Located 31 miles from Detroit in Oakland County, Michigan, Pontiac’s unemployment rate is high at 17.6%. Wealth levels within the city are low, as per capita income is 45% of the county, 65% of the state, and 63% of the national averages. GM concentration is significant, representing one-third of the city’s tax base. GM currently employs approximately 6,000 workers in Pontiac. In November 2006, GM announced plans to relocate 3,600 engineering and related employees from its Centerpoint campus in the city. The Pontiac Assembly center, which manufactures the Chevrolet Silverado and the GMC Sierra full-size pick-up trucks, accounts for a significant amount of remaining GM employment in the city. Last month GM announced it would reduce staff levels by several hundred at this plant.
Nathaniel Abraham received national attention when he was sentenced to prison for murder as an 11 year old. Michigan had enacted a draconian law that allowed prosecutors to charge juveniles of any age with serious felonies. He was released at 21.
He was arrested for drug dealing this week. Police caught him in the middle of a transaction and he had approximately 250 ecstasy pills in his possession. Here’s the money quote:
Nicole Edwards, sister of the murder victim, also expressed disappointment in Abraham’s drug arrest.
“I thought he would rehabilitate himself,” she said. “This is like a slap in the face.”
You don’t see the economic context of Pontiac that I provide above, anywhere in the story. Abraham is a convict. Pontiac’s unemployment rate is 17%. Once you add in the people who have stopped looking that figure is probably around 22% at best. People rarely rehabilitate themselves, particularly in a context where poverty is rampant and jobs are scarce.
Add some supernafta plot thickener to that gumbo Les….,
That is indeed a sad story. But perhaps we can look at in the sense that maybe the paper wrote this particular article in order to catch attention, rather than looking at the nuances of the situation. Surely, you are not the only one that has put 2 and 2 together… well hopefully not.
On a side note, (wasn’t sure where to put it) saw that you did research on hip and its effects/influence on (Black) American Society. Do you know anything about church elements leader(s) that say that hip hop is evil/devil worshippers cult etc. and what role, if any they play in the larger hip hop and social change discourses. … sorry this is random, yes.
i know about them. but they don’t play as much a role in the critique of hip-hop as the cosbyites do.
and while i think your average detroiter knows what the deal is with nathaniel, i don’t think the average suburban detroit free press reader does.
Doc and as a side note ,when Nathaniel was released from jail he was dress as a gansta wide brim ,flashy colors,at that moment I knew that the cards where stack against him walking the straight and narrow