Affluence

The other day I passed by the Flemming Island High School and took notice of the student parking lot that can be seen from the road. It is a large lot and I was struck by the beautiful, shinny cars. Upon reflection, it came to me that this is a very affluent community. Most of the homes here have been built in the last ten years, there are two golf courses and an ever expanding shopping area. The cars in that lot, for the most part, were supplied by the parents of the students. My mind took me back to 1987 when I worked at Scott Brass in Mishawaka, Indiana. We had about 90 people working there on three shifts. One day, I toured the company parking lot and looked at the cars driven by our employees. It was most depressing because the vast majority of cars were only a grade above being moved to the junk yard. There was rust showing on all vehicles, a few had broken windows with cardboard taped in the window to keep out the rain. Many had dents, some being severely damaged. Tires were not in good shape, some bald. The company had jumper cables for employee use in case their car did not start. (The reason for my tour of the lot.) Mishawaka and South Bend had lost much of their major industries in the late seventies and early eighties: Studebaker, Wheelabrator, Goodyear Rubber, Southbend Lathe and some others that I cannot remember. Very large factories were absolutely empty, windows broken and trash in their open spaces. Most skilled workers left for other employment. The community suffered. The contrast between the High School lot and the Scott Brass lot has me searching for a lesson, but none comes to mind. Is Detroit destined to deteriorate to that state? Some may say that it already has, but Ford, GM and Chrysler still have a presence there. Their offices have not closed and the offices still have an opulent appearance. The Detroit problem is a national problem.