Old School Friday: Antoine Cadillac

I will be starting a new Friday theme: "Old-School Fridays". Every week in this slot, I will profile Detroiters who have made a difference in and for Detroit throughout history.

A good start would be with the founder of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac. Cadillac was a career military man, serving first in France and then in "New France" near present-day Maine. He was moved to Michilimackinac, near Montreal Canada, working to make that area a commercial center. Attempting to set up several regional fortresses to defend against the British takeover of the area, Cadillac finally received approval from the King of France and the Governor-General of Canada to establish a fort along the lower straits. Le Detroit (meaning "the straits") was chosen because of the fertile land, more hospitable climate (compared to upper Canada), and river location. Cadillac and his party landed on July 23, 1701, and set up the foundation for Detroit on July 24, 1701. This date is considered the founding date for the City of Detroit. The official name of the fort and settlement named by Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac is Fort Pontchatrain du Detroit.

Because the City of Detroit was been under the flags of three nations, France, England, and the United States, many people mistakenly believe "de-troit" is French for "of three". "Le detroit" actually means "of the straits"; signifying the many waterways of Detroit. The influence of France is still apparent in Detroit with the names of many streets, especially downtown and on the eastside. Only *real* Detroiters can correctly pronounce street names such as Cadieux, Gratiot, Livernois, and Rivard!

President-Elect Barack Obama Sounds So Good!

President-Elect Barack Obama

Wow! Doesn't that sound good? Do you still have goosebumps like me? As you read this, President-elect Obama will be receiving his first White House National Intelligence Briefing! Wow! I feel more secure already...someone who is actually intelligent receiving the intelligence briefing!

As we allow the feelings to take hold and start coming back down to reality it will help to remember how Barack Obama won this election. First of all, the results are solid: at least 367 Electoral College votes (EV), 97 more Evs than needed; and 52% of the popular vote, a full 6 percentage points above John McCain and a one point more than a majority! No court challenges; no hanging chads; no questions of legitimacy!

But as proud as we are about the successful outcome on its face, it is good to remember that Barack Obama won this election based with superior strategy, unwavering vision, and unparalleled integrity.

* He could have been "the angry Black man"; he wasn't.
* He could have used a scorched-earth strategy against both Hillary Clinton and John McCain; he didn't.
* He could have lied against his opponents, spread smears and distortions about them, or called them everything but a child of God; he didn't.

Barack Obama held true to his management style of No Drama with Obama. Looking back on his almost 2-year campaign, there were no meltdowns, there was no staff infighting, no scandals, almost no gaffes or mis-speaks; and any and all obstacles or setbacks he encountered were handled with class, grace, and style.  With the entire Obama family, what you see is what you get. As several TV pundits said on Wednesday, there will be no "Monicas" or "Heck of a job, Brownies" waiting to upset the apple cart. He knew what he needed to do to achieve his objective, and he marched on with laser-like focus.

President-elect Barack Obama learned of the death of his beloved Toot early Monday morning, and less than an hour later, strode onto a rally stage and continued to lay out his vision for America; but you could see his eyes were puffy and had black circles under them. Later that day, at his 4th or 5th rally of the day, a few tears rolled down his cheeks, but he maintained his composure and focus. It is now Thursday morning, and he still hasn't had time to grieve the loss of his last parent.

Tuesday morning, he went to Indiana one more time, because he felt he could turn a red state blue--and he did!

As proud and excited as we are about the election of Barack Hussein Obama for President of the United States of America, we are just as proud and inspired because of how he won the election.

President-elect Barack Obama. Yes, it still sounds so very good.

Shameless plug: please read my husband's blog The "D" Spot...

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Wordless Wednesday: Yes, We Did!

 

 

 

 

One Word: TODAY!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled "Shopping in Detroit" Tuesday post 

to bring you a message from our Candidate:

 

Yesterday was a bittersweet day for the Senator as he thought of his "Toot", 

his last parent--Mrs. Madelyn Dunham, even as he continued to hold his last campaign events...

 

But TODAY we will  change the tears to that big smile...

 

Because we will all go to the polls, wait in line for however long it takes, and pull that lever for:

 

THAT'S strength and humility and family values and leadership we can believe in!

Rest in Peace, Toot!

Senator Barack Obama lost his beloved Grandmother, "Toot", today...just one day before the election.

We are saddened, but even more emboldened to vote her 1st grandson into the Presidency.

Now we are not only voting for *Barry*, but also voting for *Toot*...

The Republicans, meanwhile, are suing because Barack took the campaign plane to visit his grandmother; like he could jump on a commercial plane with his Secret Service and Press Corps...besides, as I said before, that is OUR plane...we paid for it, and we wanted him to go home.  Wonder how the Repubs feel now?

Let NOTHING keep you from the polls on Tuesday..."Toot" is watching...

Detroit's Unique Neighborhoods: VOTE Today and Tomorrow!

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Monday "Detroit's Unique Neighborhoods" post to remind everyone about the importance to Detroit of voting tomorrow, November 4 2008. This election concludes the longest and most costly Presidential campaign season in American history. More people have registered to vote (especially since January of this year), and more people are expected to vote than ever.

Hopefully, voters in Detroit will greatly surpass the usually pitiful 20% voting rate. The voting rate should be 100%: people have fought and died to ensure the right to vote for all. If you do not vote, you have no right to complain if things aren't going the way you would like them to go.

Voting Queue in South Africa, 1990

For tomorrow's election, we already know that the lines will be long, as in l-o-o-o-o-o-o-ong! The weather, however, is expected to be unseasonably warm and sunny. It would be great to bring with you, along with your picture ID, lawn chairs, bottled water, an umbrella (for the sun!), something to read or a crossword puzzle, some snacks (especially if you're diabetic), your iPod, etc.; and most of all, bring patience and as many people as you can fit in your car! If you don't have to work, or can go in late, that is great. If not, just make sure you're in line by 8 p.m. Do not wear any political attire and do not take pictures or videos near the polling place. Put your "O" stuff back on further down the street after you vote, and then take your pictures for posterity!

There is early voting TODAY at the City Clerk's office on West Grand Boulevard until 6 p.m. You can check here to find out your voting location, if necessary.

The ballot will also be long; President, Vice-President, U.S. Senate, U.S. Congress (District 13 or 14 in Detroit), Michigan Legislature, Judges for various courts, State Board of Education, Regents for Michigan State and the University of Michigan, Board of Governors for Wayne State University, Wayne County Sheriff, Prosecutor, and Treasurer, and two Statewide Proposals! Whew!

No matter what the "polls" say, the only poll that counts is the one with your vote in it! If a little voice tries to tell you that you're too tired, too stressed, or too busy to vote, remember that you're not just voting for yourself. You are also vicariously voting for all of the civil rights workers, all of the nameless people who fought and died, all of the people who were beaten, burned, and lynched, all of the unnamed ancestors who died in the Middle Passage, everyone whose homes and/or churches were burned down, the four little girls who died in Birmingham, all of your ancestors who picked cotton and cleaned other people's homes and worked three jobs so that you could have a better life.

It's time for a change, and your vote will give us 

the change we need.