  Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1332 Registered: 04-2005 |
Since the Miss Coleman thread has generated so many comments and information/mis-information,here is another Gem. From Coleman's 1974 inauguration speech. http://www.waltermediaworks.co m/Special/Hit8Mile.mov I love the Superfly Suit line. (Message edited by PSIP on December 22, 2006) | ||
Fishtoes2000 Member Username: Fishtoes2000 Post Number: 153 Registered: 06-2005 |
I believe that's Senator Levin seated on the Mayor's right, with hair and without reading glasses. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1333 Registered: 04-2005 |
Yep, thats him alright, when he was President of City Council. | ||
Focusonthed Member Username: Focusonthed Post Number: 720 Registered: 02-2006 |
It's funny how if you close your eyes, that speech is just as relevant today. Every goal he touched on is unaccomplished in the 33 years since. | ||
Chub Member Username: Chub Post Number: 450 Registered: 11-2003 |
Great point Focusonthed. | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 3329 Registered: 08-2004 |
Psip... why are you digging this up... This thread will end up like the other shout fest and help turn it the Discuss Detroit Forum into the trashy Non-Detroit Issues Forum with people shouting at each other. You remind me of myself and my buddy as a kid... when we were growing up in the far east side... if either my buddy or I were being yelled at by either of our fathers, all we had to do was change the subject to CAY or the People Mover, and that would send our fathers into a tirade talking about "that G** Damn Son Of a B****" and then we wouldn't be in trouble any more. And sometimes we would just do it to get a rise out of our fathers... Your just trying to push peoples buttons!! | ||
Lowell Board Administrator Username: Lowell Post Number: 3466 Registered: 10-2003 |
'Hit 8 Mile Road' has to be the most misunderstood phrase in Detroit history. How it ever got spun away from an old west style analogy warning to criminals and into "we're sending crime to the suburbs" and in even some instances "non-Afro-Americans get out of town" astounds me to this day. I heard the speech live on TV when he made it and took it to be an optimistic and upbeat message of moving the city forward. | ||
E_hemingway Member Username: E_hemingway Post Number: 1007 Registered: 11-2004 |
Notice after CAY says the "Hit 8 Mile" line and the mostly African American crowd stands up to applaud, the white police officer nearest the crowd takes a few precautionary steps forward and appears to put his hand on his gun. However, I think it's because someone is starting to climb onto the stage. | ||
Goat Member Username: Goat Post Number: 9080 Registered: 10-2003 |
Too bad it didn't mean squat for most criminals as Detroit's crime continued to escalate. But the positive spin is that at least the gangs were decimated and only recently have there been a resurgence. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1334 Registered: 04-2005 |
Gistok, I believe this forum is a place to share information and views. You are correct that it sometimes brings out the frustration with some people. When you see and hear the actual words, I think the misconceptions are put to rest. (Message edited by PSIP on December 22, 2006) | ||
Dnvn522 Member Username: Dnvn522 Post Number: 169 Registered: 11-2004 |
Speaking of Superfly...did ya catch the hat in the audience?  | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1335 Registered: 04-2005 |
Good catch Dnvn! I will see if I can get a better pix | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1336 Registered: 04-2005 |
Mary Ann, Billy Rogell and Nick Hood  | ||
Udmphikapbob Member Username: Udmphikapbob Post Number: 251 Registered: 07-2004 |
Dear Mayor and Council 2007: We must first DO for ourselves...yes, we will demand our share of revenue, from Washington and from Lansing...but the job begins here and now with us. Ladies and gentlemen, the time for rhetoric is passed...the time for working is here...the time for moving ahead is upon us. Signed, Ghost of Coleman Young | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 3333 Registered: 08-2004 |
No problem Psip... You have to admit, I manipulated the controversy of CAY (and the DPM) to great effect as a kid though!  | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1337 Registered: 04-2005 |
Diversionary tactics work! | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1338 Registered: 04-2005 |
Carl Levin  | ||
Naturalsister Member Username: Naturalsister Post Number: 870 Registered: 11-2004 |
