The Mayor of Detroit: Leader of the community?

Well by now you probably heard all about our illustrious Mayor of Detroit, Kwame Kilpatrick and what an absolute scoundrel he is.

The story here is not about what he did because many public officials have lied, even under oath, used public funds for personal fun and frolic expenses, cheated on his wife (constantly) and in some cases, ruined or damaged the lives of people who entered into their sphere of influence.

No the story is deeper than that and unfortunately produced and will continue to produce an ever widening stain encompassing a city, a people, a generation and maybe an entire state.

Kwame was the great black hope for a city without hope. He was young, talented and smart with a political family name and pedigree. He achieved political success quickly but unfortunately without first growing up; he became stuck in a very large body but with a mind of a sophomore in high school.

He looked the part of a great black role model with a beautiful wife, three sons, a mansion and power – perfect. I know his mother, U.S. Rep. Kilpatrick, thought maybe he could run for my “safe” seat in Congress, then the Senate and then, just maybe, the presidency! That dream has been put to rest; he will be mayor of Detroit for life – not totally bad I think?

Even though we all know that many men of power and position have behaved like Kwame and many probably much worst but I find it doubly unfortunate that Kwame is black and from Detroit because blacks in Detroit really could have used a good guy mayor that would give them something to be proud of but…

The media is comparing his behavior to Bill Clinton and JFK but I am going to compare it to the so called black leaders of the black community who preach about taking responsibility for your own actions and leading by example.

I am talking about what is agreed as the plagues of the black community, mainly babies born out of wedlock and the lack of black family units (father, mother & siblings) and of course drugs.

Bill Cosby, Jessie Jackson, Martin Luther King, Jr., Coleman Young (former Detroit mayor) and now I found out even Dennis Archer, the former mayor and judge, all had affairs and/or produced children outside their marriage.

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