SHOW ME THE $$ TRAIL.....

where is the straw for the bricks.....

Quoted from Madam X

The thing about the racism, white people did leave some cities because of some black people, in part, but that isn't racism, imo, because black people left because of them, too. I had a lot of friends growing up, who came from Hamilton Hill or MP, who are long gone and aren't looking back. The black middle class left inner Detroit. I know suburbanites who are black themselves, who are more afraid of Hamilton Hill than I am. This is a cultural or socioeconomic issue, or whatever you want to call it, maybe it's a class issue, but I wouldn't call it a race issue. As far as I can tell, most black people do not like crime either..

Crime is a whole different issue but I see that there are lots of connected people who make big profits in the city but don't live there, and there isn't a lot of black leadership allowed into decision making. When there is a black representive he or she gets token status but there are whites controlling them. When do you see black people quoted in the newspaper on an important local issue? I'm sure a lot of dirty pool goes on to scare these people to fall into line. It undermines the community when a group doesn't feel empowered. That is what I meant about community decay being covertly racist.

Quoted from Jaystreet

Crime is a whole different issue but I see that there are lots of connected people who make big profits in the city but don't live there, and there isn't a lot of black leadership allowed into decision making. When there is a black representive he or she gets token status but there are whites controlling them. When do you see black people quoted in the newspaper on an important local issue? I'm sure a lot of dirty pool goes on to scare these people to fall into line. It undermines the community when a group doesn't feel empowered. That is what I meant about community decay being covertly racist.

Where is the Asian and Hispanic leadership?  

The problem isn't racism, it's the fact individual success is manipulated through government.  When you accept the fact that government has the ability to choose the winners and losers, the system will always be biased...Regardless of race.  It will always benefit those who already have the power and money.  Your belief in the system will always attract the rich and powerful to run the system...to their benefit of course.

I see your point, JS, but Hamilton Hill did have Joseph Allen to speak up, and we had a police chief from that area as well, not to mention Mayor Al was from there, so it seems to me that empowerment isn't enough. Joseph Allen didn't have people controlling him as much as he was choosing to buy into the party line, imo. But it's true, they should try interviewing some residents who are black and live in the Van Vranken area or MP, when they have these stories about how great it is getting here. For balance and perspective. Now that you mention it, they do quote black people in the paper, but not about economic development, certainly.

I see the president of SCCC as an example. He is a minority member and seemed to come on strong in his first years but has been reduced to being a puppet in the city. I have some friends at the community college and they are very discouraged. He is led around by that board of directors there like a joke, so it's no wonder he is trying to get out.

Community colleges have become another way for connected types to rip us off, the same way non-profits do (some of them). Yes, you are right, they put a minority up in the front of something "good", like education, and it becomes criticism proof, nobody digs too deep into the goings on. The powers that be locally aren't really going to let some minority person get too much power, because demographically, that person might be able to elbow them aside.

Quoted from Madam X

Community colleges have become another way for connected types to rip us off, the same way non-profits do (some of them). Yes, you are right, they put a minority up in the front of something "good", like education, and it becomes criticism proof, nobody digs too deep into the goings on. The powers that be locally aren't really going to let some minority person get too much power, because demographically, that person might be able to elbow them aside.

That is so true. Someone should dig deeper over at SCCC. From what I hear from some people who work there what you say may be the case ... unfortunately. They have an exceptional president there and he has been spanked a bit by the area money people. It's probably true at HVCC too as they have a stadium named after Joe Bruno after all.

education is the holy cow idol.....

those who control the knowledge control the masses
those who control cost of knowledge control the masses