Going Home

The green zone

The wife and I had some friends over for a post-Christmas dinner Thursday night.

Two of the guys who stopped by have been a part of my life since the sixth grade. They're the type of friends whom you might not see for a couple of years, but the time in between visits does nothing to diminish the bond you have with them.

One of the guys, Jim, is such a dear friend that he once took some vacation time and left his family here in Michigan to fly to Baltimore to visit with me for a few days when he found out I was struggling during the initial separation from my first wife. This after Jim and I hadn't talked in more than a year.

[More:]

We spent a good portion of Thursday night playing catch up.

Jim filled me in on his real-estate business, the problems he's having in these troubled economic times.

Another old, dear friend, Rohn, a former Broadway star, talked about his current endeavor as a writer, a comedy show he's working on with producers in Los Angeles. He also entertained my three kids with his impersonations and other routines during the visit.

Eventually, the conversation centered on me, what I've been up to lately. Of course, Fletcher Field came up.

My friends seemed very interested in the topic, which turned somewhat political toward the end.

Jim is a staunch Republican. Because I lean far to the left, we usually leave politics at the door when we get together.

But talk of the park turned to talk of just how segregated Metro Detroit has become. And that segregation is mostly self-inflicted.

Jim said he doesn't see anything wrong with people living among people of their own kind; if that's what they feel most comfortable with, then that's what they should do.

I argued that, given the chance to get to know other races and cultures, you'll find we're all the same in many ways. And the differences between us are often enlightening. By segregating ourselves, we're missing out on so much and creating a very slippery slope.

Because segregation always leads to exclusion.

A person should be able to comfortably live, work, play and worship wherever he or she wants to.

That's not the case in Metro Detroit.

When a black man crosses 8 Mile Road, he hopes for the best. When a white man drives through an inner-city neighborhood, the stares he often gets are terrifying.

Miraculously, Fletcher Field has become neutral territory. Rohn said we should call it Unity Park.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could expand that 5-acre green zone across Metro Detroit?

What do you think, Jim?

Comments, Pingbacks:

Comment from: Jim Morey(Kustarz) [Member]

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,a jim way to the right? I cant imagine

Permalink 12/28/07 @ 22:35

Comment from: cantoniceblue [Member]

i thank your friend is right not only across (8MIL.)but the whole city airport area their are many
community on the east side that need to come together. the PARK IS A GOOD PLACE! to bring together
leaders from across (8MIL.) AND LEADERS FROM CITY AIRPORT AREA.
i thank the park is the key, mike you and your friend are the only way to open doors to the city for
many community group on the east side. we could start a movement that bring people together as
people fletcher field could be the staging area to meet and plan events count (C.A.R.A.) IN PLEASE.WE
READY TO JOIN ANY POSITIVE STEP TO BRING THE AERA BACK. it is never to late for good thing to happen.
cantoniceblue''

Permalink 12/29/07 @ 08:58

Comment from: Jim Morey(Kustarz) [Member]

reading about all the gangs reminds me of my adventure at burroughs middle school. it was there that I served the last 1/2 of the 8th grade and serve I did. That was my first exposure to gangs and watching my first shoot out in the park after school,1975 it was,to be exact. I remember always hearing kids in the neighborhood mimic the " Earl Flynn, Earl Flynn" with the hand gesture that went with it. I also recall all the school shootings that were happening in Det. The one year alone there were more than one a day average and if I recall correctly more than 300 kids died as a result of the insane violence in Det. In that respect Det. is doing much better.

Permalink 12/30/07 @ 13:07

Comment from: wick [Member]

Burroughs? Yeah Jim I could share stories with you as well. I remember my freshmen year at St.Anthony's (Gratiot & East Grand Blvd) and getting our butts beaten just because we were white and in their hood. Another friend had to give up his shoes or risk being thown over onto I-94 at Van Dyke at Kettering High. And then there was sophmore year at East Catholic and getting jumped and beaten because I was white nad not suppose to make the team. Granted the things going on at Fletcher Field are good and should be applauded but you can't change people's feelings or remove the scares. My dad lived on Dobel for 40 years and through the grace of God was lucky to have narrowly avoided a bullet aimed at his head!He busted his ass for the kids of Holy Name and nearly lost his life coming home from a church gathering.Look many people lived as prisoners in their own homes and were victims of the gangs in the 70's. Yes there are 2 sides to every story but to say we should forget and time heals all wounds is like saying the Holcaust never happened?

Permalink 12/30/07 @ 18:00

Comment from: alex [Member]

New Years Resolution ......never again refer to your life partner as "The Wife"....please.

Permalink 12/31/07 @ 13:04

Comment from: Michael Happy [Member]

I'll make a note of it.

Permalink 12/31/07 @ 13:44