Discuss Detroit » Archives - Beginning July 2006 » 2007 events to mark 1967 Detroit riot/spark movement for change « Previous Next »
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Kathleen
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Username: Kathleen

Post Number: 1358
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.122.57
Posted on Friday, June 09, 2006 - 11:39 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Surprised to see that this has not yet been posted....

Salvation Army teams with community leaders for events to mark 40th anniversary of city riots.

"Thousands of Detroit children snapping pictures of human kindness, 40 days of prayer and a free concert at Ford Field next year are among events planned to mark the 40th anniversary of the Detroit riots and, organizers hope, spark a movement for change in the community.

"We've had enough. We've seen enough. It's time for change," said Michael Fezzey, co-chair of the group planning the July 27, 2007, concert. "The systems and structures in place aren't enough. What needs to happen is a change of heart. This is about making systematic change in our communities."
...
...the Salvation Army of Southeastern Michigan has banded with other community leaders to plan a series of events, the highlight of which will be a free concert.

So far Stevie Wonder has been confirmed, along with gospel singer Kirk Franklin. The group is working to get Bono from U2, Anita Baker, Alicia Keys and appearances by Oprah Winfrey and Rick Warren, author of "The Purpose-Driven Life."

The concert is expected to be a catalyst for motivating local residents to look inward and take daily steps to make the community a better place. For instance, mowing the lawn of an elderly neighbor or taking the time to introduce a child to a career mentor. ..."

Full article at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20060609/M ETRO/606090366&SearchID=732471 84818187
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 514
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 12.47.224.8
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 2:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This looks to be a big positive for the region. I hope leaders from the suburbs as well as the city get involved in the events. The riots had a negative impact on the entire region and the whole region still needs to heal the scars.

Oh and Stevie Wonder should be off the hook! If he can't bring people to together I don't know who can!
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River_rat
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Username: River_rat

Post Number: 139
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 71.126.172.11
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 5:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

This must be some kind of joke. If you lived at Mack and Beaubien as I did in July, 1967 you want to forget the events of that time. How shall we commemorate the deaths, those who lost homes, the lawlessness and hate, the ultimate death of Detroit as a great city? How about we all get guns and shoot at one another?

There is no appropriate "festival" to mark the darkness of the riots of the late 60's, especially the ones in Detroit. Come off the catalyst for motivating local residents to look inward and take daily steps to make the community a better place rhetoric and mowing the lawn of an elderly neighbor or taking the time to introduce a child to a career mentor platitudinous jargon.

Do something useful and get a life. Dump the corrupt and inept politicians and imprison the crooks. Please ... cut the slogans and sweet nothings. Sounds like a passage from "Guys and Dolls"
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Goat
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Username: Goat

Post Number: 8549
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.53.96.182
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Great post River_rat. I agree, what is there to celebrate? People still talk about Detroit and the '67 riots as if it is still ongoing today. Yet L.A. has had more riots than Detroit and you don't hear the comparison between the two.
Let this event die a natural death.
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Hysteria
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Username: Hysteria

Post Number: 389
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 205.188.116.137
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:08 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I think it's a nice idea but these things could all be done with out commemorating the anniversary of the riots.
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 1727
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 70.141.183.102
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:26 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

^^agreed with Hysteria, but I'll go further.

It doesn't seem we're celebrating the riots by holding this event.

We are memorializing those that were lost in it, and if anything is being celebrated, it is the fact that we have come so far. More than anything, this seems to be something which could mend a lot of wounds, which we all should know this region still has.

History is real. Ya can't sweep it under the carpet. Just as we preserve our history through our monuments and historic buildings, so must we also remember major events, such that we learn from them. I'm sure this will garner some media attention, but the light will not be as negative as some of you might expect, since we are so far removed. More than anything this will promote some neccesary dialogue, thought, and awareness. It can't hurt.
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Lmichigan
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Username: Lmichigan

Post Number: 3856
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 24.11.154.56
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 6:48 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I have the sentiments of everyone else, here. Though, I think there could be a more appropriate way commermerate the event, but there is no way I'd ever want it to be a "celebration." Mackinaw hit it right on the head. This is history, and it would be irresponsible to try and hide or cover it up. But, a celebration is not a way to commemerate something so violent and divisive. There are ways to take back the day without trying to assualt in head-on by trying to change the event's meaning.
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Huggybear
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Username: Huggybear

Post Number: 227
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 68.79.113.90
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 7:34 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

We are memorializing those that were lost in it, and if anything is being celebrated, it is the fact that we have come so far. More than anything, this seems to be something which could mend a lot of wounds, which we all should know this region still has.


