Vision Circle

LKS;once you cross the bridge to impowerment,self determination your labelled by the mainstream media as racist,possibly a spin Doctor should have been hired for the press release.
tootsie

Africatown ,Little Italy, Greektown etc.There is nothing so peculiar about the idea of communities having ethnic based business entities. Its done all over the USA. Harlem,NY- Queens,NY-Brooklyn, all have ethnic inspired business centers in their communitites and its no big deal. It only a problem when Blacks have the nerve to want to address their concerns the way others do. Then its a problem. The people of Detriot should be commended. And stay strong.
I always think of how Blacks are treated in the countries from where those who complain about what we are doing, and who are not of our community. This will give you an idea on why they are so opposed to our interest.
Also, what I find truly galling is the notion that coming here "illegally or undocumented" or being anything but 'white' automatically or somehow guarantees one any and all rights available to 'legal' citizens. This is offensive to me as an Black American. Never mind that legal immigrant channels were ignored, and, moreover, that this same illegal person is disadvantaged from the country they hail from, which precipitated the illegal trip in the first place. In other words, their socioeconomic problems arose or occurred there not here, in part. Thankfully, federal agencies like the SBA have seen the folly in such an idea, and have redressed the federal 'spoil system' of side asides so that only persons who can document their disavantagement occurred on US soil, not elsewhere. In other words, being nonwhite and in the US is not enough to qualify for "set asides."
GDAWG

What is the difference between Africatown and Chinatown?

Chinatown was a Chinese ghetto that the residence raised to the level cultural and economic significance.

Africatown (a name I don't like because it is not entirely accurate) is a black ghetto that the government is choosing raise to a level of cultural and economic significance.

I hope it succeeds but, I will not be surprised when it fails.

Sorry I digressed in my earlier ruminations.
On the real difference between Chinatown and Africatown. Well it was governemt policies, among others, that created the "Chinatowns" of the USA.
It was US courts that allowed retrictive convenants in real estate that facilitated racially isolated communities. Be it good or bad, depending on one's perspective, that's what happened. It was restrictive government hiring policies that relegated certain jobs for certains groups in certain communities. The Chinatowns of the US received government services in the form of police and fire protection, garbage pickup, etc. It was governemnt regulated banking policies, in part, that facilitated capitalization of some chinese businesses and health care capabilities.
I mean things don't just happen in a vacuum. Or in other words, the "residents" had some measure of government asistance to facilitate their existence as a community.And I don't here them complaining about it. Why Blacks can't be allowed similar remedies is perplexing to me. By the way, perhaps Africatown will fail. This speaks to a separte issue on the nature of the human interaction in our communitiy and among our business class. For too many times, than not, there is often a fatal disconnect between the community and the indigenous businesses, which ultimately, facilitates the entrance of busineses not of our community to succeed where our business has failed. At some point this must be seriously addressed!!!

Whats the difference between Chinatown and Africantown there is no difference,unless you want to count the personality of African Americans and Chinees Americans ,AA will patronize any establishment i.e. you can find Blacks in Italian,Mexican.Chineese,and any other restaurant,when was the last time you seen a CA in a African store.

Hmmm. Point well taken.
GDAWG

The obvious significant difference is that the Chinese millionaire didn't go to city hall begging for a handout and a declaration. He just put his money where his mouth was and built his store. Claud Anderson needs to play hardball on his own dime and stop expecting racial flacks to do his heavy lifting. Now his marketing trick has backfired and brought bad press.

Risky strategy. Backfired.

Cobb, man you're brutal. I suspect, in the real world, the Chinese millionaire did require some "government" asistance in getting to the point of his current economic status. This is just how business is done in the US and elsewhere.
Just take for example Haliburton. They are a private concern, and, as many well know, were given/awarded billions of dollars of nonbid contracts. Is this like a "Government Handout"?
Why is this "Government Handout" good for Haliburton, but bad for African American businesses and business persons when they seek to feed at the government trough? It is f----ing ridiculous.
APOLOGIES!!!!!!!!!
GDAWG