New Voices

The crisis in Detroit is not economic. It is a crisis in democracy. The contours of this crisis are becoming clearer with each passing day. Last Thursday, Mayor Bing called a press conference to announce that even though he disputed the “facts” of the rationale provided to the Governor to appoint an emergency manager, he would not challenge the findings. He said, “We need to end the drama and infighting and understand that whether we like it or not, an emergency financial manager is coming to Detroit.”

Mainstream media and the elites they represent hailed this statement. Meanwhile those who oppose the appointment of an emergency manager were diminished and demonized. The Detroit Free Press labeled protesters as numbering in the “dozens.” Jack Lessenberry characterized us as irrational children saying, “we can scream and kick our little feet—or we can rationally start preparing to try to work with whomever that emergency manager may be to try to save Detroit. Fighting the inevitable is a waste of time.”

While virtually no one joined the Mayor in his decision to go along to get along, hundreds of people gathered with Councilwoman Joann Watson to stand up for democracy. This meeting kicked off a series of organized efforts to draw public attention to the real issues at stake in the struggles against the Emergency Manager. This is a struggle about the basic right of people to self-determination, to have a right and responsibility to decide our own future, and to have a meaningful and full voice in our government.