DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed by the, “Angry Black Man,” are those of him and him alone, and do not represent WHUTUPDOE.COM or its staff… maybe… what the fuck do you expect? He’s an angry black man!

Apparently Sunday evening, after the game, Lil Duval posted the following message on Twitter:

This might come as a surprise to y’all but we having a city in America that look just as bad as Haiti its called DETROIT!

You know what? As much as I want to get mad at his statement, I can’t. I’m not going to even acknowledge the difference between Haiti and Detroit but I’ll state a few things.

Detroit is messed up, yes. We are suffering like all of the United States – possibly more because of the auto industry mishaps. Maybe now people will see the importance of buying American, but I doubt it. Doesn’t matter anyway because trying to keep prices down for you cheap bastards, most of those jobs have gone to Mexico. But that is a rant for another day.

But to say Detroit is as bad off as Haiti? Well, thats fucked up. But as fucked up as it is, its almost true. Detroit is not as bad as Haiti but we are getting there.  Look at the drop out rate. Look at the test scores Detroit Public Schools get. Those kids aren’t learning anything. Oh did I hit a nerve? I hope I really did because the truth hurts. Think about it like this – whenever a sudden tragic event occurs, celebrities gather from far and wide to show that they care and were moved by what happened.

How about these stats:

• According to the America’s Promise Alliance, Detroit had the highest high school dropout rate in 2008.

• According to Detroitliteracy.org and Literacyconnections.com, 47% of Detroiters are functionally illiterate. In addition to Detroit, Highland Park boasts an illiteracy rate of 56% and 38% in Hamtramck.

• USA Today reports that, in 2006, Detroit high school dropout rates were the highest among the nations 50 largest school districts.

I could continue but I think you get the point.

So, Hollywood, where is our telethon? Where are our donations? Oh, I forgot. In America, people don’t care about their neighbors. We can give millions in one day for a tragic event thousands of miles away, but for the past 50 years Detroit has been dying no one has cared. Its not news worthy because thousands haven’t died all at once.

Sadly, Haiti has a reason to be in the condition it is. I’m not taking anything anyway from Haiti, or its people who are in dire straits. They need all the support they can get right now.

What is Detroit’s excuse? Anyone? Someone?

Yeah, that’s what I thought. So when people try to compare Detroit to Haiti and say Detroit is as bad as Haiti, go ahead and correct them. Tell them, “Not yet but we’re working on it.”

Angry Black Man
angryblackman@whutupdoe.com

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