Social Media Petitions For Detroit RoboCop Statue

myfoxdetroit.com ^ | 14 Feb 2011 | Canvas Staff Reports

[smokingfrog]

Detroit needs RoboCop.

That was the premise of a 1987 movie in which RoboCop, a terminally wounded cop turned cyborg, protected a crime-ridden city. Now what started out as a tweet to Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has turned into a social media movement that suggests a statue of RoboCop is just what the city needs.

Bing, as reported by PopSci.com , originally got a Tweet saying that RoboCop would be a great Detroit mascot. Philadelphia has a Rocky Balboa statue, the text stated, and RoboCop would "kick Rocky's butt."

"There are not any plans to erect a statue to RoboCop," Bing replied. "Thank you for your suggestion."

Fans disagreed as a group of Detroit residents started a Facebook event page that grew to 4,600 supporters.

Imagination Station, a non-profit center that cleans up blighted neighborhoods, offered space on its campus for the statue. Supporters kicked off a campaign using the online fundraising platform Kickstarter .

"Part man, part machine, all crowd funded," the website DetroitNeedsRobocop.com states.

As of Sunday, the website reported that $16,524 or 33 percent of the group's $50,000 goal has been raised.

[equaviator]

RoboCop??? WTF! Why does Detroit and its mostly suburban local news stations suck up to Hollywood so diligently? It's embarrassing to witness these pathetic attempts to make Michigan out to be "California Jr." when there's not much of anything that's cool about the Golden State anymore. If you're gonna build a statue of some adopted son for Detroit then why not have it be a real hero like Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker, WWI flying Ace.>>>

[InvisibleChurch]

This is so cool. I hope Robocop is there to give a speech at his unveiling.

[RichInOC]

How about a statue of Clarence Boddicker?

[Springman]

Update, per WJR, Mitch Albom’s radio show, there are enough donations to build it, if they can find a location.

[Slings and Arrows]

*eyeroll*