Driving Through Detroit's Worst Hood - Any Leftists Want To Defend This Sad Truth?

[Derec]

but I watch it and think "that's just a typical night."

Well, that's the problem. It is the TYPICAL night. Not a yearly block party, but something that goes on on work- and school night, keeping their neighbors from sleeping.

People are out in the street socializing, playing music, and dancing.

There is a time and place for that. Loud music in a residential neighborhood in the middle of the night should not be a "typical night" as you put it.

What's the terrible crime being perpetrated on this video? Nothing as far as I can see.

Maybe not a "terrible crime" (more like misdemeanors) but a societal dysfunction. In a less ghettoey neighborhood neighbors would call police for loud music, blocking the road etc.

Do us all a favor and shut the fuck up about things you know nothing about.

I don't know about Halfie, but I would be majorly pissed off if a "typical night" for my neighbors consisted of milling in the middle of the street and blasting music at wee hours of the night when I am trying to sleep.
That is not even a race issue for me. I am sure many of the black residents of these neighborhoods moved away because of their shitty, inconsiderate neighbors and many more would love to if they could afford to move.

 

[marc]

So how would this scenario be improved by right-wing politics?
A tiny elite, small middle class and huge, impoverished minority supporting them is exactly what you'd expect from neoliberal, right-wing politics.

And yet, Detroit and its surroundings have been Democrat for generations (though maybe not Oakland county).

And are basically powerless because a Republican governor instituted an ‘Emergency Manager’ with ability to override anything the local government tried to do for years.

 

[Trausti]

So how would this scenario be improved by right-wing politics?
A tiny elite, small middle class and huge, impoverished minority supporting them is exactly what you'd expect from neoliberal, right-wing politics.

And yet, Detroit and its surroundings have been Democrat for generations (though maybe not Oakland county).

And are basically powerless because a Republican governor instituted an ‘Emergency Manager’ with ability to override anything the local government tried to do for years.

Like what? As someone who used to live in that area, specifics would be helpful.

 

[Half-Life]

Looks to me like a bunch of people saving a dime by enjoying a warm summer's weekend night with music from the car radio and store bought drinks instead of spending a shit ton on clubs.

Anything else you see is about you, not them.

For all you know, they're spending the savings on books and evening courses.

You don't get it, do you?

The guy who made that video goes to different hoods all over the U.S. He has tons of videos of them. That's his whole channel. You can watch many more videos and all see they do the same things in the ghettos. So no, it's not just them having a nice party.

Next thing you'll tell me is that Skid Row in Los Angeles is just a big nice wholesome party that's been going on for decades. You realize on Skid Row Democrats hand out free needles to drug users so they can keep using, right? This is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life.

Then when white people move into these areas and make them better through gentrification and crime goes away, the blacks say it's not fair. Don't you think it's stupid how people thinking cleaning up crime and making an area better is a bad thing?

 

[laughing dog]

Well, that's the problem. It is the TYPICAL night.

Honestly, how in the world would you know that for a fact?

 

[Jokodo]

Looks to me like a bunch of people saving a dime by enjoying a warm summer's weekend night with music from the car radio and store bought drinks instead of spending a shit ton on clubs.

Anything else you see is about you, not them.

For all you know, they're spending the savings on books and evening courses.

You don't get it, do you?

The guy who made that video goes to different hoods all over the U.S. He has tons of videos of them. That's his whole channel. You can watch many more videos and all see they do the same things in the ghettos. So no, it's not just them having a nice party.

Next thing you'll tell me is that Skid Row in Los Angeles is just a big nice wholesome party that's been going on for decades. You realize on Skid Row Democrats hand out free needles to drug users so they can keep using, right? This is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life.

Drug addicts will keep using drugs if they don't have free needles, using whatever tossed away needle they can find. That's why they're called addicts. Which creates the problem that they end up infecting themselves with all kind of nasty things, no not giving them needles is no solution at all.

Unless you think the best way to solve the drug problem is by having junkies die off as fast as possible. If that is so, I want you to say it out loud.

 

[Patooka]

You don't get it, do you?

