Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, now a private citizen, walked out of jail this week with his bodyguards and took a non-commercial jet to the Lone Star State.  Yes, he did the time for his crime but not as much as some would have liked.  That’s a moot issue now.  

Have more than three months of incarceration changed Kilpatrick’s life for the better?  Ask that question to almost anyone and they’re quick to give you their opinion.  Will he now truly devote his time and energy to his family?  Will he find steady employment and faithfully pay back nearly $1 million in restitution?  Will he be back in court soon fighting federal charges?  Does he have an interest in joining the Nation of Islam? Etc., etc.   Judging from a flurry of media attention, “…inquiring minds want to know.”   But the reality is that the answers to most of these questions won’t be readily available.  So as my grandmother used to say, “Sit back, relax, and be patient.  It all comes out in the wash!”

In the meantime, let’s focus our greatest attention on creating jobs in Michigan and repairing a national negative image of Detroit that all too often is not justified.