What can Detroit learn from Mali?

[sehender1]

We printed an op/ed piece in the Freep today that I thought would be of interest to people here.

In short, it says Detroit can learn a lot from Mali, a small, poor west African country whose focus on family and community might surprise you.

You can see it here:
http://www.freep.com/article/2009082...earn-from-Mali

[ejames01]

I agree with this Op/Ed completely. Detroit [[and communities like it) have absolute no code of conduct.

[lilpup]

and whose code of conduct would you like imposed upon you?

[ejames01]

Common sense would be a start. Eliminating self-destructive activities would go a long way in changing things.

and whose code of conduct would you like imposed upon you?

[lilpup]

A rich man's common sense or a poor man's common sense?
An evangelical's idea of self-destructive? A soldier's? A politician's? A prostitute's?
Muslim? Christian? Jewish? Hindu? PETA? Blue Dog? GOP?

[[The Op/Ed is pretty much pointless other than to say Mali appears to be safer than Detroit.)

[Thames]

and whose code of conduct would you like imposed upon you?

I don't know for sure, but I think most of these could apply:

"All I Really Need To Know I learned in Kindergarten"

Share everything.

Play fair.

Don't hit people.

Put things back where you found them.

Clean up your own mess.

Don't take things that aren't yours.

Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.

Wash your hands before you eat.

Flush.

Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.

Live a balanced life - learn some and think some
and draw and paint and sing and dance and play
and work every day some.

Take a nap every afternoon.

When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic,
hold hands, and stick together.

Be aware of wonder.
Remember the little seed in the styrofoam cup:
The roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody
really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even
the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die.
So do we.

And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books
and the first word you learned - the biggest
word of all - LOOK.

[lilpup]

i don't know for sure, but i think most of these could apply:

"all i really need to know i learned in kindergarten"

share everything.

Socialist!!!!

[RickBeall]

lilpup wrote

>>[What values do you want to use?] A rich man's common sense or a poor man's common sense? An evangelical's idea of self-destructive? A soldier's? A politician's? A prostitute's?
Muslim? Christian? Jewish? Hindu? PETA? Blue Dog? GOP?

You illustrate perfectly the problem. Even educated people's sense of values are just "relative" to this or that. The common, shared values a community needs is missing in Detroit and elsewhere.

Replacing the missing values is harder than building a skyscraper.

[lilpup]

Even educated people's sense of values are just "relative" to this or that. The common, shared values a community needs is missing in Detroit and elsewhere.

Replacing the missing values is harder than building a skyscraper.

But even then the community is usually united in opposition to something or someone else.

It's a human factor all successful advertisers, politicians, and warmongers are skilled at exploiting.

[ab5602]

What is clear to me is that many people lack a sense of "right and wrong" when it comes to living near or with other people. Right and wrong is subjective and is interpreted differently by different people. Having lived in the city for over a decade, I see it all the time. If this is not clear, please see:

http://wcbstv.com/watercooler/theft....2.1126908.html

This cocktail of behavior is active in Detroit and in any big city with large numbers of people. I completely believe the guy in this news article. He thinks that he didn't know he was doing anything wrong. This is sad, but true. He is ignorant? yes. Actually a criminal? yes. In his own mind a criminal? no.

How do you correct that?

[iheartthed]

A rich man's common sense or a poor man's common sense?
An evangelical's idea of self-destructive? A soldier's? A politician's? A prostitute's?
Muslim? Christian? Jewish? Hindu? PETA? Blue Dog? GOP?

[[The Op/Ed is pretty much pointless other than to say Mali appears to be safer than Detroit.)

Very much agreed.

[lilpup]

What is clear to me is that many people lack a sense of "right and wrong" when it comes to living near or with other people. Right and wrong is subjective and is interpreted differently by different people. Having lived in the city for over a decade, I see it all the time. If this is not clear, please see:

http://wcbstv.com/watercooler/theft....2.1126908.html

This cocktail of behavior is active in Detroit and in any big city with large numbers of people. I completely believe the guy in this news article. He thinks that he didn't know he was doing anything wrong. This is sad, but true. He is ignorant? yes. Actually a criminal? yes. In his own mind a criminal? no.

How do you correct that?

Buy the lawmakers, just like Wall Street and so many others have done.

I recall reading a Buddhist text that mentions that the thief is wrong as is the one who tempted him.

A couple of years ago the Dalai Lama asked why some nations feel they have a right to nuclear weapons while denying that same right to others.

[ejames01]

One rule that I would suggest that teenagers should not attack 80 year old men.

http://www.freep.com/article/2009082...-beating-death

[blksoul_x]

The idea of a Black code of conduct is not a new concept to the Black African population living in amerikkka. In-fact, there has been an on-going code of conduct within the Black population in amerikkka' for many years.[[See Detroit's annual 'sambo' award ceremony)

However, the code remains powerless because the racist white founders of amerikkka' instituted a protective practice years ago called 'snitching' [[legally known as 'meritorious manumission'), which essentially rewards Black on Black 'snitching', or good deeds by Blacks who distinguish themselves by saving the life of the white oversee'er, or in more modern times, as saving the white institutional process, all for a pot of gold called amerikkkas pea soup!

