Racial and city-suburban divisions are endemic to Detroit-area politics. Sadly. And so, struggling Detroit mayoral incumbent Kwame Kilpatrick, likely to be ousted in November by challenger Freman Hendrix, has scored another bullseye. The Detroit Free press reports that in a high-profile mayoral debate Thursday, Kilpatrick took aim at suburban school drug use, stating:

"In Birmingham, in Bloomfield Hills and all these places they do more meth, they do more ecstasy and they do more acid than all the schools in the city of Detroit put together."

Yep, that's a platform for Detroit, alright; "our drug problem isn't as bad as that of rich white kids in the 'burbs." Brilliant message. And it meshes nicely the "not black enough" meme his supporters are advancing against Hendrix.

TECHNORATI TAGS: DETROIT, KWAME KILPATRICK, SUBURBAN DRUG USE

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Posted by Matt Rosenberg at September 18, 2005 10:54 AM