Photo Credit - Washington Times
A sign symbolizing entry into Detroit City Limits
Originally Published on
Independent Underground News & Talk
Food for Thought-December 5, 2013
"This story could be viewed as a rant or a litany of complaints. Frankly, my dear in the words of Scarlett O' Hara from Gone with the Wind, 'We Don't Give a Damn'.
The truth will be told for all deciding to read the following words expressed on this blog. If the words reach deeps of your soul share. If not, refer to the "X" at the top of any web browser window and close the page.
It starts with a iconic march. Historical in the sense this march as left thousand of innocent victims in its' wake. Elders, middle aged and young alike set to suffer a substandard way of life in the cruel, unfeeling world.
In Downtown to the left of the Coleman A. Young municipal building, stands a iconic statue symbolizing the Spirit of Detroit. A quick turn right, one observes a fist representing prized hometown fighter, Joe Louis Barrow.
Another fighter lives within the gritty Midwestern City dubbed a Motown, in memory of music greats who filled America's ears with tunes of joy, happiest, love, reflection, struggle and perseverance. This fighter name is Tom Barrow, relative of Joe Louis mentioned above.
The Fall of America's City - Detroit
Once the engine that made America run, Detroit today is looked upon as a City of ruin, despair, regents and profit. From the outside looking in, many will question what is profitable about Detroit after U.S. Federal Judge Steven Rhodes on December 2 declared the City is Bankrupt.
The water, land, arts and assets.
Assets: A Wealth of Turn of the Century Historical Housing, the only fully functional island park location from a international border with Belle Isle.
Land: 138 Square Miles granting Detroit the largest amount populated land space in Michigan.
Water: The Detroit River connects to two out of five Michigan Great Lakes, providing a large portion water to Southeastern Michigan communities.
Art: The Detroit Institute of Arts contains historical works treasured across the World.
Detroit is a Chocolate City. Up to 80 percent African-American. Mixed with university degreed, high school graduates, college drop outs as well as others feeling the rigors of high school could be overcome by being lucky to obtain a job with one of the 'Big Three'.
During the late 1960's, 1970's and early 1980's Detroit experienced an systematic hemorrhaging widely known as White Flight. Initially blamed on the 1967 riots, Detroit's Caucasian populace moved to suburban enclaves in than density populated neighboring countries of Oakland, Macomb or Washtenaw. Still angry at Detroit and its' budding African-American residents for making "them" leave 'their' homes, churches, businesses and community.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of the word leave is "to go away from: Desert, Depart, Abandon". Implying a free will choice was made, precipitating in a certain action. Detroit owes those who left its' abundance nothing. Yet, similar to vultures circling over a next meal, Detroit is ripe to fulfill profit orientated dreams of some. But not without a regentrification of the undesirables first.
A Philosopher Warned This Day Would Come
Philosophers' words are frequency rejected. A famous line from the movie A Few Good Men fits best, "You can't handle the truth". You, being Detroit's populace disconnected to the day-to-day financial affairs its' takes to operate a City with an international border.
Or others filled with so much education, they choose to disassociate from brothers and sisters still experiencing struggle; with hopes to conjoint with America's iconic vision of the White fence, large home, robust bank accounts, a dog, two kids and a spouse symbolized in the Saturday Morning Post.
Americans are generally obedient, docile individuals with an inherent need to fit into the crowd. Not buck the trend. Believe everything they read, hear or learn from sources of so-called authority.
The media pays a key role in keeping the crowd inline with the narrative. Especially when it came to reciting Detroit's past and prediction a 'vision' for the City's future. A fallen rising star, former African-American Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was made into the cartoonish figure of the Grinch who stole Christmases past from Detroit's residents by stifling revenue for personal gain. In fact, every African-American Mayor in Detroit the last 40 years was threw under the bus of Kwame K.
Thus, it makes sense when native Son, C.P.A. Tom Barrow told Detroiters the vultures were coming -- back, the media did their best to compare this Philosopher to an title of a famous Aesop's Fables -- 'The Boy Who Cried Wolf'. But, in reality, Tom Barrow was right on nearly everything, which would be the fate of America's Chocolate City.
It Takes Work To Ruin A Great American City
Ruining the fabric of a Great American City is not easy. Especially America's Chocolate City. To do so, a heart and its' beats must be ripped out of the chest, stepped on, burned and threw into a nearby river.
This is not an easy task. First, a populace must turn against itself. In Detroit's case, when local media resources made the young African-American Mayor out to be a modern day version of Al Capone, the initial game plan of 'takeover' plan, new millennium style began.