We haven't come that far. No cause to celebrate.
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River_rat
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Username: River_rat

Post Number: 140
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 71.126.172.11
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 8:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

How far have we come from 1967 to today? Our population, our financial base, our educational system, our legal processes, our crime...the media will have a field day at the expense of Detroit. Wake up, this is NOT an anniversary to commemorate in any way. As I said earlier, this has to be a joke!
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Dillpicklesoup
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Username: Dillpicklesoup

Post Number: 46
Registered: 05-2006
Posted From: 64.7.187.144
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 9:49 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The Poor, old "D" has been doing nada since the riots, but- slip sliding away-
She's a mess- maybe they should just erect some barbed wire around the city- let the residents have at it- and let her rip-
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Mackinaw
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Username: Mackinaw

Post Number: 1729
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 70.141.183.102
Posted on Monday, June 12, 2006 - 11:33 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Huggybear, we've come far relatively speaking, but as my next sentence indicated, this area still has serious issues and thus I believe revisiting 1967 would not hurt, as long as it is done correctly.
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Deputy_mayor_2026
Member
Username: Deputy_mayor_2026

Post Number: 74
Registered: 04-2006
Posted From: 64.12.116.204
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 1:17 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

In recent news, Los Angeles has scheduled a parade and ceremony to commemorate the fifteenth anniversary of the Rodney King Riot next March...
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Lmichigan
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Username: Lmichigan

Post Number: 3859
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 24.11.154.56
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 3:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Rodney King riot? Didn't know they'd named it that...
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Deputy_mayor_2026
Member
Username: Deputy_mayor_2026

Post Number: 75
Registered: 04-2006
Posted From: 152.163.100.8
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 3:55 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

You'd be surprised at what "they" are capable of...
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Lmichigan
Member
Username: Lmichigan

Post Number: 3861
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 24.11.154.56
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 5:09 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

huh?
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Dougw
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Username: Dougw

Post Number: 1179
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 136.2.1.101
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 11:16 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I do think that some type of event marking the 40th anniversary of the riots is a good idea. This is the first time this has been done, I assume? (I don't remember any events at 30 years, etc.) 40 years is a long time, at some point you have to acknowledge the fact that it happened so that you can heal & move on.

It should NOT be called a "celebration", though... we don't want to celebrate the riots themselves, which did a lot of long-term damage to the region. Some big galvanizing event more along the lines of a "healing march" to bring the city & suburbs together would be more appropriate, I'd say. Perhaps a march down Woodward from Royal Oak to Hart Plaza. Then have the free concert afterward.
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Eastsidedog
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Username: Eastsidedog

Post Number: 522
Registered: 03-2006
Posted From: 69.220.142.7
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 1:00 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

As a symbol of rebirth a plan should be put together to rebuild on some of the sites that were destroyed in the riots. On Kercheval there are vacant lots that have been vacant SINCE the riots of '67. Since there is still vacant land left from the riots, I can see why some say they feel so recent. It's time to do some healing and put the riots to rest.

If anything it should be a celebration of healing and of what the future holds. I'm sure Focus:HOPE will be very involved.
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Huggybear
Member
Username: Huggybear

Post Number: 229
Registered: 08-2005
Posted From: 70.236.160.161
Posted on Tuesday, June 13, 2006 - 7:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

Huggybear, we've come far relatively speaking, but as my next sentence indicated, this area still has serious issues and thus I believe revisiting 1967 would not hurt, as long as it is done correctly.


Relative to what?

1. The Detroit where I live became more racially segregated after the riots.

2. The Detroit where I live became more economically segregated after the riots.

3. The Detroit where I live rebuilt not one damn thing that was burned during the riots.

If we are both talking about Detroit, Michigan and not Detroit, Alabama (a real place, btw), you must have a radically different idea of what progress is in a northern city that had no history of slavery and not a lot of history of overt, Southern-style segregation. So I would pose the following counter-questions:

1. Is it progress to address majority/minority racial oppression by taking a segregated city and turning it into a segregated region?

2. Is it progress to address class conflict issues by removing the middle and upper classes of every ethnicity?

3. Is it progress - instead of rebuilding lives, businesses and homes - to build memorials on weed-strewn lots still framed with burned timber, crumbling cinder block and fragments of faded green ceramic roof tiles?

The best thing to do is for everyone to forget about the riots and work on the future.

(Message edited by Huggybear on June 13, 2006)
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Themax
Member
Username: Themax

Post Number: 15
Registered: 09-2005
Posted From: 69.246.123.118
Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 9:48 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

If the so-called Civil Rights Initiative becomes part of the Michigan constitution this fall, such a commemoration may be the only city-wide event left. There sure won't be any ethnic festivals unless they are privately sponsored.
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Pam
Member
Username: Pam

Post Number: 248
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 67.107.47.65
Posted on Friday, June 16, 2006 - 10:45 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)


quote:

The best thing to do is for everyone to forget about the riots and work on the future.




It is part of the history of the city and so it should be remembered and studied. Looking back can be done while also moving forward. It's educational.
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Paulmcall
Member
Username: Paulmcall

Post Number: 731
Registered: 05-2004
Posted From: 68.40.119.216
Posted on Wednesday, June 21, 2006 - 8:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Maybe they can do everyone a favor and tear down all the abandoned buildings that have been piling up since 1967.
I'll be convinced Detroit is on the rebound once Grand River and Greenfield area is cleaned up. It's still one big eyesore.
Downtown seems to be all the attention but until the neighborhoods recover and the schools improve, no one is going to move back there.

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