Pretty certain everybody gets what you are tip-toeing around.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Oh hell. I may be getting a job offer for a job somewhat north of Detroit. I need to get out of California, this state is spiraling. I wouldn't have picked Michigan, but at least it is in a place that is greener and less expensive.

But as I look at stats on cities in Michigan, I see it is very varied from town to town. Real estate in Detroit is absurdly cheap for obvious reasons, but I'm not going there. There's a reason it is so cheap. Major metropolitan areas are supposed to have expensive real estate because everyone wants to live there. Here near Los Angeles we say "drive until you qualify" as how to know where to buy. Crime rates vary significantly between cities. It is hard to believe that Sterling Heights and Pontiac are actually fairly close to each other.

 

[Half-Life]

Looks to me like a bunch of people saving a dime by enjoying a warm summer's weekend night with music from the car radio and store bought drinks instead of spending a shit ton on clubs.

Anything else you see is about you, not them.

For all you know, they're spending the savings on books and evening courses.

You don't get it, do you?

The guy who made that video goes to different hoods all over the U.S. He has tons of videos of them. That's his whole channel. You can watch many more videos and all see they do the same things in the ghettos. So no, it's not just them having a nice party.

Next thing you'll tell me is that Skid Row in Los Angeles is just a big nice wholesome party that's been going on for decades. You realize on Skid Row Democrats hand out free needles to drug users so they can keep using, right? This is about the dumbest thing I have ever heard in my life.

Drug addicts will keep using drugs if they don't have free needles, using whatever tossed away needle they can find. That's why they're called addicts. Which creates the problem that they end up infecting themselves with all kind of nasty things, no not giving them needles is no solution at all.

Unless you think the best way to solve the drug problem is by having junkies die off as fast as possible. If that is so, I want you to say it out loud.

And giving them free needles just keeps encouraging them to use drugs. If they stopped giving them needles, they would be forced to make a choice to keep living that lifestyle.

This is like saying the solution for people to stop smoking is to give them free cartons of cigarettes.

 

[Derec]

And are basically powerless because a Republican governor instituted an ‘Emergency Manager’ with ability to override anything the local government tried to do for years.

The Emergency Manager was instituted because the local authorities made a dog's breakfast out of running the city for decades and basically ruined the city.
But, there is good news! According to Ford, Detroit has been on the rebound for years. Coincidence of fruits of the Emergency Manager tenure?

 

[Derec]

Well, that's the problem. It is the TYPICAL night.

Honestly, how in the world would you know that for a fact?

I don't. But can't you read? I was directly responding to Ford, who has lived in Detroit and supposedly knows these neighborhoods, and I took him at his word. Take it up with him if you disbelieve the claim, as it was he who made it.

 

[Patooka]

And giving them free needles just keeps encouraging them to use drugs. If they stopped giving them needles, they would be forced to make a choice to keep living that lifestyle.

This is like saying the solution for people to stop smoking is to give them free cartons of cigarettes.

No, it would be like giving smokers ashtrays, which no one has a problem with. You might actually want to do some research about the benefits of a needle exchange before you spout nonsensical crap. Start here. Then go here. And finish off with this

 

[Toni]

The moving vehicle kept moving, so how were those public streets "blocked"?

I used to drive home from that area over 30 years ago. Whenever there were people in the street, they always moved out of the way - even at night.

Even granting that, it's pretty trivial. But then again, you're talking with a person who wanted teenagers arrested for walking too slowly across the street. Not admonished, mind you, or ordered to speed up, but arrested. His attitude borders on lunacy.

Borders?

 

[Derec]

There is no context. You don't even know whether this is 2 am or 9pm.

I took the 3am form the link Trausti posted.

Not exactly surprising that you would say that, but more telling about you than anyone else.

You see everything through the lens of race, so you obviously yet mistakenly think I was referring to race. No, I was referring to behavior. Big difference. I am sure they have black neighbors (those who actually spend their money on books and not aftermarket car speakers) who are pissed off at this behavior too.

 

[Derec]

This whole thread is racist.

Is there anything in the world you don't think is racist?

