A Tale of Two Cities

I am a Detroiter through and through. I love this city. So it should come as no surprise that I get a little ticked off when I hear people "bad mouthing" the city. Now don't get me wrong, the city's politics and some of its institutions are worthy of criticism, but what city isn't?

It seems to me that Detroit gets a disproportionate share of criticism and "bad mouthing." Comparatively speaking, Detroit is no worse off than any other city. The news is littered with politicians heading to prison, ineffective school systems and the job-well drying.

Recently, I spent a few days in Memphis TN for a family reunion. During those days, I heard news reports of carjackings, bank robberies, shootings and muggings. While driving through some of the neighborhoods, I witnessed drug activity. All of this revelation begs the question, Why does Detroit receive so much more bad press than Memphis?

If the casual observer digs a little deeper, it seems that Detroiters are an all or nothing, extremists sect. We are either the Motor City or a failure. There are plenty of names that have stuck because we allowed them to: The Murder Capital, Devils Night, Crime City and even MoTown and the Motor City. I added the last two because even though thy were supposed to be positive connotations, they pigeon-held the city. There was no room for diversification.

It seems that if Detroiters want a better Detroit, they first have to take a good long look in the mirror and ask themselves what kind of Detroiter are they? Do they sit idly by and allow crime to happen? Do they over look trash blowing down the street? Do they accept substandard government because it is what they are used to having?

For anyone who reads this, I have an assignment for you. I need to you spark a discussion with at least 5 people you know who would not read a blog or research local government politicians. Engage these people to find out what kind of Detroit in which they want to live. Find out how much are they willing to do to make their Detroit a reality.

The thing that really gets me about the news paper articles, talk shows and blogs that talk about how to accomplish a better Detroit never once mentions those who don't read the paper, listen to or watch talk show or read blogs. It is that very demographic that needs to be engaged to change this city. As I often say, the suburbanites evacuated the city and left it to Bay Bay and Ray Ray 'nem and expects the city to function properly.

If we really want a better Detroit, we'll have to demand better Detroiters. Detroiters who care about their city as well as the image it portrays. Detroiters who are willing to work for utopia and not just hope for it.

How much is your integrity worth?

Who hasn't fantasized about a bag of money falling off a truck? While at lunch today the guy ahead of me in line dropped a quarter, which I promptly returned. He then asked, "Would you have been so quick to return it if it were a $20 or $50 dollar bill?"

I quickly replied, "I would have returned it in either case!!!" I immediately began thinking, "Is there an amount and circumstances in which I would not return the money?"

Let's use the scenario at the beginning; an unmarked truck drives by and a bag containing $100 in singles falls off. Do you look for a way to return the money? By all accounts, honesty should be an absolute, you are either honest or you are not.

Would your answer change if it were $1 Million? What if you found out that the money belonged to orphans, would that make a difference? What if it belonged to drug dealers, would it make a dfference now?

Both, amounts and circumstances, could change, but your personal integrity should not. If your answer changes according to amounts or circumstances, you should really re-evaluate whether or not you consider yourself an honest person.

It is the subtle shades of grey that often unseat us from our true character. My grandfather once told me something a long time ago that still holds true to this day: "Money is a temporary possession. Those that seek to hold on to it too tightly, often lose sight of the reasons for earning it in the first place."

Greed, or avarice is often the downfall of many great people. A zen-master once stated to me, "The man who can find happiness with what he has, will never be defeated by want again." We enter and exit this world the exact same way: with nothing.

The things that we acquire during our lives, regardless of how much joy and pleasure they may bring, are often inherited by others and continue on without us. Can we learn to continue on without them as easily? Are we the sum of the things that we have acquired during our respective lifetimes?

I like to think that a persons true wealth is measured by the love shared with friends and family. Frank Capra's "It's a wonderful life" may have been hokey and corny, but I think it absolutely illustrated wealth as it pertains to the human condition.

Again, I'll ask the question, "How much is your integrity worth?"

For Blackness sake

As I ride around the City of Detroit, one thing is apparent: Detroit is in trouble. And there is one little phrase that got us here: For Blackness sake.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm down with the Panthers, Africana and Kenthe Cloth, but I can no longer stand idly by while our city goes to ruins for Blackness sake.
Since the early 1970's there has been a consistent theme in Detroit: For Blackness sake. For Blackness sake every mayor since that time period has been Black. For Blackness sake we can't elect Freeman Hendrix, he's not Black enough.

Why is it that the people of Detroit believe in order to serve south of 8 Mile Road, you have to be black? The citizenry of Detroit blindly follow criminals and those unqualified to lead for Blackness sake. We've elected entertainers who consider their elected positions secondary for Blackness sake. We've apologized for convicted ex-politicians for Blackness sake. We even ostracize those who can help for Blackness sake.

