  Sg9018 Member Username: Sg9018 Post Number: 278 Registered: 10-2006 |
Kwame Kenyatta wrote a rticle in the Free Press about his view on Cobo. IMO this one of the best articles about Cobo so far. http://www.freep.com/article/2 0090303/OPINION05/90303056/Cob o+deal+works+for+Detroit | ||
Crumbled_pavement Member Username: Crumbled_pavement Post Number: 729 Registered: 08-2007 |
Wow, that was beautifully crafted. He got straight to the point of what mattered. Cobo Hall is not a core service and losing ownership would not equal Detroit losing autonomy. I also love that he said he votes for what he thinks is right not what he thinks will get him re-elected. True leaders think this way. Politicians focus on how they can scam the people they claim to serve. Bravo to Kwame Kenyatta! | ||
Gravitymachine Member Username: Gravitymachine Post Number: 1738 Registered: 05-2005 |
pragmatists of the world unite! | ||
Bobl Member Username: Bobl Post Number: 597 Registered: 07-2008 |
Common sense. Pragmatic. Accurate. Reasonably put. | ||
Gnome Member Username: Gnome Post Number: 2445 Registered: 08-2007 |
There is something telling about the state of Detroit politics, when an avowed communist is the voice of reason. | ||
Lodgedodger Member Username: Lodgedodger Post Number: 1592 Registered: 05-2008 |
He did a nice job on the letter. He's a decent guy who tries to do the right thing--even though he has some strange ideas. | ||
Detroitej72 Member Username: Detroitej72 Post Number: 1286 Registered: 05-2006 |
I think DY should endorce Kwame Kenyatta for re-election on this artcle alone. Mr. Kenyatta is a man of integrity, something that is lacking in most of the other fools on council. | ||
Detroit313 Member Username: Detroit313 Post Number: 788 Registered: 02-2006 |
^^^You have my vote^^^Detroite72 Both branches of government have made it clear that they will not distribute monies from that fund for Cobo Hall. And I do not believe that there is a bona-fide avenue for us to appeal to President Obama’s office and expect $300 million to be provided directly to the City of Detroit for Cobo Hall when there are other much more pressing matters in the City that desperately need funding. Well said. Now I believe Monica Conyers would think otherwise, and that my friends is an "Earmark"!!! <313> | ||
Realitycheck Member Username: Realitycheck Post Number: 340 Registered: 08-2004 |
In a similar spirit of integrity, pragmatism, common sense, accuracy and reasonableness, here's a bit of what Crain's Detroit Business publisher Mary Kramer blogged today under the head Playing race cards holds the region back: quote:Full post here. | ||
Trainman Member Username: Trainman Post Number: 765 Registered: 04-2006 |
Comming Soon A three county (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb) county sales tax to pay for Cobo. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4211 Registered: 10-2003 |
I guess I'm the only one who thought he was all over the place, as well as stating somethings that were just plain wrong (i.e. that Cobo doesn't contribute anything to the quality of life of the city). The writing was amateurish, if even I agreed with his conclusion. I noticed a very similar reaction on the Free Press boards where folks will largely ignore the content to praise the guy simply because they also agree with his conclusion (to regionalize Cobo). People are so easily sold when they agree with your ultimate point. It's blown my mind that Kenyatta supported the regional authority. You've expect him and Watson, in particular, to be on the same page, facts be damned, but he actually saw the facts and did well by his constituents on this. Kenyatta, BTW, was a supporter of the boondagle that was African Town, and was thoroughly pissed that the Harmonie Park redevelopment wouldn't inclue the name "African Town". I wish people would bother to read up on the people they effuse praise on before they proclaim them brilliant voices of reason. If there are any 'black nationalists' on Detroit's City Council, as Finley claimed in his editorial piece, recently, Kenyatta is one of them. It's kind of funny to see the man labeled a pragmatist, as he's largely an ideologue. I get taking anything where you can get it, but let's hold back the floodgates of praise, please. lol (Message edited by lmichigan on March 03, 2009) | ||
Gistok Member Username: Gistok Post Number: 6192 Registered: 08-2004 |
Not every communist was a Josef Stalin... there've been communist heroes as well such as Imre Nagy, Alexander Dubcek and Mikail Gorbachev. Not every every African-American who likes to wear his blackness on his sleeves is like Figebornu and Blk_soul_x, even though Kwame Kenyatta likes to dress in African garb. And not every politician has to be a great orator like Cicero or Henry Clay. But Kwame Kenyatta seems to strike a positive chord among all races. And sadly that is a trait that is all too lacking in politicians in southeast Michigan. | ||