The white collective has always needed a few 'good blacks' or 'sambos' who would sell out their race for their own personal gains. The practice of samboism /snitching/meritorious manumission has continued for more than a century and as been most recently practiced in Detroit's political affairs.

In Mali, it may be easier to practice such a code, due to the fact that to a certain degree, more than in amerikkka', the power is in the hands of the Black collective power.

In amerikkka, the Black collective must become independent from the attraction and innate fear of the whiter world. If we do that, then the code of conduct will operate without a glitch.

Mildred Gaddis ought read such an article__go figure!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

[gnome]

You mean a good black, like President Obama? Or like Micheal Vick? A sellout

You calling the President a Sambo?

go figure

[Stosh]

The idea of a Black code of conduct is <snip>
blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

I'm going to have to say this about your BS. I hope one of these fine brothas gets ahold of you, one of these days. And I suppose we'll see how you feel about the no snitchin' policy then. Payback's a bitch. So is Karma. And with a worldview like yours, sooner or later it will catch up to you. Good luck when it does.

[lilpup]

Under the black code of conduct what would happen to this black 19 year old male who killed a black 86 year old male?

[mwilbert]

I doubt there is any code of conduct or other social pattern which is directly transferrable from Mali to Detroit, but it seems to me that any general improvement in the behavior of Detroiters would predominantly benefit black people. Maybe there is some subtle reason why reducing the level of crime in an overwhelmingly black city would be bad for blacks and good for the non-blacks who don't live there, but it is too subtle for me.

[ejames01]

He should have been taught by his family, friends and community to not do such things.

Under the black code of conduct what would happen to this black 19 year old male who killed a black 86 year old male?

[blksoul_x]

I hope one of these fine brothas gets ahold of you, one of these days. And I suppose we'll see how you feel about the no snitchin' policy then. Payback's a bitch. So is Karma. And with a worldview like yours, sooner or later it will catch up to you. Good luck when it does.

See, that's the difference in you and I. I believe in my people, and you don't. Your boogie-man tactic won't chink the armor of my spirit.

Luck, karma, jinx, and superstitions are not options to which I support. I believe in a more logical explanation, that every event is predicated upon a unique action of circumstances. Ergo, A will always answer B. Therefore, just as I am subject to such an action to which you claim, you are also subject to the same possible action__go figure!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

[lilpup]

c'mon blksoul - Under the black code of conduct what would happen to this black 19 year old male who killed a black 86 year old male?

[Stosh]

See, that's the difference in you and I. I believe in my people, and you don't. Your boogie-man tactic won't chink the armor of my spirit.

Luck, karma, jinx, and superstitions are not options to which I support. I believe in a more logical explanation, that every event is predicated upon a unique action of circumstances. Ergo, A will always answer B. Therefore, just as I am subject to such an action to which you claim, you are also subject to the same possible action__go figure!

blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

Aha. You are CCBatson. As I thought, an imposter.

[UFO]

Well this thread took a turn for the worst with racism spewed fro the mouth of someone who likely never experienced it, didn't it?

But to get bck to the original topic, Thames is absolutely correct.
I can offer shorter version which unfortunately will not work because our societies are ingrained with greed
We live in a "gimme" world and its sad.

In order to have a perfect Utopia we need do only a few things.

Love respect and help one another without question.

It really is that simple but it is also unrealistic because this world is all about attaining more than the next guy.

If we could build each others homes, help each other farm our lands, raise each others children, care for our elderly, and feed one another then all the worlds problems would be solved.

Well enough rambling.

[blksoul_x]

c'mon blksoul - Under the black code of conduct what would happen to this black 19 year old male who killed a black 86 year old male?

Off the top, first off, He would be loved explicitly and unconditionally. Next, he would have his day in court. Under the Black code of conduct, he would be assisted and guided to a fair trial. If he is legally found guilty of the charge, then under the Black code of conduct he would be supported explicitly by Black powers in helping determine the best options available within the criminal justice system. While incarcerated, under the Black code of conduct, he would have to undergo a series of psycho therapeutic sessions, by a selected group of therapist trained to deal with code of conduct violations. If it sounds like brainwashing, then so be it. It would be no different than the amerikkkan armed services brainwashing techniques promoted within the training of war soldiers.

To be sure, the punishment for violating the code and behavior standards must be sure and swift. It is important that every member of the community understands that the community will enforce the code and protect itself. Whether that means 'hard love', or the stark reality of being sent to the wolves [[white hatred), then so be it. Under the Black code of conduct, in order to return to the code, you must be willing to see the code through to its full extent. And that is, to better the lives of people of African descent world wide.



blksoul_atcha!
The BJL, the color you love to hate!

[ccbatson]

We don't have to look that far away [[in distance), we just have to look back in time towards our founding principles and capitalism to find the solutions we need so desperately.