Fall of the Auto Industry Forces us to Redefine Our Region

Dear All,

With the fall of two of Detroit’s automakers comes another opportunity for our region to take the high road. We have relied on the Big 3 to define our region’s politics, social and living standards, economy and education structure for nearly 100 years. At this moment what can they really do for us? Our age of entitlement is over. Obviously, it is time for us to look elsewhere for a diverse leadership the same way the auto industry needs to go with something other than the combustible engine. We need to rally around our thriving creative communities, nonprofit organizations and institutions, emerging health and medical networks, alternative energy developers and bio-science and education centers if we are to find the new leaders for our region and state. This is a time when we should seriously be coming together as a region to address issues that will positively transform the way we live. Truly functional regional authorities and sincere cooperation for comprehensive mass transit, water and sewerage, Cobo renovation and operation, neighborhood revitalization in the city and older suburbs, equal educational and employment opportunities...the list goes on and on. It should be so apparent to everyone now that we are not "The City" and "The Burbs". We are all Detroit. Reverting into municipal, racial, social and our other usual forms of isolation are not the answer this time just as they have never been in the past. The industry that solely sustained us for so long may be falling all around us, but there are many other barriers separating us that will still need to come down even after the auto industry stabilizes. I'm pretty sure we all have an idea of what those barriers are. After the Wings win the '09 Cup and the party is over, there will still be a lot more work for all of us to do for a long time. As the saying goes, "Yes we can!"