 

[Toni]

So, folks are supposed to be huddled in front of screens, vegging out to whatever idiocy is on the tube or swallowing whatever the latest conspiracy theories can be found on the 'nets, like their white(r) brethren? That breeds such good social skills and really moves political discourse forward.


Or maybe they should all pile their belongings into the van and go camping down by the river or out in the woods where, guess what? People play music and laugh and talk and dance and make noise that bothers their neighbors who are other campers or wildlife.

Of course if those activities are carried out by white folks, then they are good. Put a brown skinned person behind any activity and it is bad, bad, bad, bad.
And dangerous! How dare those people not be working 20 hrs/day!

 

[Derec]

Middle Class Blacks v. Underclass Blacks: Detroit

This just shows that it's NOT a racial issue, as much as the likes of Jokodo want to make it that. It's not even an income issue, as there are plenty of people living in $100k houses or who are renting who know how to behave. No, the issue is that of (sub)culture.

 

[Toni]

Middle Class Blacks v. Underclass Blacks: Detroit

This just shows that it's NOT a racial issue, as much as the likes of Jokodo want to make it that. It's not even an income issue, as there are plenty of people living in $100k houses or who are renting who know how to behave. No, the issue is that of (sub)culture.

It may surprise you but playing music and dancing are desirable social activities. It's a shock to those who spend their lives hidden behind screens in their mother's or grandmothers' basements but it's true. I mean, people make a lot of money making and playing music and dancing. Get this: with their clothes on!

Because let's face it, Derec, if there were images of women dancing topless or nude or nearly nude, you'd be all for it.

 

[Derec]

So, folks are supposed to be huddled in front of screens, vegging out to whatever idiocy is on the tube or swallowing whatever the latest conspiracy theories can be found on the 'nets, like their white(r) brethren? That breeds such good social skills and really moves political discourse forward.

*sigh* who said anything about conspiracy theories and such? But for sure, socializing is less disturbing to outsiders if done indoors.
This reminds me a little of that book "On the Run". The author (a white woman) become "embedded" into an inner city Baltimore neighborhood. She spends most of her time with bangers she gives fake names like "Chuck" and "Mike" who hang out on the street all the time when not in jail. But she also spend some time with another group of young black people a few blocks away, who went to work, played video games, hung around indoors and avoided trouble with the law.

Lamar’s friends were roughly the same age as Mike and Chuck, and they, too, hung out together as a unit—but they had no dealings with the police or the courts and, from what I could tell, very few connections with others who did. They had legal jobs: security guard, maintenance man, and convenience store clerk; jobs with uniforms and IDs and the formal paychecks large companies print out. When they lost those jobs, they relied on the generosity of friends and family rather than seeking income in the streets.
These young men drank beer instead of smoking pot; many of them had monthly or random piss tests at their jobs. And rather than shoot the shit on the back steps or in the alleyway, they spent their leisure time playing video games indoors. They didn’t need thermal wear or heavy boots in the winter, because their houses were well heated and they spent very little time outside.
As Lamar and his friends parked their cars and made their way toward the house every evening, they passed another group of guys in hoodies and black jeans standing on the corner. They didn’t talk to these men, exchanging only a slight nod as they passed. I imagined that these young men were much like the ones I had gotten to know around 6th Street: caught up in the police and the courts, and likely selling drugs hand to hand.

Or maybe they should all pile their belongings into the van and go camping down by the river or out in the woods where, guess what? People play music and laugh and talk and dance and make noise that bothers their neighbors who are other campers or wildlife.

Obviously nobody should play music so loud it bothers neighbors. But you can get more leeway out in the country than in a densely populated neighborhood. Just like you can be louder if you live in a detached house vs. apartment. And where do you get the idea that only white people make riverbank outings or go camping?

Of course if those activities are carried out by white folks, then they are good. Put a brown skinned person behind any activity and it is bad, bad, bad, bad.

WRONG!

And dangerous! How dare those people not be working 20 hrs/day!

You think most of the people on that video work even 20 h/week? At least in "legal jobs" as Goffman calls them.

 

[laughing dog]

You think most of the people on that video work even 20 h/week? At least in "legal jobs" as Goffman calls them.

Wow.