(Hansen Clarke) Congressman Accused Of ‘Playing Black’ Says Racism Destroying Detroit

[alp227]

Source: CBS Detroit

Congressman Hansen Clarke, D-13th District, was forced into an unusual position Wednesday, responding to allegations that he’s masquerading as black to get votes.

Clarke is running for the newly redrawn 14th Congressional District, which includes Detroit, against two black women, Mary Waters and Brenda Lawrence, plus white men state Rep. Gary Peters and newcomer Bob Costello. Clarke joined one debate this election, a digital debate for CBSDetroit, then said he would no longer debate because the racial rhetoric was becoming overwhelming.

A robocall allegedly went on in the district this week saying Clarke is “not black.” And Waters told the Detroit Free Press she’s the only black Detroiter in the race.

A visibly upset Clarke called Talk Radio 1270 host Charlie Langton to discuss the race issue live, and talked about the issue again at a Detroit church appearance.

Read more: http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/07/03/congressman-accused-of-playing-black-says-racism-destroying-detroit/

[jade3000]

1. Reverse passing

I realize folks do this, but it's surprising to me that it would come out in an election.

[JI7]

2. huh ? he is black

his mother is black and dad was from india(now bangladesh) .

[Kalidurga]

3. Well

I don't think I could vote for someone that tells such stupid lies. I don't know anything else about the other people involved, so if it was a choice between Clarke and the liar, I guess I would be voting for Clarke.

[notadmblnd]

4. I don't know what he is and I don't care. I know he is wrong about the mass transit issue

and the racism he claims is holding Detroit back. There is no mass transit in Detroit because of Ford, GM and Chrysler. I don't know about other parts of the country, but people here have always loved their cars. I would venture to say that some love their cars more than their kids. Much of the population's income in SE Michigan was and still is derived from the auto industry. People here have multiple cars. There's no mass transit because who the hell needs smelly buses or subways when one can get where they want to go in th comfort and privacy of their own vehicle?

As far as racism goes, it does not exist on the level he said it does. For the most part, people live together and get along. Race crimes are pretty much unheard of in the city proper. Now the suburbs- where all the racists fled to in the late 60's may be a different story- but downtown.. nah, I've spent too much time there to buy it.

What is destroying Detroit is the corrupt public officials that get themselves elected for the sole purpose of raiding the cookie jar.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

5. I was in Michigan when Detroit elected it's first black mayor

The racism was incredible. White people acted like they'd had enough and it was way past time to ship all the blacks back to Africa. The one thing they hated more than someone who was black was someone who was white who didn't agree.

[RandySF]

7. I don't see that out here.

As a matter of fact, I've never seen it anywhere to the extent that it exists in the Detroit area. And people on the West Coast do not treat the city with the same vitriol.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. That's because the more the races live together the more the "them vs us" becomes "us".

[amandabeech]

13. The 1967 riot was horrible.

It happened in large part due to racism, but it hardened the attitudes and changed the minds of some who were more open-minded.

It was really, really bad according to the father of one of my friends, who went down there as a member of the Michigan State Police.

Her Dad was appalled by everything that happened. Detroit just had bad karma in those days.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

18. The attitude outside of Detriot was very racist too.

It was common to hear that all blacks should be sent back to Africa to the point where some of my friends were really afraid they were going to have to go. I remember when I was about 10 my friend Phillip and I were on the floor in my room turning pages in a book with pictures of Africa and of him being scared to death.

That mindset amongst some whites of shipping them off is still around today.

That's why they can't accept Obama as the President. It's like America accepted them finally and this is their home for good. There's no way to get rid of them anymore but these types will never accept them or him as real Americans. Republicans know this and play to it for votes.

[notadmblnd]

10. and they all fled to the suburbs

and Coleman Young hasn't been mayor (infact he is dead) for quit some tim now.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

11. Coleman Young was a great mayor

When he took office the Detroit Police was mostly white and was killing black people like crazy. I remember the really racist cops screaming about him hiring black officers to integrate the force. One thing he did which was really cool was to promote Motown Records to the country and young talent from all over the nation flocked to Detroit like corn fed pigtails from Iowa had flocked to Hollywood a generation before.

