Sept. 20, 2005

Is Michigan One State:

You might read the Free Press and root for the Lions.

Maybe you get the Tribune and follow the Bears.

You might even be closer to Lambeau Field and the Green Bay Packers.

Michigan is vast state with a diverse population.  Are we a unified state or more like city states with wildly differing agendas?  What influence do the various regions have? And what brings us together?

Jack talks with Bill Thomas the editor of "The Traverse Record Eagle", Bill Rustem who is the President of Public Sector Consultants, and Bill Anderton, the Director of the Center for UP Studies at Northern Michigan University.

Listen to the mp3  or  Real Audio

Comments

[Toni]

I am wondering if we here in the Detroit area feel that the state as a whole is divided because the Detroit area itself is so polarized.

[Michael J. Richard]

Hi Jack,

I enjoyed listening to today's show. I don't think that we have any more unity problems than any other state, e.g. Northern California(liberal)vs. Southern California(conservative), Western Washington(liberal)vs. Eastern Washington(conservative), NYC vs. Upstate NY, or that the Dakotas would've been better off being divided into East and West instead of North and South, both geographically and politically.

As to the listener who said Michigan has no culture whatsoever...I can only suggest she open her eyes, mind and heart. Of course, as a whole, Anglo-American US lacks the depth of culture that comes with living in one area for thousands of years, but that doesn't mean the culture that does exist has any less meaning than anyone else's culture. The US, including Michigan, is the most culturally diverse country in the history of the world and we should celebrate that fact!

p.s. I'm proud to be a Michigander!

p.p.s. According to Mapquest, Ironwood is 600.16 miles from Detroit and 616.56 miles from St. Louis...

[Sarah Ross]

Having just moved to the Ann Arbor area two years ago from Eugene, Oregon I was very interested in the question about Michigan's identity as a state.

I grew up in Southern Wisconsin (Racine) and experience Michigan clearly as part of the midwest region. I am most aware of the strong ties to Scandinavian and German culture reflected in the attitudes and social norms of the people I relate to.

Since coming to Michigan I have learned to play Euchre, reverted back to the midwest pronunciation of Willamette, and learned to display disdain for anything from Ohio.

I have been a bit shocked and taken aback at the extremely conservative social attitudes here. The lack of a vital, urban culture that thrives on diversity in Southeast Michigan really surprised me, (Chicago can't be beat for a dose of big city energy).

After living in Oregon, which has a predominantly white population, I anticipated a more racially integrated and diverse social experience here. But, I have found that, like any segregated area, I can easily go about my daily routines with only occasional contact with people who don't look like me.

The archaic attitudes toward gay and lesbian people makes me feel like I moved back to the dark ages.

It seems to me that the long term relationship and dependence the state government has had on industry and the "Big Three" has not been good for Michigan's citizens. The automakers ask for and get concessions and tax exemptions that are in their best interest but that appear to undermine the state's ability to effectively serve it's citizens. Too bad state government has been in industry's pocket for so long, even after the horrible layoffs decades ago that decimated so many local economies the state leaders appear to have failed to do anything to diversify Michigan's economy.

[KateOLeary]

Loved the show. As for the two AnnArborites (Sarah and the live caller) who found (Sarah's words) themselves "taken aback at the extremely conservative social attitudes here. The lack of a vital, urban culture that thrives on diversity" (etc, etc)....

All I can suggest, kids, is to get out of the ivory tower zone in Ann Arbor and come to Detroit. After 20+ years in "treetown" I finally got wise and came back to my roots here (after a brief stay in Pittsburgh). It's been such a refreshing change. Ann Arbor has the veneer of diversity and chi-chi culture, but it's not that diverse ethnically or economically.

We have it good here in Michigan. Celebrate it and get out of your own back yard.

Peace,
Kate

[Cary Gottlieb]

BTW, it's "John Anderton" not Bill Anderton as you have it in your synopsis...