Firstandten Member Username: Firstandten Post Number: 742 Registered: 05-2006 |
I think Mr. Kenyatta over time has grown as a politican and I would have no trouble giving him another term in office. Early on I felt he pandered too much to the grass roots obstructionists in the city. Since being on the council he has put the needs of the city first. Remember he came out against KK early which put him at great political risk. He is probably at some political risk with the position he took on Cobo. However I think he realizes that the grass roots folks are a very vocal minority and don't necessary reflect the mood of the average city voter. | ||
Sumas Member Username: Sumas Post Number: 777 Registered: 01-2008 |
I agree that Mr. Kenyatta has grown and matured as a politician. I have been in front of Council several times over the past. He was the only one on council who was civil and appeared interested in issues presented. That he ultimately did't vote on an issue the way I would have liked, I don't hold against him. He is the only member of that esteemed (sarcasm intended) body that I will vote for. The rest need to be put out to pasture or preferably in jail. | ||
Cloud_wall Member Username: Cloud_wall Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2009 |
Well put, Gistok. Lmichigan, it seems that agreeing with a person's point of view on an important subject even if you don't like his politics overall makes perfectly good sense in this troubled city. And as for Mr. Kenyatta's writing, I'd be careful to throw stones. I'm not usually for grammar policing, especially in a forum like this, but here's some friendly, if over-stated, writing help: "If you are getting your commas, semi-colons, and full stops wrong, it means that you are not getting your thoughts right, and your mind is muddled." (Archbishop William Temple) | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1285 Registered: 11-2003 |
Mr. Kenyatta is a smart person and she how Monica is self-destructing and wants to distance himself from that. He clearly has from the beginning and this just makes it very clear. Let's get Monica out and get Mr. Kenyatta in as CC president. | ||
Spiritofdetroit Member Username: Spiritofdetroit Post Number: 1242 Registered: 11-2006 |
I certainly don't always agree with Kenyatta's position, but I have also found him to be civil, courteous, attentive, and willing to hear alternatives. It does seem as though he has Detroit's best interests at heart. Same goes for Sheila Cockrel | ||
Daddeeo Member Username: Daddeeo Post Number: 517 Registered: 09-2008 |
I say "Amen" to that. | ||
Eastsideal Member Username: Eastsideal Post Number: 369 Registered: 10-2007 |
Anyone who says "I do not cast votes to get back in office nor to keep or win support." and means it is valuable to have as a politician. Anyone who realizes that "the real issue is the steadily declining quality of life in the City of Detroit" is especially valuable to have in a position of leadership in this city . I am considerably less worried about Kenyatta's underlying political philosophy (or his writing style) than I am heartened to see a person of intelligence and reasoning, and not knee-jerk reactionism or total self-absorption and self-interest, involved in the city's affairs. Based on the evidence I've seen so far I'd much much rather have him as Council president than anyone else currently serving on the Council. | ||
Lmichigan Member Username: Lmichigan Post Number: 4218 Registered: 10-2003 |
Cloud wall, My only real point is that people pretend to be ideologues, when they are really jumping on which ever ship they may happen to agree with at any given time. It's called situational ethics and morals. All I'm saying is that it's quite odd to see the same folks gushing praise for both someone like Nolan Finley and Kwame Kenyatta, and that perhaps people should make use their head more oftena instead of running with their emotions to whatever opinion they might happen to agree with, today. I mean, months and years ago this board was cursing Kenyatta's name into the dirt over the African Town fiasco. It seems that history doesn't matter unless it's a piece of history you agree with. I'm simply pointing out some irony. It's one thing to say that he's right on this issue; it's entirely another to gush that he should be council president, or that he's the best council member, etc...it's the same kind of irony that I saw in John Bennett's announcement he's running for city council. This guy was a darling of this board, and then all of a sudden everyone acts like they didn't know the guy, or 'remember' that he wasn't all that great. I'm just not a fan of duplicitous behavior. (Message edited by lmichigan on March 04, 2009) |