Under Coleman Motown put Detroit on the map as much as cars.

Wall Street Businesses refused to invest in Detroit under Coleman just to keep the city down. The worse thing for the lie that blacks can't be successful is to have a successful one so they made it a mission to not just let, but make Detroit die.

[amandabeech]

15. Motown was BIG before Coleman young, IMHO.

The Supremes and Martha and the Vandellas made huge hits before 1967. I remember dancing to them when I was 8 in 1963. We had a special dance for "Stop! In the Name of Love." Motown songs were all over the Chicago and Milwaukee AM radio stations that I listened to as a kid in the '60s.

They didn't need Young's help because they were so good! They didn't need anything but a poorly recorded single!

Give Young credit he's due for later acts, but believe this older lady, Motown was popular as early as '62-'63.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

16. Oh I know that Motown was popular before that

But in the Mayor's office Motown was downplayed until Coleman. Those White Mayors acted like Motown didn't exist. They didn't like the idea of Detroit being known as a city of black music. It was cars, cars, cars,....and trucks,...and more cars...

I used to love the idea when I lived in Michigan that we had a place that was as big in R&B as Nashville was for C&W.

BTW: I lived in Battle Creek a block from Oak Hill Cemetery. Look who's buried there:

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[amandabeech]

17. Wow!

I had relatives in BC when I was a kid, but I didn't know about Ms. Truth! She surely graces BC. I really wish that I'd known.

I didn't know that about the previous mayors, but I think their success in playing down Motown was limited, considering the love of pre-Young Motown that seems to permeate people of my age from all over the country.

Thank heavens!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

19. Google Earth did a street view through Oak Hill Cemetary

I case anyone wants to check it out.

The place is filled with massive chestnut trees and it's squirrel heaven.

[notadmblnd]

20. you are absolutely right. Coleman young did not become mayor until 1973

I don't know what year Berry Gordy move to California but that is what happened to Motown

[RandySF]

6. I am a transplant form the Detroit area living in CA.

Mass transit is great in the San Francisco Bay area, but it sucks in Southern California. I think it's all about population density and local culture. As for racism, it's complicated. The race card doesn't get played in strict black vs. white. It's more like "You're with us or you're with the suburbs." When Kwame Kilpatrick first ran for mayor, his opponents labeled him an "Uncle Tom" for supporting the takeover of the Detroit School system when he was state senator.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

9. Mass transit is great in the San Francisco Bay area, but it sucks in Southern California.

Tell me about it. In OC sometimes you can be stuck at a transfer point with no shelter for an hour because you just missed the connection. In some cases you have to walk a total of four miles according to their own trip plan and people know all about the risk of missing the last bus and being stranded. That happened to me at Laguna once. I was over 25 miles from home and it was cheaper to get a room than a cab.

Public transportation is a real trip in Orange County though. An odyssey of packed buses with guys in suits reading a paper sitting next to Hispanic housewives with groceries while teenagers in swimwear are holding onto the overhead rail and gossiping about friends.

They plan to have light rail service extended here from LA. Right now if I want to fly to Vegas and leave my car in the garage and opt for public transportation the trip requires a bus ride with two transfers to get to Norwalk on the county line. Then waiting there for the light rail to LAX and then a Metrolink shuttle into the airport. I have to leave at least four hours before my flight and the flight itself to Vegas is under an hour.

It takes less time to just drive to Vegas.

[RandySF]

12. LAX??

If you live in OC and want to go to Vegas, just catch a flight at John Wayne.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

14. I know that's easier but LAX has the cheaper flights

The last time I flew to Vegas it was $15 on Spirit Air. It's at least $60 out of John Wayne.

Using one way and transfer tickets you can actually get from Anaheim to Las Vegas for around $20.

There IS a Metrolink from Anaheim but it goes to Union Station in downtown LA.

What's needed is a Metrolink between LAX and Disneyland and then on to John Wayne with High Speed Rail going to Vegas, San Francisco and San Diego.

They're working on that station now.

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