[edsg25]

I'm not from Michigan; I was born in Chicago and lived in Chicagoland my whole life. But I think the state of Michigan is terrific.

I'm not trying to stir up anything here. Honestly. I just want to express my personal opinion and I feel more comfortable in doing so because I'm not from Michigan...thus there is nothing defensive in what I am saying:

I'M SICK AND TIRED OF COMING TO THE MICHIGAN BOARD AND READING THE MOST ABURD AND DEGRADING AND PLAIN RUDETHREAD TITLES FROM PEOPLE WHO (FORGIVE ME) MUST BE SO IGNORANT THEY THINK MICHIGAN IS A THIRD WORLD NATION.

The Michigan forum here has become the poster child for being invited to a person's house and telling them everything you think is wrong about them.

And for those people who ask in the most offensive way: what's wrong with Michigan (or its sister question: what's wrong with Detroit), I have an answer for you:

we are.

There is nothing wrong with Michigan that doesn't parallel what is wrong with the United States and isn't caused by it...be it white flight in Detroit or the vaunted US auto industry (that's right, the US auto industry, not the Michigan auto industry) that has been decimated by the way that Wall Street handles businesses and DC allows our jobs to go overseas.

Yes, they ran from Detroit. They also ran from the whole rust belt. And when the sun belt soured, they ran to places in the mountain west where fewer people live. And if Detroit is no nightmere, today's California is clearly no dream either.

Michigan has a lesson for the United States because it, like few places, has been the "beneficiary" of what we do to ourselves and how we literally devour our own in an orgy of self-interest.

Write off Michigan, you say. At your own peril. Because in doing so, you miss seeing what is happening in the Great Lakes State that, in many ways, let's you know what will be happening in your own state a year or so later.

Not exactly the kind of cutting edge and trend setting that New York or California provide in other ways, but the parallels are very much there...and the effect every bit if not more felt.

BTW...this is pure rant and I'm not inviting or hoping for a battle over it. Just thanks for allowing me to get that one off my chest.

[Bydand]

No argument from me.

[YAZ]

I haven't been fishing yet in a better place.

[magellan]

Word.

[mackinac81]

Best rant I ever read

[michmoldman]

Originally Posted by mackinac81

Best rant I ever read

I second that!!! Right on!!!

[YAZ]

I see some things happening here in AZ that were very similar to what I've seen in MI.

You can run, but you can't hide......


The southwest has relied on home construction for a while now. That industry has completely stopped here in Phoenix.

[Swansen]

Werd

Really, though, i don't like to believe it, but i constantly find myself in situations where i confirm my suspicions that people in MI just generally suck. I don't know what it is, but people here are just so outwardly angry and belligerent, its not even funny.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Swansen

Werd

Really, though, i don't like to believe it, but i constantly find myself in situations where i confirm my suspicions that people in MI just generally suck. I don't know what it is, but people here are just so outwardly angry and belligerent, its not even funny.

I don't see that at all.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by Swansen

Werd

Really, though, i don't like to believe it, but i constantly find myself in situations where i confirm my suspicions that people in MI just generally suck. I don't know what it is, but people here are just so outwardly angry and belligerent, its not even funny.

Wow, you live in a different State than I do. My suspicions are that you see your own attitude reflected in how others deal with you.