The French Ghetto - Future of Detroit?

[Business_Casual]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60010D20100101

Does anyone think it will be long until the same sort of suburban rioting becomes a fixture in Detroit? What characteristic of these suburbs did the story leave out? Perhaps the immigration and religous affiliation of the "youths" in those areas?

Is this our future too?

M_P

[Safetyhit]

I like how the one quote from a ministry official states: ""The few disturbances that did take place were brought swiftly under control". He considers over 1,100 burned and destroyed cars a minor incident? Impossible to fathom.

Makes Saddam's ass who tried to spin the bombs landing behind him look good.

[variablebinary]

Lots of guns in Detroit. Makes it a little harder for rampagers to rampage

[Left Sig]

Have you been to Detroit? It's already been rotting for decades, ever since the '68 riots.

In 1994 when I had first moved there, 160+ houses were torched on Halloween. Happened every year, but usually they were abandoned houses. Not much was done about it. There are buildings downtown that have been abandoned for decades - like the high rise at the old train station that looks like a scene from some post-apocalyptic movie.

When I move there I learned about the large muslim population in east Dearborn and west Detroit. I couldn't understand why of all places in the US they chose to move to Detroit? Then I realized it must be like home - it reminded them of bombed out Beirut.

The Muslim population didn't seem to cause much trouble, though. They ran all the gas stations and convenience stores, but sometimes I sensed a seething contempt from them as I paid for my purchases.

We had a couple of issues, though:

My wife worked at the Dearborn Town Center mall and arab men with Burka wearing wives 10 paces behind used to hit on her. Telling them she was married didn't do any good, as they were clearly married too, and didn't care.

The local health club she joined was segregated (they all were) - women only days, and men only days to avoid mixing the muslims together. That's right, de facto sharia practices because businesses catered to muslim wishes and ignored non-muslims.

Bottom line, Detroit is already like the article, but not because of the muslims. It was already that way before they got there.

[Submariner]

I like how the one quote from a ministry official states: ""The few disturbances that did take place were brought swiftly under control". He considers over 1,100 burned and destroyed cars a minor incident? Impossible to fathom.

Makes Saddam's ass who tried to spin the bombs landing behind him look good.

Typical bureaucrat who transcends all borders.

[Safetyhit]

Typical bureaucrat who transcends all borders.

That's him alright.


Strange, it's hard not to kind of like the guy for some reason. I essentially pitied him at the time if I recall correctly.

[woodandsteel]

Typical bureaucrat who transcends all borders.

I always wondered what happened to Bob.

I guess he is alive and well; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baghdad_Bob#Post-war_life

As far as Detroit is concerned, I don't know. I'm just glad I don't live there.

[RogerinTPA]

When I left there in the mid 80's after growing up there, inner city, the place was turning into Beirut, with all the abandon buildings downtown and in the neighborhoods. The annual "Devil's Night", the night before Halloween, has been ongoing for decades. I'd visit once a year to visit family while on leave, and to witness the steady decline over the years. I recently visited some relatives, back in Aug, after about 10 years, and was pleasantly surprised at the urban development that has taken place in the downtown area. Most, if not all of the abandon buildings are gone, replaced buy new, or renovated, 2 stadiums have been built for the Lions and Tigers. The place looked very pleasant after attending one of the "Ethnic" Festivals (I think it was the Italian festival that weekend) on the river front and walking around the area. I still wouldn't move back there and was glad I had my pistol and several mags on me when I was there. You can still buy homes for 10 grand in under, if that's any consolation.

[Lumpy196]

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60010D20100101

Does anyone think it will be long until the same sort of suburban rioting becomes a fixture in Detroit?

No offense, but I don't get the connection between Detroit and that article at all (which really says nothing other than a lot of cars got burned in France).

Detroit has been in a steep decline for almost a half a century now. Its had major rioting several times in the last century. Burnt cars? Ever heard of Devil's Night? Its incredibly violent, socially and economically devastated, and it's been that way for a while. The only way for it become more Thunderdome is if someone decided to throw a wall up around it and abandon it to itself.

[Gewehr3]

Detroit doesn't even have a Wal Mart within city limits!