Saving Our People & The City

**old schooler** · May-22-10, 05:45 PM

It's a very sad commentary that too many men women and children are losing their lifes due to violent crimes and wreckless gun-fire! The federal government and our local elected officials don't have any concern or the means to stop the violence!Neighborhoods need to take control and police their own individual streets block by block! The people need to ban together set up vigilant command posts to watch their corners and streets!The people live in so much fear the element of courage to report a crime is at a high premium!The city of Detroit has lost over 60 percent of its residents due to crime or a fallen economy!We are no longer entitled to federal monies unless we hit 1000000 people!The neighborhoods north south east and west Detroit dont even have adequate super markets for its residents they pay outrageous prices and the quality of foods is very poor! Lets try to save our people i'm ready to fight in a non violent destructive way are you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**313WX** · May-22-10, 06:44 PM

Adolf Mongo, Is that you?

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-22-10, 06:45 PM

Do you really believe the local and state officials don't care about the plight of detroit, they do but you must UNDERSTAND you cannot throw money at this problem as you suggest in your comment about reaching 1,000,000 in the census. Money will not resolve the underlying problem that a large subset of the population in detroit live outside of the boundries of normal human existance, they have no value of human life, have no pride in family or sense of community, desire for education or a better life for their childern, its the thug life mentality that cause normal residents black and white to flee. It is a process of human attrition on many fronts in the once fair city of Detroit that nutured my youth in a different time. You will not reach 1 Mil, the city will contimue to rot and lose residents as they flee to NORMALCY and maybe just maybe there will be some chance for rebirth in 1 or two generations. I mean no disrespect to those in the city who want to make it better but the reality of the situation is the basis of my thoughts.

DetroitDad · May-22-10, 07:26 PM

I've always been confused as to why everyone continues to be amazed that the government and corporations treat consumers who can't consume anymore as expendable.

This is clearly why they didn't say "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free...", but said "Give me your wealthy, your well endowed, and those of you with at least two thirds disposable income". No, wait a minute....

**Packards1** · May-22-10, 07:51 PM

Eastside cat you are right on. Blaming people who have lifted themselves up by achieving the Americian dream will not stop the lawlessness in Detroit. Oh yeah, more federal money to be stolen by those in power will turn everything around also, right. Detroit will not reach a million people in our lifetimes unless the the city can overcome the murder and flight rates that are here now.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-22-10, 07:58 PM

"The people need to ban together set up vigilant command posts to watch their corners and streets"

This frustrates me to no end, its not the responsibility of the residents to Police their own streets, that's what city, state and federal taxes are for, to pay for the resources to protect and provide security for its citizenry..thats how it works in real cities and communities where the local population has not broken down and the scope of managing that population has gone far beyond their abilities. People need to realize the severity of the situation in Detroit and pack their kids up and move out! Imagine growing up in a place where your memories are filled with burned out bombed out houses crumpling on thier foundations, store fronts with bars and all your transactions in the local convience store is done between bullet proof glass, when you go to school you walk thru a metal detector and have uniformed securituy in the halls, instead of a lullaby you go to sleep to the sound of gunshots. I know this is a downer and I paint a bleak picture but this is not a normal existance for a child. If you have a family move out!!!

DetroitDad · May-22-10, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

"The people need to ban together set up vigilant command posts to watch their corners and streets"

This frustrates me to no end, its not the responsibility of the residents to Police their own streets, that's what city, state and federal taxes are for, to pay for the resources to protect and provide security for its citizenry..thats how it works in real cities and communities where the local population has not broken down and the scope of managing that population has gone far beyond their abilities. People need to realize the severity of the situation in Detroit and pack their kids up and move out! Imagine growing up in a place where your memories are filled with burned out bombed out houses crumpling on thier foundations, store fronts with bars and all your transactions in the local convience store is done between bullet proof glass, when you go to school you walk thru a metal detector and have uniformed securituy in the halls, instead of a lullaby you go to sleep to the sound of gunshots. I know this is a downer and I paint a bleak picture but this is not a normal existance for a child. If you have a family move out!!!

You act as if you haven't realized that Detroit is where this country is going, and not a relic of where it has been.

Anyway, I disagree with the above post. It is not about what our community can do for us, but what we can do for our community.

Retroit · May-22-10, 08:32 PM

I agree with you oldschooler. It is up to the people, not the government, to create a good society. Yes, the police are necessary, but they are overwhelmed. It will take the conscientious determination of 900,000 people to stand up as individuals and as a community and take their neighborhoods back from the hoodlums.

Here's a website that provides a listing of community organizations: http://www.arisedetroit.org/Neighbor...s_listing.aspx

I'm impressed by the work of M.A.N. [[#82 on the list). They recently rescued a young lady from an attacker. http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/22381781/detail.html

**old schooler** · May-22-10, 08:57 PM

thank you very much arise looks great

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-22-10, 09:04 PM

The kind of commnuity involvement you are talking about is way beyond the level of neighborhood watch. Listen I cut my teeth on the streets of detroit, went to public school there, and in the end everyone of my extended family became statics of crime in one fashion or another, in every case we reported there crimes to the police in every case there was no resolution. There's come a time when the personal cost on quality of life is too much to bear. I have family and friends who are still firefighters in the city and all I ever hear from them is how bad it is i.e. 90,000 vacants even if the number is 50K that is insane! Call me what you will the truth is its a losing battle.