Quote: " 'Hit 8 Mile Road' has to be the most misunderstood phrase in Detroit history. How it ever got spun away from an old west style analogy warning to criminals and into "we're sending crime to the suburbs" and in even some instances "non-Afro-Americans get out of town" astounds me to this day. I heard the speech live on TV when he made it and took it to be an optimistic and upbeat message of moving the city forward. " Good point Lowell, although I believe few get it. later - naturalsister | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 601 Registered: 04-2006 |
All these knuckleheads can do is make fun of the clothes! None of them were around during the Young years and preface their opinion with, my "family told me" or, "Racist!". GIstok sounds like the East Side Detroitplanner. My grandfather wanted to 'punch that Coleman in the nose'. I never got it then, nor do I understand this now. Yes there were some whoppers involving his staff back then. How is that any different than what we saw under Archer (remember his sons and Pulte buldozing the neighborhood by Sindbads, or wrecking rivertown, or not picking Barden for a casino (A RESIDENT with casino ownership!)?), or the Kwame factor. Detroit is not the only town where this goes on either, even Dick Daley II has his scandals. It is not the man, I doubt Coleman was out for the bling, he was elected in hopes to change the city marred from the riots. I am sure he had nothing but love for the City. (Message edited by Detroitplanner on December 22, 2006) | ||
Jelk Member Username: Jelk Post Number: 4132 Registered: 10-2003 |
Just not the residents of Poletown. | ||
Detroitplanner Member Username: Detroitplanner Post Number: 603 Registered: 04-2006 |
Jelk BURN! I personally think the location of that plant had everything to do with the GM HQ being only a couple miles away. Realistically we have to ask do the ends justify the means. Did the tearing up of the neighborhood to replace Clark street have any long-term benefits to the City of Detroit? Jobs were saved, but population dropped! It kept the plant from being built in some outer suburb or even some other state, but the city sold the farm to buy the pig. I'd have to say that massive projects like the Poletown Plant and Jefferson Assembly may wind up being boondoggles, but we had to appease our largest employers, they really had Detroit over a barrel. | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5324 Registered: 02-2004 |
Coleman's quote on hitting 8 Mile Rd. was his codespeak for "Get out of Detroit Honkies! We Blacks are taking over for now on." That quote really hurt not only the White suburbanites bt also White Detroiters,too. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1339 Registered: 04-2005 |
Danny, did you listen to the clip?? | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5325 Registered: 02-2004 |
Psip, I read Coleman's "Hit 8 Mile" speech in the Detroit Almanac. | ||
Psip Member Username: Psip Post Number: 1340 Registered: 04-2005 |
Sorry, I really don't believe that was his code speak, when listening to the above clip, he is clearly talking to the hoodlums. Your interpretation is folklore. | ||
East_detroit Member Username: East_detroit Post Number: 878 Registered: 11-2003 |
"...dope pushers.... hit 8 Mile Road..." Or I-275! | ||
Zephyrprocess Member Username: Zephyrprocess Post Number: 186 Registered: 08-2006 |
Yes, everyone who had the least ear for 1974 codespeak knew that "all dope pushers, all rip-off artists, all muggers" was the black person's way of saying "Whitey." Actually, Coleman was the first person about whom they told the "Hit the floor" story: http://www.snopes.com/racial/m istaken/hitfloor.asp | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 5327 Registered: 02-2004 |
Psip, The hoodlums that Coleman Young was talking about are those who have white skin, blond hair and blue eyes. Remember this Coleman Young had lived through racial times he was just using codespeak, the word that doesn't exist in the 1970s but it exists in a newspeak terms. PLEASE STICK WITH THE NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH TECHNiQUE. | ||
Erikto Member Username: Erikto Post Number: 495 Registered: 11-2003 |
Is that what is currently known as 'truthiness'? | ||
Milwaukee Member Username: Milwaukee Post Number: 498 Registered: 08-2006 |
I just reading Our kind of people. They had a chapter on Detroit, it was an ok book. After reading that and watching this, Coleman Young appears to be a racist asshole, no different than a southern governor from the 60's and earlier. He seems like the worst possible person to lead Detroit through a time of decline. He alienated whites and upper class blacks. I feel like driving to Detroit to find his grave and take a giant piss on it. |