For Blackness sake, we can't have them coming in trying to take over our city. For Blackness sake, we can't allow them to take our jewels (incidentally why do we stereotypically equate anything of value with jewelry). For Blackness sake we belittle the academic accomplishments of some of our young people while celebrating the prison release of others. And will someone please explain to me how a person can sound white or like white music?

We envy the school systems of the surburbs, yet we pick a school board with a member who changes his name to Reverend to get elected. And guess what, in Detroit it works. And yet we blow a fuse when our voting record is called into question. Of course that is all based on the predications of 30 odd percent that actually votes.

For Blackness sake, we complain at the beauty and barber shops. We complain on the radio, on television, in the news papers and even in blogs (for the record I have pounded the pavement for campaigns, I have worked with voter registration and education and I continue to try to raise awareness for a Detroit of which we can all be proud). For Blackness sake, our solution to our troubled city is to move away. It galls me to no end that the very people who can bail out this sinking ship that is Detroit, are the first ones to abandon ship.

We continue to elect "Baby Girl" and "Brotha Man" out of some warped sense of race loyalty regardless of the fact that the aforementioned politicians continue to wrong us. They misrepresent us; they steal; they lie; they use and abuse; and they embarass us. And yet we continue to put them in office, for Blackness sake.

"For Blackness sake, it's okay if my brotha or sista skims a little off top. White folks have been doing that forever." Whatever happened to "two wrongs, does not make a right?"

Let me bold this next comment: NO MORE PEOPLE WITH QUESTIONABLE MORALS IN PUBLIC OFFICE. Let's demand better for ourselves, our children and our city. We should no longer elect on names, or buddies or neighbors or because someones production company throws a good party.

On election day the word ACCOUNTABILITY should be on everyone's mind. "For Blackness sake, nobody's perfect. Let's forgive and forget." On the contrary, we should forgive but never forget. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results.

Good leadership should not be determined by color. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for Black leadership. I just have a problem with corrupt, ineffectual, amoral, self serving Black leadership.

Public servants are supposed to serve the public not pretend to be kings and queens or lords and ladies. "For Blackness sake" should be a positive phrase. From this point forth, let's use it as such.

For Blackness sake, let's stop the crab mentality by lifting each other up instead of tearing each other down. For Blackness sake, let's be proud instead of ashamed of Detroit. If we as it's current and former citizens continue to run the city down to anyone who will listen, we will eventually begin to believe our own bad press.

For Blackness sake, white people are not evil because they are white. People who live north of 8 Mile Road can and should care about what happens in the city. And just because someone lives in the city limits, that does not automatically make them what's best for the city.

For Blackness sake, let's make ourselves better. Let's make Detroit the best. We have the knowledge, we have the power. Let's take the time.

Fables come to life

I often listen to talk radio during my morning drive into work every morning. Well, one morning on Talk of the Town w/Mildred Gaddis, Dave Bing and Freeman Hendrix were vying for our votes.

What struck me as odd is that one of Mildred's regulars called in and asked Mr. Bing one question: Will you hire those who worked in the Kilpatrick administration?

It was at that moment that I had an epiphany. This was a fable come to life. I was reminded of the Scorpion and the Fox. For those of you who are not familiar with this fable, allow me to elaborate:

A fox and a scorpion meet at a deep stream. The scorpion looks at the fox and says, "Can you carry me across the stream on your back?" To which the fox replies, "I'm afraid that if I let you on my back, you will sting me." To which the scorpion retorts, "Everything alive wants to survive. I am a scorpion and I will be true to my nature."

"But what sense will it make to sting me?" asks the fox. "If you sting me we'll both drown." So the fox relented and allowed the scorpion to crawl upon his back. Halfway across the stream, the scorpion sting the fox.

The fox asks, "Why would you do that?!? You've doomed us both." To which the scorpion replied, "I told you I was a scorpion and that I would be true to my nature."

Like the scorpion, Dave Bing told us on that radio program who he was. He stated he had no qualms about hiring people who served in the Kilpatrick administration.

I guess my question is why are we surprised now that Warren Evans is chief of police and that James Barren was dismissed or that Charlie Beckham is his chief of staff. Remember, Bing told us he was a scorpion.

Life without consequences

When did life in America change? There was a time when a child could ride his or her bike up and down the street without fear of being accosted. What changed?

If you ask me it all started when Dr. Spock introduced the concept of "Spare the rod, spoil the child." This concept created a belief amongst young people that their behavior and actions had no consequences. It also fostered a sense of entitlement which has eroded the American work ethic.