**FerndaleDamon** · May-22-10, 09:21 PM

I read all the previous posts, & I think you guys are exactly right. The problems that have happened in the past 2 or 3 wks. are not a police issue. The root cause is really cultural & economic. The police are really just a "reactionary" force after the fact. I think there is so much despair & hopelesness in the city. The change is gonna' have to come from within. Always. I think there's still a lot of residents of the D who want to make changes. It's up to them. Don't wait for outside help, because it ain't comin'. Take charge of your own neighborhoods and say "this will not happen here, period". If this doesn't change, then these events [[ shootings, killings, etc.) will continue ad nauseum.

**old schooler** · May-22-10, 10:57 PM

'It's better to try and fail than to do nothing and succeed' I would be willing to form groups to march up and down detroit crime ridden areas over and over and wake up the citizens to fight for whats left! there's nothing left that a try to save it! Detroit is facing utter extinction!!!

**LeannaM** · May-22-10, 11:32 PM

I think in a lot of cities, more tax money won't necessarily solve the problem. You have to make people feel like they can make a difference. If people feel hopeless, a little tax money isn't the answer.

DetroitDad · May-23-10, 02:40 AM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

I think in a lot of cities, more tax money won't necessarily solve the problem. You have to make people feel like they can make a difference. If people feel hopeless, a little tax money isn't the answer.

Bump!

......

Ravine · May-23-10, 03:08 AM

Originally Posted by LeannaM

I think in a lot of cities, more tax money won't necessarily solve the problem. You have to make people feel like they can make a difference. If people feel hopeless, a little tax money isn't the answer.

OK, great. Sounds good.

So, how do you "make people feel like they can make a difference?"
Is that another one of the plethora of things of which the frequently-mentioned "they" are supposed to be taking care?

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-23-10, 03:29 AM

It's the people that are broke, do you think you are going to change the element in detroit that is broken, these people have no values, if they did this post would never had to exisit and the city would not look like Berlin in 1946. You folks that are talking about community activitism are unfortunately the miniority and out numbered by those who could care less about your quality of life and the condition of the city and its pockets of residents....I wish there was hope for the city but not in my lifetime and not in the lifetime of my children. If you want to live a life of normalcy, safety and peaceful living just like life was in Detroit 45 years ago then pick up your kids and move out. I know this forum is about embracing Detroit but the only thing I embrace about the D is its glorious past. Look its taken 40 years to destroy 3/4 of the city and create 90,000 vacants, it will take another 40 for the vacants to be torn down and new homes to be rebuilt, urban farms are not the answer, yes the idea makes an interesting Masters Thesis for a kid in grad school but in reality you need people to work thoses farms and they do not exist in the "D".

Ravine · May-23-10, 04:47 AM

Oooh, Cat, you know we don't want to hear anything like that there here.
We'll like you better if you fall into line and tell us that it's going to get better, that just a smidge of positivity will return big-ass dividends once some heaven-sent person of unknown origin and incredible power will hocus-pocus the lot of us into believing that each & every little one of us makes a difference, so it's high time that we all put on a wide belt & work-shirt and gave 'er the ol' college try.
Cripes!! Get with the goddam program, willya?

**Zacha341** · May-23-10, 05:48 AM

LOL! Yeah the academic "thesis" approach can be a bit lofty, especially if the person writing said never lived here, and you get that "just do nice" social engineering, fancy talk mixed in with the real facts of what needs to be done and what can be done. IMO, and as you inferred the quality of life contrast you see when you leave the city [[then come back daily) is getting harder and harder to deal with. Or justify.

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

...Look its taken 40 years to destroy 3/4 of the city and create 90,000 vacants, it will take another 40 for the vacants to be torn down and new homes to be rebuilt, urban farms are not the answer, yes the idea makes an interesting Masters Thesis for a kid in grad school but in reality you need people to work those farms and they do not exist in the "D".

**Zacha341** · May-23-10, 05:53 AM

The increasing number of vacant homes is really starting to scar the city. I happen to live on a block with only one vacant house... I was recently near Woodward and 6 Mile and there a street tucked over there with half of the houses abandoned, boarded up, or burnt out. Crazy. And you can see more abandoned homes form off the cities freeways, lining the service drives....

Originally Posted by EASTSIDE CAT 67-83

The kind of commnuity involvement you are talking about is way beyond the level of neighborhood watch. Listen I cut my teeth on the streets of detroit, went to public school there, and in the end everyone of my extended family became statics of crime in one fashion or another, in every case we reported there crimes to the police in every case there was no resolution. There's come a time when the personal cost on quality of life is too much to bear. I have family and friends who are still firefighters in the city and all I ever hear from them is how bad it is i.e. 90,000 vacants even if the number is 50K that is insane! Call me what you will the truth is its a losing battle.

