The Dyspathy blog, which is actually one of the best sources of news and analysis for stuff outside of the Warrendale neighborhood, has a post about how Chief Warren C. Evans will likely be fired from the Detroit Police Department in the coming days.
I think this is a real shame. This is partly because I believe Chief Evans has done a good job as chief of police, but mostly because his firing is being done as a political easy out to avoid any serious discussions about changes in the department (e.g., staffing, budget, etc.).
The Chase Bank branch in the Warrendale neighborhood (18016 W. Warren Ave.) as well as several other branches around town are hiring again. They are hiring bank tellers, personal bankers, and several other positions.
Interested applicants are invited to apply on-line at chase.com/careers.
Rima Fakih, of nearby Dearborn, became Miss USA 2010 last night in Las Vegas. She is the first Arab American and the first Muslim to ever win this title. Her victory has been the cause of much celebration within the Arab American community.
Rima Fakih graduated from the University of Michigan-Dearborn with bachelor's degrees in economics and business management. She is currently working in marketing for the Detroit Medical Center and plans to attend law school once she completes her reign as Miss USA.
Rima Fakih is the first Michigander to be named Miss USA since Kenya Moore of Detroit won the title in 1993.
My favorite factoid about Rima Fakih, however, comes from this quote in the Detroit Free Press.
When asked how she felt about winning the crown, Fakih said, "Ask me after I've had a pizza."
I have to love a woman who celebrates winning the Miss USA title with a pizza. Maybe we'll get lucky one day soon and see Rima Fakih at Gracie See or one of the other pizzerias in the Warrendale neighborhood.
I congratulate Rima Fakih and her family on this achievement. I wish her the best of everything in her coming year as Miss USA.
Ron Scott of the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality is, in my opinion, an idiot.
When Police Officer Brian Huff was shot and killed in the line of duty this past Monday, and four other police officers who injured in the same incident, Mr. Scott went to the scene and made a series of remarks to the news media. Several media outlets carried his remarks, in which he spoke about police brutality and police officers violating the constitutional rights of young black men.
Since then, there has been a certain amount of public backlash against Mr. Scott. He has since said that his remarks were taken out of context. Quite frankly, I don't have a lot of sympathy for Ron Scott.
There is always a need to police the police department, whether it's in Detroit or anywhere else. Citizen groups, such as the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, have a legitimate role in addressing allegations of police misconduct and ensuring that it never happens in the first place.
However, when a person - any person - is standing at the scene where a police officer has been killed in the line of duty, the only remark that it is ever appropriate to make is to offer condolences to the officer's family. For anyone to make any other comment, is simply inappropriate.
The Board of Police Commissioners, the City Council, and newspaper editorial pages all exist for a reason. They provide citizens an opportunity to air grievances and present arguments, even ones that might be unpleasant to hear. Mr. Scott should have made his comments there and not at the scene where Officer Huff was murdered, especially while his body was still warm.
Mr. Scott has spent much of this week attempting to backpedal. He has repeatedly argued that his remarks were taken out of context. He has pointed out that the first thing he said was to express sadness about the death of one officer and the wounding of four others. He has insisted that his comments about police brutality where made with the best of intentions.
Quite frankly, I don't care. Mr. Scott is still an idiot.
The only thing he should have said at that instant was to express his condolences to the fallen police officers. Everything else should have waited for a better time and place.
Update - Saturday, May 8 @ 11:38 a.m.
Ron Scott and Detroit Police Chief Warren Evans were on Fox 2's Let It Rip to discuss the shooting of Officer Huff, Mr. Scott's comments, and the response to said comments. Video from that exchange, as well as video of Mr. Scott's comments, are are all available below.
