US Social Forum Detroit 2010

[Retroit]

Detroit would not exist if not for business.

Keep up the good work BShea! It takes a lot of courage to reveal one's identity on an internet forum. Perhaps Novine could tell us his real name and occupation so we can tear him apart.

"People who live in brick houses shouldn't throw rocks at those who live in glass houses."

[Detroitnerd]

Detroit would not exist if not for business.

The Iroquoians of the 1600s would be amused by this comment. Of course, their name for Detroit, Te`o`chanontian, never caught on with the "business community."

[Fnemecek]

The U.S. Social Forum has left Detroit. Good bye and good riddance.

[REL]

Holy crap, am I glad I missed this thread.

[Retroit]

Te`o`chanontian would not exist if not for those greedy Indians who raped the land of berries and little creatures and oppressed their women by making them do all the cooking and cleaning.

[Detroitnerd]

Te`o`chanontian would not exist if not for those greedy Indians who raped the land of berries and little creatures and oppressed their women by making them do all the cooking and cleaning.

Um ... this may take more than one history lesson.

[Novine]

"Keep up the good work BShea! It takes a lot of courage to reveal one's identity on an internet forum. Perhaps Novine could tell us his real name and occupation so we can tear him apart."

Most reporters for reputable media outlets are supposed to display a level of objectivity, not one-sided, anti-factual cheerleading. Crain's is not Red State. Bill's made it clear how he operates. I'll keep that in mind when I read Crain's.

[Novine]

"Except that I wrote exactly what I've said on here -- read the blogs, Novine."

The commenters reflect that fact that I'm not the only one who thought you made a jerk of yourself. Nice to see that Crain's gives you a platform to make a fool of yourself.

[jams]

There is a difference between a bias and an agenda.You obviously had an agenda prior to the USSF to minimalize any import it may have had.

As a purported journalist, you should know that is bad form in this nation, but in the former USSR, toeing the company line gave you benefits.

Hope you great success in your career as a company mouthpiece, because you have given many a reason to ignore you as a journalist.

[maxx]

In place of a meaningful democracy, the political community has embrace a permissive
culture of false appearances. Government responds to the public's desires with an artful dance of symbolic gestures--hollow laws that are emptied fo serious content in the private bargaining of Washington. Promises are made and never kept. Laws are enacted and never enforced. When ordinary people organize themselves to confront the deception, they find themselves too marginalized to make much difference.
from Who Will Tell the People? by Wm. Greider

[Det_ard]

As someone who actually reads Crain's I think Shea's reporting has been very good. The fact that a business-oriented business reporter finds the USSF to be misguided, ineffectual and at times laughable only shows the reporter possesses common sense.

I doubt Crain's is worried about the disapproval of a small band of DYes socialists. The actual business people I associate with approve, and we subscribe.

[Detroitnerd]

Metro Times' Curt Guyette weighs in on the USSF.

http://www.metrotimes.com/news/story.asp?id=15179

[EastsideAl]

Crain's subscriber and small business owner here, and I'm glad that the USSF was here. Not everything needs to, or should, conform to the very dark vision of Mr. Shea and his fellow travelers that capitalism, the seeking of profits, and the accumulation of wealth are the apex of human activity and aspiration.

They try to frighten people into following them by making it sound like it's self-evident that the only choice available is between our current dog eat dog [[i.e. big dogs eat the small dogs) almost psychotically accumulation-centric culture and something that looks like Stalinism or North Korea. That the increasing control of most of our public institutions and public space by enormous corporate entities and speculators, and the increasing inequality that this is breeding, is somehow a bulwark against an even worse fate. Don't let them fool you. There's a whole lot of social, economic, and political territory in between those poles, and much of it would mean a better and freer life for most people than the way we're living today.

Although some of the folks who came here over the past days do indeed seem a little nuts, it's the price you pay for conceiving of a change to the traps of 'conventional' wisdom. And overall it's a very sensible and fine thing that so many people are daring to think about and hopefully act towards a better way to our future than I've got mine and %$#@ you.

[oldredfordette]

Jeeez that syspathy story was mean.

[jams]

Did they change the world?
Not yet.
But they opened eyes and lifted spirits.

Thank you, Mr. Guyette.

My generation may have dropped the ball on many things, but the world is a very different place from my youth, some for the better, some for the worse.

I, inadvertently, was at a fundraiser for a candidate for State Rep today. I knew her as a baby. She is passionate about making a difference, maybe even a bit naive, but I'll encourage and support her in her quest.

I realize I'm perceived here as a Leftest, but until the Right can show me that it cares truly about individuals, other than as profit centers and expendibles, I'll wear that badge proudly.

[detrola]

Nolan Finlay is a low-level member of America's sickest cult, The Republicans.
They have not introduced any successful policies in decades, thus the only ideas that they have are fear-based, and used tired old catch-phrases to whip up emotions surrounding problems which have actually have roots in their own conservocrite policies.
[[ILLEGAL! TERRORIST! SOCIALIST!).

As far as sick cults go, the Dems are perhaps worst. They have duped a good number of fine folks into believing that they are for the "working man", the "common man" etc. Both parties are controlled by the special interests and lobbyist to whom they long ago sold their souls.

[Johnlodge]

As far as sick cults go, the Dems are perhaps worst. They have duped a good number of fine folks into believing that they are for the "working man", the "common man" etc. Both parties are controlled by the special interests and lobbyist to whom they long ago sold their soles.

Dang, must be hard to walk with no soles.

[jams]

Very nice, JL.

[Danny]

The U.S. Social Forum has left Detroit. Good bye and good riddance.

They be back, Fnemecek. The Socialist Hippie Youth force have a world to win.

WORD FROM THE STREET PROPHET

Until then Peace love and soul.

Neda, I miss you so.

[detrola]

Dang, must be hard to walk with no soles.

Perhaps I was speaking of their shoes...I should never post before I've had coffee.

[Detroitus]

Several of my friends recently returned to S.F. from the USSF in Detroit and though they had mixed reviews of the Forum itself they all raved about the City. Congradualtions on treating your visitors well.

I think even the most so called pro-business, conservative commentator like Nolan Finlay and B. Shea should keep in mind regardless how much you might disagree with the views of those visitors the money they spend, even the nickels and the dimes, are good for the local economy. Being a small business owner and employer myself in S.F. I am always happy to see visitors from wherever come to town, even if it's to gawk or rant at all us freaks, faggots and lefties. The money they spend which helps fuels our number one industry, tourism, eventually flows into my pocket book