Oakland County and the DIA: Just one more reason this region will continue to decline

[corktownyuppie]

OC residents love to talk about how Detroiters want to be freeloaders off of their growth. Many Oaklanders still think that their strong economy only exists due to low taxes and conservative family values.

I don't think their strong economy exists due to low taxes and conservative family values. I think their strong economy exists because 50% of their residents have a college degree. Whereas in Detroit, 47% of adults are illiterate, and 30-40% of DPS students drop out without a high school diploma.

When the president of school board admits that he's functionally illiterate, in most communities there would be outrage and demands for resignation. In Detroit, the masses say, "well, at least he understands what we go through."

That condescension which you perceive is real. But it's not racist. It's the condescension that is normal to feel when you're pulling your weight and your teammates aren't. It's the anger you feel when you show up for practice every day and then the de-conditioned teammate who skips most practices and then shows up late when he does is holding everyone back because he can't run.

And all the things you are saying about how the suburbs wouldn't have existed without Detroit's contribution? They're accurate. But much of that contribution took place at a time when the people who live in the suburbs now were Detroiters.

So we're angry at them. They're angry at us. Some of them have legit gripes and reasons to be angry. Some of them are totally overblown. Some of us have legit gripes, but some [[maybe even many) of us are living in our imaginary world where the laws of cause and effect no longer apply.

When it's all said and done, let's remember that at least Oakland County is going forward with the vote. Remember Macomb County? That took a couple of tries.

[j to the jeremy]

I don't think their strong economy exists due to low taxes and conservative family values. I think their strong economy exists because 50% of their residents have a college degree. Whereas in Detroit, 47% of adults are illiterate, and 30-40% of DPS students drop out without a high school diploma.

When the president of school board admits that he's functionally illiterate, in most communities there would be outrage and demands for resignation. In Detroit, the masses say, "well, at least he understands what we go through."

That condescension which you perceive is real. But it's not racist. It's the condescension that is normal to feel when you're pulling your weight and your teammates aren't. It's the anger you feel when you show up for practice every day and then the de-conditioned teammate who skips most practices and then shows up late when he does is holding everyone back because he can't run.

And all the things you are saying about how the suburbs wouldn't have existed without Detroit's contribution? They're accurate. But much of that contribution took place at a time when the people who live in the suburbs now were Detroiters.

So we're angry at them. They're angry at us. Some of them have legit gripes and reasons to be angry. Some of them are totally overblown. Some of us have legit gripes, but some [[maybe even many) of us are living in our imaginary world where the laws of cause and effect no longer apply.

When it's all said and done, let's remember that at least Oakland County is going forward with the vote. Remember Macomb County? That took a couple of tries.

I know that OC is a diverse place but the condescension I'm speaking of does reflect racism sometimes. I know this because I once thought it didn't, only to spend a few weeks in Troy, Bloomfield, and Rochester, and listen to people from those wondeful suburban school systems make n***er jokes until I told them I lived in the city. These were not 50 year old white men, they were 20 year old white men from middle class to affluent, "democrat" backgrounds. Say what you will, but pretty much all of the codespeak I hear is coming from north of 11 mile. Ignorance is scarier to me when it comes from the mouths of people with college degrees and paid off homes.

And yes, I'll apologize for the blanket statements but the undercurrent of racism is real. Bham, you're right about the taxes. However, corktown, if you're implying that I live in an imaginary world, you're wrong. I know that our region is f*cked beyond repair most likely, but many of the people who have the education to right past wrongs largely perpetuate the f*cked up system by avoiding any kind of support for the city or for regional collaboration.

[Wesley Mouch]

Mikey -- wise.