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10 | JUNE 11 • 2020 

promoting the area where 
most JN readers live as a 
thriving economic hub that 
welcomed Jews. Patterson 
did this while disparaging 
Detroit and its citizens in 
vile, heinous language, call-
ing the city “an Indian res-
ervation.” In his own words, 
he said he would “rather join 
the Klan” than help a group 
of CEOs rebuild Detroit. As 
the Oakland County prose-
cutor prior to becoming its 
executive, he expressed simi-
lar sentiments.
It was clear Patterson 
thought nothing of Detroit’
s 
majority-black population; to 
him, these black lives didn’
t 
matter. In Patterson’
s eyes, 
Oakland County, and the 
many Jewish-owned busi-
nesses that helped power its 
economic engine, could only 
find success if Detroit failed.
We can’
t allow ourselves to 
think like that anymore. We 
must realize that our fates are 
directly tied to those of our 
black and brown brothers 
and sisters, including Jews of 
color, with whom we share 
the Detroit Metro area, and 
indeed this entire country. 
We must help to heal this 
deep wound in our society, 
starting right here in Detroit.
Above all, please listen to 
and acknowledge this pain 

and anger. Rather than look-
ing for reasons to invalidate 
it or finding ways to rational-
ize a violent police response 
to it, take a moment to 
understand where it comes 
from. When it comes 
to interactions with law 
enforcement, our own histo-
ry demands we find a peace-
ful alternative to the struc-
tural prejudice that leads to 
police violence against entire 
groups of people.
We have local examples 
to point the way forward, 
consistent with Jewish val-
ues. In Flint, seeing a crowd 
of protesters approaching, 
Genesee County Sheriff 
Chris Swanson disregarded 
his training. He laid down 
his baton and riot gear and 
accompanied civilians on a 
peaceful march. 
And since protests began, 
Sheriff Bouchard has sup-
ported Michigan Senate Bill 
945, requiring mandatory 
bias training for the state’
s 
police forces.
Many more reforms are 
needed. We may need to 
completly rethink the rela-
tionship between our com-
munities and the police. But 
amid all the horror, these are 
positive steps. We all must 
learn from history to avoid 
repeating it. 

Detroit police control 
protestors in the 
streets of Detroit.

ALEXANDER CLEGG/JEWISH NEWS

LEARNING FROM HISTORY continued from page 6

most read on the web

Each month, the JN will let you know the sto-
ries that were read most often online. If you 
missed any, you can go to the jewishnews.com 
and search for them by title. Here’
s what was 
most popular in May.

TOP 10 ON THE WEB 
1. Lansing Demonstrators Protest Whitmer with Hitler Signs
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5. ‘
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: Jewish Filmmaker Confronts his 
 
Traumatic Childhood
6. A Shavuot Revelation
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8. Rabbi Shaiall Zachariash: Service Well Beyond the 
 
Call of Duty
9. Tamarack Camps Cancels All Summer 2020 Programming 
 
Due to COVID-19
10. The Ex-Nazi Next Door

TOPS ON FACEBOOK
1. Tamarack Camps Cancel All Summer 2020 Programming
2. Ann Arbor Art Fair Canceled Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
3. Bagel Boys to the Rescue
4. DJN Business Profiles: Warren and William Frenkel 
 
of UniVoxx
5. Cousins Ensure Families Can Enjoy Fresh Challah 
 
on Shabbat

TOP 5 ON INSTAGRAM: 
1. Community Helps Holocaust Survivor and His Wife Mark a 
 
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2. Dealing with Dyslexia: Local Teen Shares His Journey to 
 
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Devastation