DETROIT (WJBK) -
At the Motor City Java House on Lasher at Grand River in Detroit residents dropped in for coffee after a morning walk while community leaders brainstormed with a state representative about plans to improve the neighborhood. This on a day many are talking about Detroit's less than enviable designation as the country's most miserable city as determined by Forbes magazine, based on violent crime, unemployment, foreclosures, taxes, population loss and even the weather.
See the full list here.
So Forbes just looked at statistics and, yes, there is snow and cold, but what they didn't consider is the spirit of Detroit. A spirit of adventure and revitalization and rebirth.
"We have great people in this city that are doing some things to improve the community. Forbes [needs] to come and get on the ground and see what's going on before they put an article out like they have," said state representative David Nathan.
"I don't know how we could be in misery when we have so much hope," said Kirk Mayes with the Brightmoor Alliance. "We don't pity or shame our status of being Detroiters. We're actually proud of it."
No one can deny the crime, the overburdened and underpaid police officers and firefighters, the financial emergency and the unbelievable blight that weighs heavy here, but there is so much more.
"Just like any other urban area that goes through its bad times so have we, but now it's time for the good times," said Alicia Marion-George from the Motor City Java House.
"Detroit is literally on the front porch of one of the greatest urban comeback stories in this nation's history," said John George from Motor City Blight Busters.
Detroiters aren't the only ones who say Forbes got it wrong. They ranked Warren the seventh most miserable city in the country.
"The only thing miserable is Forbes, and they are a miserable magazine. They're an eastern, elitist magazine," said Warren Mayor Jim Fouts.
He told me crime is down, new business is coming in, General Motors is investing half a billion dollars and Chrysler is adding a third shift.
"If we were a miserable city, business and industry wouldn't be expanding and hiring more people and more businesses wouldn't be coming to Warren," Fouts said.
We stopped by the Prayer Station at city hall to see if Warren residents there were miserable. Far from it.
"I don't know of anybody in the City of Warren that would make that statement," said Donald Rice. "The best city I've ever lived in. I've lived here almost 50 years, and we've got a mayor that's top notch."
"As far as I'm concerned, the misery index goes up when I hear the names Forbes," said Fouts.
Detroit (Credit: Fox 2 News)
