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When most try to dissect where economic difference comes from, the first answer is usually education. Proper schooling is what stems human growth and eventually leads to a well-paying job. Segregation in schools ended nearly 60 years ago so its easy to point at African American schools and claim that they have no excuse for lower graduation rates or poverty in schools. Tax dollars have been put to improve poorer schools, yet little improvement has come as far as quality. However, as integration was set into motion, almost all white families moved into suburbs. This essentially re-segregated all of city school districts, leaving them with the brute of urban black students. This podcast describes ways that have benefited city schools like urban suburban programs, but even that requires a system of long-distance busing, more money, and a culture shock among a lot of the African American students. 

Many people like to speak at the housing market having to do with race, but cannot do so fairly without looking into the origins. The freely traded market has been on its feet since the end of World War 2. As veterans came home to their families, the idea is for them to be able to afford houses a decent neighborhood. What the video dissects is that race plays a role in creating what we now  know as suburbia. The theory that as blacks received civil rights, some began moving into neighborhoods that white people began to leave out of fear. Consequently, geographical ghettos were created and a nice house in a ghetto would cost a lot less than a smaller house in suburbia. It’s argued that this is how race determined the inequality that we see. However, this should not effect income at all, so an argument that race is the underlying cause of American inequality is invalid

In further diagnosis of the state of Michigan beyond Charlie LeDuff’s book, the whole state of Michigan is seemingly in shambles. A documentary from 1989 called “Roger And Me”, dives into a more controversial topic that could lay more blame on high-up CEO, Roger Smith, as opposed to maybe the actual human character. Author and native of Flint, Michigan, Michael Moore shows anger toward the CEO for pretty much ending the livelihood of 30,000 citizens. Clearly there is sympathy for these workers and their families, but it is also easy to see the bias that surrounds the documentary. You do not get to reach Roger Smith throughout the film so he doesn’t get a chance to defend himself; therefore you cannot 100% blame him and the company. Moore promises that he laid off these workers while still making massive profits, but none of us could know for sure. I’d like the documentary to include some more perspective from General Motors  executives with some more facts, but regardless, seeing the desperate faces of Flint is enough to want change.

Reading books, or even just passages within the book, allows you to take out snip-its that you can take mental notes on. The void in Charlie LeDuff’s “Detroit”, has to be found through the authors’ emotion. In this case, it may be slightly more difficult to spot the tone that he gives off, but after 240 pages, you genuinely feel what LeDuff is saying. Sarcastic and negative is how the author goes about many of his first words, referring to his hometown as a “rundown shithole, operated by political crooks”. Then, as the book is developed into more of a reader analysis, you begin to understand an underlying pain that is felt by everyone that lives in Detroit. Well written verses are detected that gives the book a whole other depiction. “I cried a little through my cigarette” is a verse that gives me personally a vivid scene of what the author is going through during his times of trauma. His adjectives, emotions, and specific sentences play an important role in addressing the crisis in the narrative.

The issues described in Detroit are extreme and even horrifying. The purpose isn’t particularly to disturb the reader, but just show an alternative perspective that effects change in a person, community, or nation. In the second half of the book, LeDuff delves into the history surrounding Detroit, and even his own family history. Upon discovery, he learns many new things about his ancestry, including the fact that he’s part African-American and how his family made it to Detroit. After this, he concludes so many startling reports and also attends the sentencing of the man who killed Firefighter Walt Harris. At this point, LeDuff put down his pencil and stopped reporting only to watch how he infected the community, positive or negative. His body of work showed one thing to the reader, and that’s that someone out there cared enough to expose some bad people. I believe this is the void he is trying to fill for the reader; a void that proves there can be difference makers. Charlie now looks to things like raising a daughter as what he should turn his focus to. 

