Black Politics 101

I hinted in my previous post that ultimately, Detroit's black voters would give Kwame Kilpatrick the free pass he's been angling for.

Now, that I've had a day to digest this, here's what's going to happen: Kwame is eventually going to come out of hiding (he's in Florida trying to do some kind of damage control). When he does, he'll use his family as a shield. He'll say, as he said in his initial statement, that it was an intensely private matter between him, his wife and his God. More than likely he'll have some pastor with him when he throws himself upon the mercy of the public's forgiveness. He'll get the Holy Ghost. He'll break out in a Negro spiritual. Ultimately, he'll sound somewhat like this:




The Detroit black populace will eat up the coonery, rationalize his behavior by saying white politicians get away with this all the time (don't be shocked if Bill Clinton's name pops up somewhere), and then when re-election time comes, Kwame Kilpatrick will destroy whoever opposes him.

The reason I'm so confident this is how it will play it out is because not only do I know Detroit, but I know black folks. Black people blindly support their own because, for the most part, there has been a devoid of real leadership. We grasp at straws. We hold on to whatever we have, even if it's not working. Why else are Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton still considered "black leaders?" Hell, if we welcomed O.J. Simpson back, why wouldn't Kwame have a decent chance? Despite the fact that Michael Jackson is a living, breathing version of Law & Order: Special Victims unit, we still love his ass. When R. Kelly was peeing on underage folks, where were we? Buying his latest CD, of course.

As it is, the local black Detroit politicians -- even those who can't stand Kwame -- are being very measured and careful about what they say concerning this disaster. They don't want to alienate the black voters of Detroit, a strong, but largely ignorant group. That's why prosecutor Kym Worthy's office is saying dumb shit like this, instead of saying, let's get this mofo. Worthy is up for re-election this year, and she's afraid of coming out too hard against Kwame because it will put her on gravy train in jeopardy.

Not one politician came out hard against Kwame. And that's because all of them need the black vote to stay alive. Isn't that a shame? They aren't concerned with what's best for the people. They're concerned with what is best for themselves. I've been waiting to hear from longtime politico L. Brooks Patterson, who has never held his tongue. But so far, silence.

Despite my emotional ties to the city, I don't feel sorry for Detroit. They are getting exactly what they voted for. It angers me that black folks allowed to be played like a fiddle. This isn't about Democrat v. Republican, but about the public trust, and right and wrong. Most Detroiters are casting this off as an affair gone awry, and seemingly forgetting the two most important elements: The mayor violated the public trust, lied under oath and cost the city $10 million to defend his bullshit.

The reason he is sending dick messages through the city pager is because he's arrogant. He knows no matter what he does, black people will stupidly support him. When you have that kind of cushion, it's impossible to feel as if you're being held accountable. The media will take the blame, even though they have done their jobs. Sadly, it will come down to a race issue, and not the real issues. Pretty much, the mayor's side screw cost the city $10 large ones. I don't know if any ass worth that much. I hope that was some Penthouse-type ass, given how much he's destroyed his credibility. How much do you wanna bet that up until this report came out, Kwame and his Chief of Freak were still getting his bang on?

This is Black Politics 101.