Joel Loving

[JStone]

So I was at a community meeting last night and in walks a young guy about 40 minutes in who taps me on the shoulder so he can squeeze into a seat next to me at a table. It took me about 30 seconds, but then I realized it was none other than California's own - Joel Loving!

He was fidgety, talked a lot to himself, shuffled and straightened his papers, checked his phone a lot, interjected himself a couple times in conversation to announce he was Coleman Young Jr running for State Senator and make a bad joke. Overall, I would sum him up as obnoxious.

I asked him why he changed his name. He told me that his name on his birth certificate was always Coleman Young, and that Joel Loving was just an alias to protect him because there were death threats against him when he was younger. He said it was a scary time. Soon after, he got up and ended up sitting somewhere else. He left before the meeting ended and he never addressed the group about what he was apparently there for, [[he passed out flyers for Grandparents Day??) but not before thanking me twice for asking him the question. He said he was glad I asked him about his name change so that more people would know the truth about what we had briefly discussed.

So my question is - What is the truth? Does anyone know the whole story?

I can understand changing your last name to your birth father's - I get it. But to change your whole name? And then move here with little or no experience or education and virtually "steal" two elections based solely on your fathers name recognition is reprehensible. It makes me sick.

[Detroitnerd]

The naaaaaaame game!

[Detwa]

Um, if that is the name on your birth certificate, then you don't need to legally file papers to change your name. It was widely reported and verified that his mother [[or him) legally changed his name to Coleman Young Jr., AFTER Coleman Young died. Hell, she had to get a paternity test to prove to CAY that it was even his child!

He and his mother are both desperate liars. They both disgust me.

[bailey]

Um, if that is the name on your birth certificate, then you don't need to legally file papers to change your name. It was widely reported and verified that his mother [[or him) legally changed his name to Coleman Young Jr., AFTER Coleman Young died. Hell, she had to get a paternity test to prove to CAY that it was even his child!

He and his mother are both desperate liars. They both disgust me.

They have done nothing criminal. They simply bet on the collective ignorance of the voting populous and around here that is never a bad bet.

[SWMAP]

The bad thing is that his mother is clearly positioning him to be the Mayor of Detroit. Such an opportunity for them - and he's re-living his father's life not in real time but aat 1000 RPM's! Not even 30 and already State Senator Coleman A. Young! It took his Father quite a bit longer.

I am worried that he could win.

[Detroitnerd]

All you can do is keep trying to expose him for the opportunistic charlatan he is. Think firejerryo.com.

[kraig]

The bad thing is that his mother is clearly positioning him to be the Mayor of Detroit. Such an opportunity for them - and he's re-living his father's life not in real time but aat 1000 RPM's! Not even 30 and already State Senator Coleman A. Young! It took his Father quite a bit longer.

I am worried that he could win.

Refer to Bailey's post. Even though I'm sure it's her desire. She's not positioning him to be mayor, we are. Collectively speaking of course.

[DetroitPole]

Let's also talk critera. He has no college degree and his greatest career achievement was being a Subway restaurant manager. He's still a fat loser, but his name change saved him from being your standard run-of-the-mill basement-dwelling fat loser.

He won't be mayor. However anything short of that is possible.

I am not saying our pool of candidates is ever stellar, but there are usually some decent mayoral and city council candidates. What is really striking is that in all the other races sometimes there are NO candidates that are qualified, electable, or desirable in any way.

School board and County Commission come to mind. I had no idea who to vote for in CC because they were all absolutely horrible.

Joel Loving was, to my deep distress, nominated in my district.

The previous poster is right. All we can do is keep a close eye on him for him to fuck up or do something illegal. He will likely do both.

[SWMAP]

If its between Charles Pugh and Coleman Young II - and it would may easily come down to that - who would be elected?

[daddeeo]

...and the band played on. Ball of Confusion.

[mikeinmotown]

Joel Loving is an idiot and a liar. His mother is really the one who is running the show. I've met him several times. He is a very nice, polite person, but noting up stairs. What's really sad is he was elected by a bunch of dumb citizens. I live in Detroit. He has come to our community meetingsb and he has nothing new to offer. Hopefully my fellow Detroiters will get smart enough and not vote for him again.