Next, Detroit's people were made to feel inferior to other residents of the state of Michigan. Detroiters could not run its' schools, public transportation, parks, housing, elections, financial affairs or government, without the prudent oversight of State Government. Specifically, oversight of an Emergency Manager granting contracts laced with sweet candy canes of revenue to expert "consultants" from everywhere, except Detroit.
Detroit's current Mayor Dave Bing literally gave up, or maybe that was the plan all along. Many residents turned against themselves. Others searched far, low, high and wide from outside of Motown for a magical new gen business leader to save the municipality, day. As long as the new leader did not resemble in shape, color or style former Mayor Kilpatrick or any of the City's Chief Executives for the last 40 years; everything would be alright.
The City's 2013 primary and general election was turned into a circus sideshow. While the ultimate winner engaged in festivities similar to a Victory Is Mines celebration, many continue to swear on a stack of Bibles the outcome was predetermined.
The self-esteem of Detroit's People and America's Chocolate City afterwards, was effectively, destroyed.
Back to the Philosopher, Vilified By Some, A True Hero to Others
Photo Credit - Tom Barrow
Detroit Based C.P.A. and Owner of Barrow
& Aldridge Accounting Firm, Tom Barrow
C.P.A. Tom Barrow is Detroit's Philosopher. Barrow warned City residents about the financial scheme to drive Motown on a one-way trip to a U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Court in March of 2013.
African-American owned and operated Michigan Citizen newspaper detailed a March 4, 2013 meeting between C.P.A. Barrow, former State Treasurer Andy Dillon and Councilwoman JoAnn Watson as followed in a staff report.
"On March 4, days after Gov. Rick Snyder declared a financial emergency in the city of Detroit, Michigan State Treasurer Andy Dillon, acting on behalf of Gov. Snyder, summoned each member of the Detroit City Council to one-on-one private meetings.
Councilmember JoAnn Watson enlisted Citizens for Detroit’s Future President Tom Barrow, CPA, to accompany her.
According to a statement released by Barrow, the two were greeted by Dillon, who proceeded to explain that the purpose of the meeting was to seek Watson’s support for an EFM for Detroit. Watson was asked to name four “sacred” things she would not want an EFM “to touch” in return for her cooperation.
Watson instead asked for the money owed to the city of Detroit by the state under an agreement between the Archer Administration and then-Gov. John Engler — an agreement Dillon called “not enforceable.”
According to the release, Dillon indicated that Detroit will have an EFM, regardless of any appeal. Barrow and Watson were told the purpose of the EFM was to cut the city’s future health and pension costs. Further, they were told an EFM would likely outsource the city’s transportation (DDOT) and lighting departments (Public Lighting).
Barrow says he left the meeting convinced, more than ever, that by misusing accounting rules and using flawed reasoning, the “financial emergency” is contrived so as to enable an appointed Detroit EFM to privatize the city’s bus system; to privatize the city’s public lighting system; to bust the city’s unions by privatizing clear city functions and thereby lay-off Detroit’s work force under the guise of right-sizing."
As preparation for Barrow's March 4 meeting with Watson and Dillon, Barrow exclusively informed Independent Underground Radio LIVE on March 12, he reviewed Detroit's Financial Statements. Upon review, in Barrow expert opinion as the owner of Barrow & Aldridge -- the largest African-American owned accountant firm in Detroit-- the City could have been saved from an Emergency Manager appointed with a core mission to drive Detroit into bankruptcy court.
Tom Barrow warned his People, Detroiters of what was to come. Some residents listened, while others practiced see a version of no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil; dismissing the evil which would fall upon this once Great American Chocolate City.
In a iconic twist built upon dismissing Detroit residents yet again, national media resources are following the lead set first, by local information resources for months on end. Promoting a newly acclaimed Philosopher, aformer investment banker from Goldman Sachs, as the sole authority of all things financial from Detroit.
Again, nothing can be further from the truth.
Detroit Can Rise From The Ashes: With Detroit Residents Creating The Cure
The ills infesting America's Great Chocolate City of late, can only be cured by City Residents who have for decades ate, breathed and heart continues to beat for Detroit. Stand up Detroiters, join together instead of against each other, bonding in a sheer determination to fight to rightfully correct the City's future path.
As we close this article, we're reminded of a famous Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2013 inductee memorable lyrics in a song, from the 1990's album ' Fear of a Black Planet'. These words are speaking, loudly to each and every Detroit Resident in Michigan or elsewhere -- waiting on YOU to listen and learn.
"Don't believe the hype - its a sequel, As an equal, can I get this through to you," Public Enemy.