Alex, Just to clarify, I have never once felt threatened or feared for my life in Detroit. Almost everybody I've encountered there has been peaceful, interesting, and kind. I'm a firm believer that if you keep your head on straight and appear like you know what you're doing, you'll never have a problem wherever you are. You're correct, though -- these have been voiced to me by friends and acquaintances who have also been to the festival at one point or another. You're also correct that this environment is what led to techno's beginnings in the first place. The point I'm really trying to make is that I know many people who will not be back next year -- probably ever -- because of occurrences like this, and that's a shame. Especially because, as you said, things like this can (and do) happen anywhere.
Also it's not just the crime, but the combination of this and other factors that taint many people's experiences. Our hotel reservations were not honored at the advertised price (beyond the city's control, I realize -- but I've heard hotel horror stories for the past 3 years running). We wandered around downtown on Monday for almost 2 hours just looking for an open place to get a cup of coffee. Friends reported cab drivers that tried to get a $25 surcharge just to take them from the Omni to the plaza. That's like 2 miles. And I don't think Detroit should be turned into some gentrified suburban yuppieland, either. I just think that some thought, effort, and money put into mitigating occurrences like this will reap far greater rewards in the long run than whether the lineup is out by April 1st or whether Ghostly gets a stage or not. just my $0.02 - jobot ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thursday, June 24, 2004 2:22 pm Subject: Re: (313) Shootings at the fireworks? > Jobot, > > While I agree with many of the points made in your post, no one to > my knowledge, has been shot during the music festival. None of the > people that I know from out of town (and I know my fair share from > this list, etc) has ever voiced a concern about coming to Detroit > because of fears that you are voicing. Hell, it would could if > TT's could put a poll up to see if this stopped people from coming > vs. being starved of information because of disorganization by > <insert beaten dead horse here>. > > This violence and less than perfect surroundings that you say make > people think twice about coming here is the formula for the > synthesis of the techno music scene in Detroit and resulted in > this festival happening here. > > I have always felt more threatened at the ethnic festivals that > happen in Detroit that I ever have at the DEMF. I also once > witnessed one of my good friends get robbed an beaten at one of > these and we didn't even know it was him because of the amount of > feet that were hitting his face into the pavement (he was walking > half a block from us at the time and we were downtown taking > pictures circa 1987). > > Is there a lot screwed up in Detroit? Hell yes! Are people going > to stop coming because some idiot/psycho/moron decided to go on a > shooting rampage on Jefferson over some glasses? Maybe. But maybe > that same person will remember that this is the epitome of a > random act. That could have happened anywhere. Just because it > happened in Detroit people should stop coming here. That's the > solution. With every person that comes here, the energy of the > city changes. Forsaking a place that many outsiders had such good > experiences and got to new/old friends from around the world is > not the proper answer for the acts of a few individuals. > > It is a shame what happened. It's more of a shame that many will > have your reaction to it. > > Peace, > Alex > > > > > and the Metro Times wonders why Movement isn't financially > successful. > > > > Earth to the city of Detroit: to attract tourism dollars, you > have to provide a > > safe environment, easy transportation, and places for people to > spend those > > dollars. Festival shootings, con-artist cabbies, shady hotels, > and a shuttered > > downtown -- especially when there's 300,000 thirsty partygoers > just across > > Jefferson -- do not provide an environment that many are willing > to return to. > > Lineup announcement be damned; THIS is what people are concerned > about when they > > consider travelling to Detroit. > > > > - jobot > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Dennis DeSantis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Date: Thursday, June 24, 2004 10:38 am > > Subject: (313) Shootings at the fireworks? > > > > > > > > http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&ncid=519&e=3&u=/ap/20040624/> > ap_on_re_us/fireworks_shooting > > > > > > Anyone have more info on this? > > > > > > Terrible - I used to love going downtown for that when I was a > kid.> > > > > > > > -- > > > Dennis DeSantis > > > www.dennisdesantis.com > > > > > > > > >
