I felt compelled to write a few words about Detroit’s bankruptcy. I have hoped that Detroit would be able to stave off this sort of a move, however, reality now has taken over and I feel a sense of disappointment and sadness about my home city having to just throw up the white flag to the creditors and declare the city a lost cause.
Much ink or in this day and age — many kilobytes of electronic media has been used to tell the story of Detroit’s burden and woe, mostly by people who are not from this fine part of the Country. Most have been correct in their assessments — Ezra Kline, Ed Driscoll, and yes, even Vox Popoli. Now there is a rare form of agreement if there ever was one.
There has been much debate and quibble as the when the decline of Detroit actually started. Some of the weaker minded within the ranks of the so-called “right” of the ivory kind, like to point to the Mayors of the city, who were and are still, in fact black. Personally, I being an ivory type myself simply believe that corruption and entitlement mentality were the major contributors to the decline. In addition also, there has been a marked decline in population as well. This would happen to be because there seems to be a mentality among some of the residents of that city, which is best summed up as, “what is yours is mine, if I want to steal it.” Again, this points to the entitlement mentality of the good majority of the people in that city. It is important that not all of this sad mindset is black, as there are white, and Latino thieves there as well, especially in the southwest side of that city.
Again, it saddens me to see that once-fine city now a shadow of its former self. However, I also happen to know that from ruin come new ideas and hopefully, a rebirth. I just hope the Snyder and Kevin Orr know what they are doing — because the nightmarish alternative makes even my jaded 41-year-old blood run cold. I should be honest however, and tell you that my parents and I fled that city after our house was burglarized in 1989. That little fiasco was more than enough for my dear Mother who insisted that we were moving. Smart woman she is.
Now, I do have a bit of a quibble with those who say that President Obama told Detroit to “Drop Dead.” I feel that to be a bit intellectually dishonest and downright idiotic. If Obama, by executive order, ordered Detroit’s debt paid off, by the U.S. Treasury, the so-called “right” lead by Fox News Channel would have crucified him for it! So, Obama did the right thing, and kept his Federal Government big nose out of it, like he should have, and still the smear merchants on the right still have to fault with it. If you’ll pardon my blunt vernacular; if anyone at needs to drop dead; it is the fucking idiotic, anine, partisan bullshit merchants of the so-called right in this Country. Seriously guys, piss off already. Your contempt of the Detroit area; whether because of racial animosity or political is noted. We get it, you hate Democrats — I am no fan of them either. But to sit and engage in some of the most idiotic, self-serving, partisan, bullshit is just totally asinine and it speaks volumes of your true integrity. If anyone needs to drop dead, preferable of anal cancer or something of the better equivalency — it is you all.
….and that is my opinion.
Update: Here’s a good video about Detroit via The Reaction:
One quibble: Left out of this video, are the union contracts and other such corruption which were strangling Detroit’s growth. Just my two cents.
Update #2: Now a memeorandum thread.