I keep hearing voices that say Detroiters are all paranoid, overstating fears that an Emergency Manager is anything but a fair, impartial person who will bring fiscal sense to Detroit. That the issue at hand is not Republican white outstate Lansing wresting democratic control from a Democratic urban black stronghold. No, far be it from the truth. Nobody is after Detroit's jewels or out to humiliate its democratically elected leaders.

And, after hearing this, then you look at this message board and some of the postings on the Freep site and get quite another view: There is very clearly a multitude of white Republican outstate and suburban ax-grinders licking their salivating chops at the idea of humiliating Detroit's elected leaders and socking it to their old political enemies, be they blacks, unions, the public sector itself. How can you interpret some of these posts as anything but the product of a mob of chauvinistic foes sensing the kill is near, closing in and ready to glory in goring somebody else's ox and then gloating about it.

Not only is it disgusting, it's stupid. It's stupid because even as you're drooling all over this opportunity to settle the city's hash but for good, in the morning you're still going to blame the residents of Detroit for being suspicious of your motives. Uh ... duh ...