Posted on 11/21/2009 12:37:15 AM PST by bruinbirdman
The abandoned corpses, in white body bags with number tags tied to each toe, lie one above the other on steel racks inside a giant freezer in Detroit’s central mortuary, like discarded shoes in the back of a wardrobe.
Some have lain here for years, but in recent months the number of unclaimed bodies has reached a record high. For in this city that once symbolised the American Dream many cannot even afford to bury their dead.
“I have not seen this many unclaimed bodies in 13 years on the job,” said Albert Samuels, chief investigator at the mortuary. “It started happening when the economy went south last year. I have never seen this many people struggling to give people their last resting place.”
Unburied bodies piling up in the city mortuary — it reached 70 earlier this year — is the latest and perhaps most appalling indignity to be heaped on the people of Detroit. The motor city that once boasted the highest median income and home ownership rate in the US is today in the midst of a long and agonising death spiral.
After years of gross mismanagement by the city’s leaders and the big three car manufacturers of General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, who continued to make vehicles that Americans no longer wanted to buy, Detroit today has an unemployment rate of 28 per cent, higher even than the worst years of the Great Depression.
The murder rate is soaring. The school system is in receivership. The city treasury is $300 million (£182m) short of the funds needed to provide the most basic services such as rubbish collection. In its postwar heyday, when Detroit helped the US to dominate the world’s car market, it had 1.85 million people. Today, just over 900,000 remain. It was once America’s
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Run by Tats for decades and decades ...
RATS that is
They have no intention of voting any other way either. They do not see what is wrong with the leftist ideas. Action & reaction does not occur to them.
Its always someone else’s fault. Been someone else’s fault since the 60-70’s.
Tats aren’t much better.
I suppose this is where I’m supposed to get all choked up.... I’m not.
Vote to put democrats in power, then live like democrats... and you will die like democrats.
It’s a shame, but it’s not my shame.... it’s theirs.
“Yet in recent weeks there have been signs of hope for Mr Samuels that he can reduce the backlog of bodies. Local philanthropists have donated $8,000 to help to bury the dead. In the past month, Mr Samuels has been able to bury 11 people. The number of unburied is now down to 55.”
This last paragraph in the story shows that at least some good people are stepping up to help.
I believe that the following article casts more light on how that group was formed.
Detroit finds dignity in death
A record number of unclaimed bodies are piling up in the Detroit morgue. But thanks to a stranger, some are being laid to rest.
By Poppy Harlow, CNNMoney.com anchor
Last Updated: November 16, 2009: 3:22 PM ET
http://money.cnn.com/2009/11/16/news/economy/detroit_morgue_revisit/index.htm
guess it's too much to ask RATS to have a little common sense...
Democrats should be proud of Detroit, after all it was their policies and tactics that put it here it is today, to be followed shortly by Kalifornia...
Unions and their bosses have caused the death of the Detroit automobile industry. Non-Union auto makers are doing very well as are the men and women who build the cars....they have freedom.
I wanted to add that I have no idea what faith, if any, Ms. Das espouses, but she and her group are certainly showing kindness and respect for their fellow human beings. I think that in this day and age it is an admirable endeavor.
I agree. The rest of the comments on this thread are precisely why we are the minority party...constant condemnation and no solutions.
Not exactly. Two years ago, GM was still the world's top automobile manufacturer. A year ago, as it slid rapidly into bankruptcy, it was still essentially tied with Toyota for #1. When you are the industry sales leader and are still losing money hand over fist, you have a business model/cost control problem, not a customer acceptance problem.
It seems that the government run state media is simply not up to the task.
GM will never again get my business. I don’t care what
‘model’ they have; it still has a government tattoo stamped
on its ass.
Soylent Green. Yeah, that’s the answer except in Detroit it would be soylent black.
Feed it to the masses on the welfare wagon and they will be fit and strong enough to produce even more soylent black through crime, muggings, and murder.
That’s what I call an investment in the future of Detroit.
Good times or bad, communities have always had to deal with unclaimed bodies. Potters Fields or Boot Hills aren’t a new invention. It’s just part of the upkeep price you pay for having a city.
I’m only surprised they talk about holding some bodies for years. That makes no sense.
Shovel ready jobs !!
Anybody who wishes to get a true picture of the mentality of the democrat racists who push Detroit forward into the trash bin should take a listen. In particular, listen between 6:00 AM and 10:00 AM eastern weekdays. Plan to spend some time over several mornings to catch the full flavor of the ignorance.
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