the people you are talking about are Americans, I think you are right, but I believe that is because they are in the group [[Americans), and people inside a group make more distinctions amongst its members than people outside it looking in. I think if you talked to people in other countries you might get a different response.

I don't entirely agree. I think there is also a media component to it as well. The media narrative is tailored to be more nuanced in assessing the image of the dominant class [[i.e. white people). Plenty of foreigners knew the distinction between red states and blue states. Some probably knew it better than they understood the political process in their own country. However, there was largely no nuanced analysis of Kwame Kilpatrick's reelection or any election in Detroit. The headline was basically "dumb Detroiters re-elect crook".

Then you can look at it from the angle of "forgiveness". Kwame Kilpatrick has been out of office longer than Bush. Bush is largely unspoken of, even by international media, and despite the fact that we're very much still dealing with political fallout from his policies. Detroit voters elected the suburban favorite [[Bing) yet they still are chastised about Kilpatrick. American voters elected the international favorite [[Obama) and everyone has pretty much forgotten that the guy from Texas even exists.

To take that a degree further, how often do people still bring up Coleman Young? The man has been dead for nearly as long as he was Detroit's mayor. But the way he's still talked about you would think he was mayor less than five years ago. Can anyone name who was Michigan's governor when Young was elected? Does anyone realize that two governors have left office since he died?

[canuck]

Well said iheartthed. Think of how Nixon has been slowly and craftily rehabbed into a master diplomat. Maybe one of these days libraries and schools will be named after the geezer.

[detmsp]

Kwame Kilpatrick has been out of office longer than Bush. Bush is largely unspoken of, even by international media, and despite the fact that we're very much still dealing with political fallout from his policies. Detroit voters elected the suburban favorite [[Bing) yet they still are chastised about Kilpatrick. American voters elected the international favorite [[Obama) and everyone has pretty much forgotten that the guy from Texas even exists.

You really don't get why the media might be paying more attention to Kwame than Bush? Kwame just got convicted of numerous crimes in federal court. Bush is sitting at home on his couch. Which do you think makes a more interesting piece of news?

[Patrick]

You really don't get why the media might be paying more attention to Kwame than Bush? Kwame just got convicted of numerous crimes in federal court. Bush is sitting at home on his couch. Which do you think makes a more interesting piece of news?

I do not know if that is entirely true. Dubya has also been quite productive with painting pictures of dogs and recycling bottles of Jack Daniels.

[Scottathew]

Some people look at Kwame's story as a reflection on Detroit and Detroiters. I say no that's one man plight and not mine even though I voted for him and know him personally.

Detroit re-elected him. I hate to say it, but it most certainly reflects on Detroit. Detroit voters saw the writing on the wall with Kwame, his Escalades, his Executive Protection Unit, the way he viewed the city, and the voters ignored it.

I live in Warren, and after we found out that Mayor Fouts has been lying about his real age for years [[including on affidavits of identity), with the city depleting a $30,000,000+ fund balance in his first four years, the voters in Warren still voted him in. Here we are three tax increases later with Mayor Fouts... He's a loony.

[Scottathew]

The rest of America has it all over us when it comes to crooked leaders. Macomb County Sheriff Hackel was convicted of rape in April 2000, and his son was elected to replace him that November.

I had no idea of that! I moved to Macomb County in 2006.

William Hackel served 3 years of his 15 year sentence. Just plain disgusting for a man that was convicted of rape both oral and intercourse.