**Zacha341** · May-23-10, 05:56 AM

Hah. I am trying to stay, but not too motivated. I can drive into the city and work. I drive out of the city enough for basic amenities no longer available [[groceries, clothing, etc.)

Originally Posted by Ravine

Oooh, Cat, you know we don't want to hear anything like that there here.
We'll like you better if you fall into line and tell us that it's going to get better, that just a smidge of positivity will return big-ass dividends once some heaven-sent person of unknown origin and incredible power will hocus-pocus the lot of us into believing that each & every little one of us makes a difference, so it's high time that we all put on a wide belt & work-shirt and gave 'er the ol' college try.
Cripes!! Get with the goddam program, willya?

**sumas** · May-23-10, 06:55 AM

Strange, the title of this thread sounds so encouraging. The message appears to be "Flee".

Frankly you are all cowards. Keep patting yourselves on the back for showing us your buts as you run away.

Detroit has big problems but has real potencial for a positive future.

Whining from afar, that Detroit is in the gutter does not impress me. The gutless runners created the problem. The negatives I am hearing simply sounds like an affirmation to youselves that indeed you made the right decision to run.

You are all encouraging others to run so you can believe that you made the right decisions. Misery loves company.

Certainly, this city needs a new vision and strong leadership. Thank you for leaving since you are certainly not potencial new leadership. A void generally gets filled and mindless rats leaving a perceived sinking ship do not create solutions..

**old schooler** · May-23-10, 07:18 AM

Ok,we all hace opinions!I'm willing to start an action a push movement to march literally through crime ridden streets who wants to sign up?This isn't just a sentiment I propose lets start to save it this isn't some far reaching idealistic utopian perspective! I'm willing to take action everyone is spuing their pints that won't get anything done! The lights are going out and theres no time left! who wants to stand up with me and save this city!Lets show our nation what we are made of!Talk is cheap stand up and man up!

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-23-10, 07:21 AM

Ravine
I'll put some Hocus Pocus powder in my next cup of Joe

, I know its a bummer and I hate to lay all this reality out on a sunday mornng but you won't hear it from the local news and I understand the desire to save the city, it was a great place to grow up for 5 generations of my family who worked and were educated in the city and no doubt gave balance in my life but would I subject my Wife and Daughters to life in the city, or try to survive in the caos of the DPS no way. Sumas you have a right to your opinion and frankly I admire your faith in the potential of the City and I never ran away I left to serve my country and had every intention of returning to my huge extended family still remaining in the city, and as I said in an earlier post EVERYONE one of them have been victimized by violent crime. But after 27 years of watching a city die at an exponetial rate I just would not put my family in harms way. I wish you luck in your and those of like minds attempt to save the city and be a positive part of it but you may end up spending a large portion of your life surrounded by uglyness I choose not to.

**EASTSIDE CAT 67-83** · May-23-10, 07:25 AM

Old Schooler
Be sure to wear a flak vest on that march!!

DC48080 · May-23-10, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by sumas

Strange, the title of this thread sounds so encouraging. The message appears to be "Flee".

Frankly you are all cowards. Keep patting yourselves on the back for showing us your buts as you run away.

Detroit has big problems but has real potencial for a positive future.

Whining from afar, that Detroit is in the gutter does not impress me. The gutless runners created the problem. The negatives I am hearing simply sounds like an affirmation to youselves that indeed you made the right decision to run.

You are all encouraging others to run so you can believe that you made the right decisions. Misery loves company.

Certainly, this city needs a new vision and strong leadership. Thank you for leaving since you are certainly not potencial new leadership. A void generally gets filled and mindless rats leaving a perceived sinking ship do not create solutions..

You're certainly entitled to your opinion but you come off as sounding quite full of yourself. Living in Detroit does not make you a badass or more enlightened than anyone else especailly when you call others cowards for trying to improve their lives.

Why on God's green Earth would I want to move my family into a crime ridden city and have my children murdered for looking at someone the wrong way on the sidewalk? Why would I want my children to live in a city with a 28% high school graduation rate? Why would I want to live in an area where my children cannot play in their own front yard without having to worry about them getting shot or offered drugs? Why would I want to go to sleep with bars on my windows and a pistol under my pillow? Why would I want to live where if I have to call the police they might not show up at all? Why would I want to pay exhorbitant property taxes and a higher city income tax all while receiving woefully substandard city services?

It is all about quality of life, and the quality of life in the city is tragically abysmal. I am not willing to put my family in harm's way to attempt to fulfill some pollyanna dream of an urban utopia.

Call me a coward if you will but were all of the folks who fled poor conditions of other countries to come to this country and improve their lives, in the past [[and in the present day), cowards for not staying where they were?

I'd rather be called a coward by some nitwit on an internet forum than a statistic or a crime victim.