[Detwa]

He doesn't belong in the political arena AT ALL. He belongs at Subway. Just the way he speaks and carries himself, he is not a professional person. It's true that his mother is driving this train[[wreck). She is determined to have herself an heir to the Young throne, even though CAY died without barely acknowledging this buffoon. He probably secretly resents her for pushing him into this whole thing because he is very awkward and seems like he would rather be back making subs but Mommy would probably spank him.

[evergreen]

Joel and his stage mom were at the Labor Day march, both looking rather bedraggled. He didn't look as though he had bothered to comb his hair. Stage mom was beaming, as well she should since her plan seems to be working. When he had his head shaved, he used to remind me of one of the Three Stooges - the bald one.

It really is possible this guy could wind up being mayor. If you think not, just think about the Detroit school board - and those two clowns had no name recognition working for him. And Joel has a building and a school named after him.

[DetroitHabitater]

I'm Loving it!

I mean....

May God have mercy on detroit.

[eno]

Have you checked the wikipedia article on him?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleman_Young_II

[kathy2trips]

Hey, it's "Mothman". He's not on the bridge, though, he's in gov't! Whare does Detroit get these civic predators, and how can we exorcise them from our city?

[English]

I doubt this [[CAY Jr. becoming mayor) will happen, and don't get why we should blame this guy for his overly ambitious mother.

[Detroit Stylin]

I doubt this [[CAY Jr. becoming mayor) will happen, and don't get why we should blame this guy for his overly ambitious mother.

TY English.....for some reason people on this forum seems to have very venomous things to say about all people "Detroit" related, but its rare that you get a peep about the familial ties politically or otherwise out in suburbia where the venom can even compare to the thinly veiled hate that you hear about personalities South of 8...

[Gannon]

I doubt this [[CAY Jr. becoming mayor) will happen, and don't get why we should blame this guy for his overly ambitious mother.

Yeah, you may be right on this one.

The last overly-ambitious mother's filling a young big-headed boy with false expectations went so well.


Oh wait a minute, we all believed HIM enough to vote his lying, cheatin' ass back into office for another term.


Nah, let's blame Young for Loving in advance, it'll be so much more efficient.

[Detwa]

I doubt this [[CAY Jr. becoming mayor) will happen, and don't get why we should blame this guy for his overly ambitious mother.

How about because he's a grown ass man and his mother is the puppeteer? Yes, he is to blame at this point. Any grown man being twiddled around by his mommy is a pathetic POS. That's why.

And Detroit Stylin, you should change your name to Detroit Whinin. Every time somebody says something negative about Detroit or its citizens, you get to crying and crapping your diaper. Geez, that really helps solve the problem, doesn't it?

[maxx]

CAY II isn't the first politician to cash in on name recognition. I wonder who wrote the wikipedia entry.

[Fury13]

TY English.....for some reason people on this forum seems to have very venomous things to say about all people "Detroit" related, but its rare that you get a peep about the familial ties politically or otherwise out in suburbia where the venom can even compare to the thinly veiled hate that you hear about personalities South of 8...

I will make a "peep" about suburban familial ties right now... watch out for all things Viviano.

[Fury13]

I doubt this [[CAY Jr. becoming mayor) will happen, and don't get why we should blame this guy for his overly ambitious mother.

Exactly. If the guy runs for mayor or even the council, his background will come under a lot of scrutiny. Maybe I have a little more faith in Detroit voters than others do, but I think the "name recognition" factor doesn't have the power that it once did.\

But you know what? If CAY II begins to sincerely speak to the issues and shows a genuine passion for fixing Detroit, what's the problem with seriously considering him for city office?

[maxx]

One thing about name recognition, you don't need to spend a lot on campaigns. He hasn't had a lot of contributions according to follow-the-money.
http://www.followthemoney.org/databa...&p=6#sorttable

He sounds like he's right on a lot of issues. It's just a question of how effective he is.

[xphillipjrx]

Here is his photo [[if you're like me and wondered what he looks like) http://tinyurl.com/32dk7u3