I have a bit of a different take on Detroit 187 than most watching. You see, I grew up in a suburb of the city. It just bordered Detroit, and one of my parents’ many rules was that I was not to venture into the city limits. So, I never really got down there until I was eighteen. Except for one time.
Oh, I’d heard the stories, believe me. The ’67 riots, when there were National Guards stationed on top of my brother’s high school. The shootings, muggings, stabbings and rapes. I was so afraid of Detroit that I would dream of it at night. And when my sister and I wanted “too much” from my parents, like another doll or a bike, there were the threats. My Mom would look at my Dad and say, “Do you think it’s time to take a ride?”
And my sister and I would scream, “No! Please don’t take us down to Detroit! We’ll be better!” See, it only took that aforementioned One Time. My parents put us in the car, and showed us how some children lived. With no bikes and no Barbies. With chaos and litter and houses like cards that fell apart. I had an appreciation and a fear of Detroit by the time I was eight.
Whether that was right or wrong of them, whether my fear was born in racism, ignorance, or genuine panic … well, I’ll always wonder. But it also instilled in me a fierce love for Detroit. It was (and now is again) the closest Big City to where I live. The people struggle, work, live and die with a horrible National image over their heads. Is it justified?
Is it justified?
I just took a deep breath. Because, yes. I have to say that a lot of it is. Statistically, Detroit has its share of crime. But so do all large cities. Chicago, New York, Los Angeles — yet none of those cities has T-shirts that say, “Where the weak are killed and eaten,” or continues to have a bad rep. Crime has actually lowered since 2008. You could argue that it was the advent of several casinos, or the fact that this recession has caused hoards of people to flock out of Michigan. But crime is down.
So when ABC announced their plan to center a cop show focused on the city of Detroit, well, citizens were worried. They’d taken such a hit, both overall and in recent news. Their mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick, turned out to be a crook and went to prison. 20/20 aired a sad and damning piece, claiming the city lost and abandoned. Residents went to the city council and asked them to please see what ABC had in mind, in portraying Detroit and its people. Would it be more of the same?
It’s hard to rebuild when popular opinion is against you. Hell, it’s difficult for most cities in this economy. Detroit had been through enough. And they let their leaders know it.
ABC didn’t show up to a meeting. They claimed they were busy filming 1-8-7. The local TV affiliate threw a red carpet premiere party for select businessmen, political officials, and stars of the show. This was in early September, and after that? Well. I didn’t hear any official voice concerns about the show anymore.
As of my local news tonight, council members are touting that the show will be great for the city. Because “Detroiters are working.” Um hmm. As extras!
And all that talk of worry about the way the city will be shown to the country? A councilman said this tonight:
“Unfortunately, we have some areas around the city that aren’t quite safe. Sometimes ours [our problems] are magnified.”
I wonder if he was speaking of the scene in which detectives are searching for a nine millimeter bullet on a Detroit freeway overpass. And can’t find it at first. They only discover 22’s and 38’s because “that’s what happens when you look for bullet holes in Detroit.”
Or the scene in which Michael Imperioli remarks to a suspect that he was “skipping through the park in the hood. Junkies and dealers everywhere you look! And you happened to find Oxcy.”
Ah well. The people of Detroit are working though (as extras)! And the cops are really nice and dedicated. So what does one or two more slurs mean?
In a city of depressed, unemployed and desperate people? Maybe a lot.
Clacked by Tara Shrodes
on Sep 22, 2010 @ 08:13 EST5EDT
When I was flipping through programs on the guide last night I saw this listed. Clueless.
It’s cool to get a native’s (or close proximity there of) perspective. Maybe you should be a script consultant :) huh? nice idea, eh?
I have this on the DVR…came on way past my bedtime. The most I know about Detroit is: The Tigers beat the Padres in the 1984 World Series and a lot of my husband’s family immigrated there in the first part of the 1900’s. Of said family we were told **shhhh** no one knows them.
I never thought of Detroit as any more crime riddled then LA or Chicago. Horror…horror stories about them cities as well. LA I am more familiar with…stay out of the Compton area…whoooo weeee!
I failed to mention Detroit and MOTOWN. WHAT would the music industry be without it?
I used to walk from the westside (Vernor and Springwells) to Downtown just to see J.L. Hudsons display of toy electric trains. You couldn’t do that today. We walked south on Woodward to see the Boblo Boat, and stop at the Vernors plant to get a hot Vernors Ginger Ale. That part of Woodward was “Skid Row” then, but we were never bothered. Before we started the walk back, we stopped at the Coney Island where Fort Street and Lafayette came together. Bob Hope was our Thanksgiving Day Parade host. Danny Thomas used to perform at the “Ship” and “First and Last Stop” saloon on Vernor Hightway.
You could walk anywhere without fear. Why ?, because if you stepped out of line, you would probably get smacked in the back of the head by some burly Irish or Polack cop! But you knew you had it comming so you shaped up. Police Brutality ?, no, they were just getting our attention! I see kids acting up now, and wish there were police around who could “get their attention”.
In my opinion things went downhill pretty fast when a person (not a man) named Coleman Young became Mayor. That was the beginning of the end for what was, and someday will again be a GREAT city. But for now, “it’s just a dump, full of rats.”
George, those are great memories! And I completely agree about Coleman Young. He was the worst thing to ever happen to the city of Detroit.