Collins said, "The symbolism is that Detroit is a black city and that we’re unable to govern ourselves. So we need an overseer, the state legislature, or what have you, to step in and tell us what we must do and how to do it."
She said she will not sign off on an operating agreement until it protects Detroit’s interests and the state should not try to force them with a funding deadline.
"That is a racist attitude. I resent it very much. I’m trying not to let it color my judgments, but we’re not a plantation, blacks aren’t owned by white folks anymore," said Collins.
That's just great, Barbara. Black firemen are being threatened with physical harm by having nooses hung near their lockers in the firehouse and you're comparing folks wanting to save one the jewels of the Detroit area, the Detroit Zoo from financial ruin to slave life on an Old South plantation.
What an idiot and an asshole.
I rest my case. Detroit is doomed with people like her in charge.
2006-02-23
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6 comments:
"The symbolism is that Detroit is a black city and that we’re unable to govern ourselves. So we need an overseer, the state legislature, or what have you, to step in and tell us what we must do and how to do it."
Jesus Christ, lady! The city can't even avoid laying off police officers, so how can you justify trying to continue maintaining the Zoo? Especially when someone has offered to relieve you of the burden?
God almighty, what a moron!
I agree. This isn't racism. However, it does sound like a bad deal that the city would be "giving $10 million in capital improvement funds to the society and paying almost $1 million a year for insurance and security without getting any of the revenue."
That's bad business. From the little that I read here, good move to reject the deal. Bad form to call this racism.
Give it to the zoological society, but retain some of the revenue. The city needs it.
That sounds like a workable deal to me too.
Regarding Barbara Rose Collins stupid comments, whenever an African-American, especially one in a position of power and authority says this sort of thing, it's a setback for everyone, black and white, yellow and brown who are trying to get us beyond all of that.
Not to mention the fact that it's an insult to those who experience real racism, like your firefighter example.
Hey, we actually agree on something!
I agree with you birds here. I haven't looked into the details to agree or disagree with Nadir as to the soundness of the deal, but the council should have rejected it without the racial catcalls. I am convinced that an overwhelming majority of white subburbanites (and the black ones, of which there are many) want Detroit to suceed. They want its residents to be tax-paying, affluent, and free of crime. They want people around the nation to see Detroit as attractive and interesting. However, when its leaders call them racist, then at least for some brief time they probably do want the city fail. If you are determined to detect racism, you can read it into any comment that you like. I am certain that some black folks have said something like "Detroit's city council belongs in a zoo." And of course many white folks have said the same thing about white organizations (the New York Yankees for years have been called, "The Bronx Zoo").
While we're on this topic, there are many phrases that black people typically assign a lable of "racism" when used by a white person, under the assumption that whites don't use these terms on each other, and with failure to realize that blacks use these terms with each other all the time. These include:
1. "You people" / "those people"
2. "Boy."
3. "Monkey."
In general, black folks since the civil rights era have assumed that these phrases used by a white person in reference to a black person are unambiguous indicators of racism. They absolutely are not.
Six: I do not think that Detroit's awful leaders (and voting majority) will or can doom the city. I believe that too many intelligent and resourceful people live in the city (though a minority now) and around the city. Included in this number are business interests that suffer from the city's failures. I predict that we will eventually see enough of these people moving into Detroit to transform its voting majority into a productive one. This will include Detroit expatriates (black and white) returning, and their children. Prior to the majority changing, these smart people will take chances and invest in Detroit despite the counter-productive city leadership and its impossible rules. If you regularly visit Detroit as I do you will see already transformations that seemed impossible just five years ago, and which bellie the government's incompetence and the rediculous attitudes of its voting majority. I believe that a significant fraction of subburbanites (black and white) have tired of waiting for Detroit to fix itself, and are moving in with their eyes open and determined to succeed despite the existing unneccessary obsticles.
In addition I think it is possible that some fraction of long-term Detroiters who don't move may start demanding lower taxes and school vouchers.
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