Because of this effort, there is this blatant disrespect from the youth of today. I think my generation was the last generation to actually respect their elders. We had rules. We had structure. We had curfews (usually everyone was indoors by the time the street lights came on).

There was a time when a child ate what they wanted, ran for the sake of running and laughed until tears ran down their cheeks.

Today's child is too sophisticated too soon. Heck some of today's children have children of their own. There is this whole counter-culture with parents and children being friends and sharing clothing.

There is such a rush to grow up for kids today. I guess we didn't learn from history as children today are becoming parents much like those in 1600 through early 1900s. The biggest difference being that the children of those days married young, raised a family and worked the farm. There is no reason for the alarming number of child pregnancies today.

Grandparents and parents are being co-dependant. They are accepting and embracing the malignant behavior of their children and grandchildren. Grandparents are taking over parenting duties from child-parents who don't want to be bothered with the responsibilities of being there for their child. They look the other way when theft is uncovered, when drugs are discovered and when fights and disagreements are escalated. In some occasions they even join in.

Parents have to go back to being parents with consequences for children who don't want to behave. It's funny, in those days there was no need for Ritalin and there was no such thing as Attention Deficit Disorder. Kids were enterprising in those days gone by. You would build clubhouses, go-carts and bicycles. You earned your own money. You knew your neighbors, you mowed their lawn, raked their leaves and shoveled their snow.

As a teenager, I even remember looking out for the neighborhood kids. I remember telling my neighbor that her kids were playing with matches and she appreciated it. Why? Because the the actions of her children had consequences.

What is wrong with the City of Detroit?

My name is Dennis Fields and I am a citizen of the great City of Detroit. If you are like most, you are probably asking yourself what is so great about this city? Often, my suburban sisters and brothers belittle, criticize, demonize and outright bad mouth the city, it's politicians and it's citizens. I only have one response to that: Are you nuts?!?!

You abandon the city to the under-educated, unemployed, disenfranchised population that is unable to leave, and they now out-number those who are willing to work for decency and change. And you have the gaul to say something is wrong with the City of Detroit?

The ills that are affecting Detroit can be simply handled. What Detroit needs above all else is a caring and involved citizenry. Don't get me wrong, I know there are some dedicated, well intentioned men and women on the streets pounding the pavement. But for everyone of those that you show me, I can show you five guys at a liquor store who don't care. I can show you 15 people in line for the "Lotto" who could care less. I can show you a crowd at the "club" drinking and dancing, but who doesn't have a clue as to who the candidates are in the next mayoral election.

The biggest crime in the Metropolitan Detroit area is apathy. The citizens of the city as well as those of the suburbs have gotten used to a substandard expectation from the city. Poor education, high crime, a circus for city government and poor city services. Taxes are still high though, and insurance rates are through the roof. I was once asked why are things this way in the city. My response was simple, "Not enough people really care."

You have your politicians who speak up during election cycles. You have your outraged citizens on radio talk shows and blogs. You periodically see that circulating email calling everyone to action. You have a few community activists who pump their fists (more out of frustration it seems) to incite those gathered to listen. But when it comes time to put feet to pavement, everyone grows quiet and disappears. Where is the follow through?

The constituency is jaded. Why vote when the choice is between that of the lesser of two evils? Now don't get me wrong. I think that quite a few of the politicians in this area begin with a moral platform. They start out wanting to do the right thing, but they are surrounded by those who are receiving pay offs, and are skimming from the coffers and are just plain crooked. Eventually they themselves are corrupted and there is no one to hold them accountable. The constituency is more concerned with what type of parties they have thrown or whether or not they received a chicken luncheon.

People, these are atrocities heaped upon us by our own people. These are our friends, co-workers, relatives and neighbors. We elect them to do a job. If they are unable to carry out said job, it's nothing personal, they have to be replaced. When these individuals are elected, I'm sorry but this has to be said, they should be held to a higher standard than ordinary citizens. While they may be friends, co-workers, relatives and neighbors, we have bestowed upon them perhaps one of the greatest gifts of mankind: Public trust.

Just like a marriage or any other relationship, there are concessions, compromises, trusts and expectations. If the trusts invested in this relationship are betrayed there is anger, resentment and the need for atonement. There must be accountability. There must be checks and balances. There must be transparency.

The citizenry of Detroit is now gun shy of political relationships. We've been "stepped out on," betrayed, lied to, laughed at, misinformed, belittled and embarrassed. We need a change. We need truth, justice and the American way. We need a hero. Who among us can be this hero?