A Webinar held on Monday for continued funding for CVI (Community Violence Initiative) program created a provocation discussion . While the meeting included commentary by several very articulate heads of Detroit programs, the recent killings in Grand Blanc came up. Key points highlighted:
- The cost for each killing range from $1.5 to $3 million dollars
- Each murder depletes and helps to destroy urban communities and robs them of sons, brothers, fathers potential husbands….
- While it impoverishes Black communities, it enriches other communities through jobs, contracts and profits to private equity firms who run many of the detention facilities an jails.
- CVI programs more than pay for themselves by far via financial, emotional and social impact.
Looking at a broader perspective, although Black Americans had nothing to do with the Charlie Kirk murder, Trump somehow connected this to the decreasing gun violence in American cities to justify troop in cities. If Americans don’t pay attention to these discussion, we all lose
So while some state legislators might look at this as something that will benefit “those Detroiters”, that is incorrect. These funds can help address shootings like the Morman church killings in Grand Blanc and the many suicides in rural Michigan. The state of Michigan has wasted million in grants, not loans for job creation promises that have created few jobs. The CVI program is a proven winner’
