That is, until you read them, and see how extensive and blatant the culture of corruption allegedly was around the once-promising young politician, who is already sitting in jail, thanks to earlier felony convictions and probation violations.
Naturally, I need to add that everyone is legally innocent until proven guilty, something that will be up to a jury, unless the defendants enter a plea. And juries can surprise you. Many people thought Attorney Geoffrey Fieger was finished when he was indicted three years ago on federal campaign finance violations.
But in the end, he was acquitted. It’s a little harder to imagine that happening here. And it is a bit disheartening to realize that this means that the whole sordid Kilpatrick saga is going to go on for months or even years, as this whole process winds its way through the courts. My biggest sympathies go out to Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, who is fighting hard to get his city beyond this.
What I am now about to say isn‘t politically correct, but the truth is that there are a lot of people, from Grand Rapids to Grosse Pointe, who are thinking, well, what do you expect?
That’s Detroit. That’s the black political culture. Sometimes it get put in even cruder terms. But the problem is that more and more, this isn’t any subculture, it is the culture. The story that fascinated me this week wasn’t Kwame Kilpatrick, but William Hamman.
Hamman was a doctor and medical researcher who specialized in training other doctors how to respond to medical emergencies.
He was director of a medical simulation and research program at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. He was awarded millions in research grants. He also got huge consulting fees and salaries from Western Michigan University as well as the hospital system.
There was only one thing wrong.
He wasn’t a doctor at all, or a researcher. He didn’t have any degrees. For years, nobody checked, until finally, one day last summer, somebody did. Later, they said Hamman was “really bright” and a good communicator. Which is what they said about Kilpatrick.
Last weekend, I went to commencement at Wayne State University, and saw a student I know go up with her cap and gown, be presented as a graduate, and get photographed with the university president. She is also really bright and a good communicator … and a sophomore who has flunked out and who improperly applied for graduation. I can do something about this.
But I can’t stop her from putting that picture on a website and passing herself off as a graduate. And clearly, there are too few background checks any more.
Once upon a time, the American dream was to work your fingers to the bone to accomplish something and be somebody. These days, too many of us seem to want to skip the step where you actually work hard and honestly to get there.
And that worries me far more than a bunch of new indictments against a sleazy ex-politician who is already sitting in jail.
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