Reading more of Charlie LeDuff’s “Detroit” gives a far better understanding as from where the author is coming from and/or what he wants us to feel from his perspective. The first portion of the book lays a groundwork that shows more gruesome details about a city that LeDuff wants to diagnose. I first thought that maybe he wants to spark action in the political community be slandering them. Later on though, he speaks from the heart about the tragic loss of Martha Barnett. He feels very bad for this family and offers whatever he can. In reading this, i think LeDuff wants to give us perspective on this “ugly” community. The mother talks humbly by saying, “i aint had no money to afford a casket” proving that there are plenty of good people that just get ignored when in need. Instead of being just a statistic, he thinks the Barnett family is a shining spot in a dark city. 

As a reader of whatever type of text, you develop context that resonates with what you want to see within the reading or even what you don’t want to see. In other words, something that can excite you forces you to keep flipping pages wondering what lies ahead. Perhaps, even more so, when the reading provokes you, it may spark interest that can be counter intuitive. In Charlie LeDuff’s style, a sense of backstory comes out inside his writing that makes the reader intrigued with the plot. For me personally, the fact that this particular book is based on a true story is something that i take interest in and is worth noting when you listen to LeDuff’s honest, almost brash, tone. For me, a reading “need” would be honesty, especially because the sentences produce factual information about his life and Detroit. When he discusses things he see’s in current events that “makes him want to vomit”, you know that he is being sincere with his words.You hear him not hold back when he calls Killpatrick “a crying bitch” when being put behind bars. Many readers can feel frustrated with this type of reporting-style of writing, but if fairly observed, the author simply does his job well by drawing your attention. Later in the book, LeDuff’s attitude turns to a more sympathetic one when he addresses all the death he encounters, including both of his sisters, Mr. Redding, and a firefighter. He speaks of these people all as “somebody who is loved by somebody.” This strikes a deep chord of the reader and is necessary to judge both sides of LeDuff’s claim. For example, first he seems crazy to come back to what he calls a “shithole” and talk of how disgusted he is of Detroit. Later on, however he goes into detail about how their are many great people there. In saying, “teachers who spend their own money on the classroom, people who mow lawns out of respect for the dead neighbor, parents who raise their children”, it’s clear that he has a deep love for his community of Detroit, and came back to hopefully spark change and raise his daughter. As an author, LeDuff casts a tell-it-like-is piece which intrigues the reader when you read about his ambivalence to the city where he grew up. 

As Charlie LeDuff continues to develop the story of corrupt politics, he dives deeper into historical context. As a reader, newly-learned things that are written are what allow readers to fully appreciate the story. For instance, the bigger picture of the 2008 recession starting will the automotive crisis was something that is a reading need when going into more detail, particularly when he covers decisions made by President Bush. Then, LeDuff takes a separate approach by bringing in a smaller scale encounter with his brother who was hugely affected by the housing crash. Now working minimum wage, his brother says “i’ve got three kids, so i’m happy”. This was important for the author to include because it shows a more positive perspective in a very negative situation. Gears the shift back to the ugly Detroit politics when LeDuff tells the details of the exchanges between Mayor Kilpatrick and his chief of staff. For me, this passage is important to my needs because he doesn’t sugar cote the text messages at all. He pretty much writes openly about the inappropriate behavior between the two, which makes it so interesting. As a story teller, LeDuff is required to report the good, bad, and ugly that occurred in Detroit

As a reader of whatever type of text, you develop context that resonates with what you want to see within the reading or even what you don’t want to see. In other words, something that can excite you forces you to keep flipping pages wondering what lies ahead. Perhaps, even more so, when the reading provokes you, it may spark interest that can be counter intuitive. In Charlie LeDuff’s style, a sense of backstory comes out inside his writing that makes the reader intrigued with the plot. For me personally, the fact that this particular book is based on a true story is something that i take interest in and is worth noting when you listen to LeDuff’s honest, almost brash, tone. For me, a reading “need” would be honesty, especially because the sentences produce factual information about his life and Detroit. When he discusses things he see’s in current events that “makes him want to vomit”, you know that he is being sincere with his words.