our view
Speak your mind
A New Day
Getting
from Point
A to Point B
C
ongratulations to all of those newly elected and reelected
into positions serving the City of Detroit. It is an under- By LaToya A. Henry
statement to say that individually and collectively you have
It’s 5 a.m. Your alarm goes
a daunting task before you. Nonetheless now is the time
off. You get showered, dressed,
to begin the process of leading Detroit into a new era.
grab something to eat and walk out the door. You head for the bus stop
For those newly elected to the City Council and the Charter
because you need to catch the 6 a.m. bus so you can be on time for
Commission, I hope that you are equipped with fresh ideas and
your job training program. You take three buses to get across town so
energy. The community deserves a spirit of optimism and hope.
that you can arrive by 7:30 a.m. You are in the program from 8 a.m.
Don’t underestimate the power of positive energy. Couple positive until 6 p.m. You take three buses back across town and hopefully make
energy with innovative ideals and it’s guaranteed you will help the it home by 8 p.m. You eat dinner and begin preparations for the next
city on its road to recovery. day to begin the cycle all over again.
It would also serve those newly elected to be students of his-
This may sound grim but it is a realistic scenario for many. Many
tory. There’s a saying that if you don’t know your history you are
who are trying to break the cycle of poverty and “pull themselves up by
bound to repeat it. Those who are serving on the Charter Commis-
their bootstraps.” Poverty continues to grip the City of Detroit with an
sion know what was proposed by previous commissions. Newly
unemployment rate three times the national average. How do we end
elected City Council members learn the good and the bad of past this vicious cycle of poverty that reaches its tentacles into our educa-
council service – proposals that were brought before them, budgets tional system and spurs the growth of crime?
Register to win
approved or not approved, committees that succeeded or did not.
“Poverty is everybody’s issue,” says Dr. John Sase, a professor in
What you will glean from this is that there are lessons to be learned
the Economics Department at Wayne State University. According to
from success as well as failure. It will help you along this journey.
Dr. Sase, Detroit is a city that has “pockets of poverty.” These pockets
And as you are on this journey to help right the course for our
of poverty are created by barriers that act like rivers that are impossible
concert and
city, never forget those who put you in office. Respect their vote
to cross, therefore creating isolation.
and remember you are a public servant. You have been elected
What can develop in pockets of poverty? Nothing. And those who
to serve the people and represent them in the best way possible.
live in those pockets of poverty have a harder time of breaking the cycle
These are not merely “jobs” or something to add to your curriculum
movie tickets and
of poverty in a city such as Detroit because of a lack of a real transit
vitae. This is about a commitment to the greater good for our city,
system. Not to make excuses, but how many of us would be willing to
the metropolitan Detroit region and the State of Michigan. Don’t be
ride three hours on a bus five days out of the week for a job or training
selfish. Compromise is definitely essential to have effective leader-
program that may help us make a little bit more than minimum wage? other prizes
ship in all levels of public service. Each one of you brings various
The scenario I described in the opening of this article isn’t hypothetical,
backgrounds and ideals to the table. Be open and receptive.
but real.
As each of you accept the challenge and the duty of working to
“Transportation affects your income. We need to bring education,
make Detroit great, think about the next generation. Work to leave
training and jobs to these pockets of poverty. And not just any job but
All you have to do to register
a great legacy for those who come after you. One way to do this
jobs that provide for sustainable living,” says Sase
is to make sure you involve younger people in this process. Train
Imagine what life would be like if we had a regional bus system
is send your email address to
them and prepare them to fill your shoes. We must make sure that
they are ready and prepared to take the reins because none of us
that could cut travel time in half for it’s daily travelers? Imagine a light
rail system that could swiftly move riders from downtown to the airport
us at
will be here forever.
or from northwest Detroit to Novi. Imagine those with sustainable in-
On Nov. 3, 2009 voters in the City of Detroit entrusted you with
comes owning their homes, paying property taxes, property taxes fund- info@frontpageconnect.com
the wonderful opportunity to do something great. Accept that chal-
ing a school system that provides a top-notch education that turns out
lenge and promise to use your head and heart to guide this city into
high-caliber students who go on to college locally and throughout the
a new day.
and your address will
country who in turn become productive citizens as well. Imagine what
Karen Love
could happen if we had a real mass transit system in Detroit. It may not
Publisher
automatically be entered for a
completely eradicate poverty but it is a good start.
chance to win in all upcoming
ComiC ConneCtion
MFP giveaways.
The Michigan FrontPage • November 13, 2009 5
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