Speaker after speaker in Detroit talks about how Detroit was “Screwed the worst” and the vote was to begin Detroit’s occupation on October 14, 2011.
As some of you know, I was born in Detroit, raised and schooled in Michigan. I can freely admit that the Massachusetts culture, even after more than 20 years, leaves me feeling like a stranger in a strange land. For example, in Michigan in 1978 anyone could walk into any court house, use a terminal, key in the name of an attorney or plaintiff, and see an active list of all active cases statewide. And despite their financial challenges, that has only improved.
Michigan doesn’t claim to be the “Hub” of the world, nor does Detroit claim to be the Athens of America – we shall see if in Detroit peaceful, nonviolent economic protestors are thrown to the ground, dragged, hit with night sticks without resisting. As we all know too well, in Boston all those things happened last night at the order of Mayor Menino, a putative Democrat who appears to support Senator Scott Brown.
Massachusetts – you are not better than any other state, not wiser, not truly liberal. Many of your Democrats would vote down the Bill of Rights, support the worst and most predatory forms of gambling, and are such elitists that public higher education in Massachusetts is 45th of the 50 states – the educational dynasties allow the elite schools to suck all the oxygen from post-secondary education. Result? 80,000+ plus unfilled jobs because guess what – you don’t train most of the skilled workers needed at HARVARD, or HOLY CROSS and virtual drum roll the education at these private schools is not “superior” in many fields to UMASS Lowell, or even the wonderful programs at Middlesex Community College.
So, anyway, I will be watching the birth and evolution of Occupy Detroit as I have Occupy Boston. And I no longer see Massachusetts as, honestly, “progressive”.
