In Friday's 07/28/06 Detroit News is a front page article extolling Motown Records creator Berry Gordy for creating an after-school program, funded by Gordy, for Detroit teens to develop music industry skills. It is a good news story and I commend any paper for reporting good news. However there is one negative thing about the article I didn't like. The headline praised Gordy for "giving back to Detroit." So I fired off this LTE the the News:
"I write to protest the shameful subtitle to the front page story Motown Magic of 7/28/06 which read: "Berry Gordy is giving back to Detroit with his after-school program..." The idea that Mr. Gordy is giving back inplies that he took something from Detroit. This is nonsense.
In fact, because he took advantage of the profit motive, he not only earned a living for himself and provided a living for those who worked at Motown, he provided all of us a value that was priceless--the Motown Sound. It is Detroit that owes him. He traded with us music for which we happily paid. He owes Detroit nothing. This is the morally inverted thinking that all American's should reject. If the News wants to praise him for giving to the City of Detroit, fine, but not giving back."
I don't know if they'll print it, I'll have to wait and see. This is the kind of thinking that needs to be opposed every time it's advanced.
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