A319 CREW REFUSED TO BE VECTORED INTO A TSTM ON DEP FROM DTW. THE DEP CTLR THEN TOLD THE FLT CREW TO DECLARE A WX EMER AND TOLD THE CREW; 'ASSUME YOUR OWN SEPARATION.'

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A WESTERLY DEP ROUTING WAS BEING FLOWN OFF OF RWY 3L AT DTW DUE TO CUMULO NIMBUS E OF THE FIELD. THERE WERE ALSO NUMEROUS CELLS TO THE W OF THE FIELD. THE INITIAL HDG WAS 360 DEGS; FOLLOWED BY 300 DEG AT APPROX 5000 FT. DEP CTL TOLD US TO TURN TO 240 DEGS AND CLB TO 13000 FT. WE BEGAN THE CLB; BUT THE TURN WOULD HAVE PUT US DIRECTLY INTO A CELL SHOWING RED ON THE RADAR. WE REQUESTED A TURN TO 190 DEGS TO BRING US E OF THE CELL. WE WERE TOLD 'UNABLE BECAUSE OF TFC; FLY 240 DEGS.' WE SAID WE WOULD BE UNABLE AND REQUESTED 270 DEGS TO BRING US W OF THE CELL. THE CTLR SAID; 'UNDERSTAND YOU ARE DECLARING A WX EMER. MAINTAIN 10000 FT; ASSUME YOUR OWN SEPARATION.' WE RETURNED TO 10000 FT AND FLEW 260 DEGS. UNFORTUNATELY; THIS HDG GOT US AROUND THE FIRST CELL; BUT TRAPPED US BTWN SEVERAL OTHER CELLS. I CANNOT RECALL THE EXACT SEQUENCE THAT FOLLOWED; BUT I BELIEVE WE REQUESTED 210 DEGS TO FLY THROUGH THE BEST LOOKING AREA. ATC TOLD US TO FLY 190 DEGS; INTERCEPT THE DXO 202 DEGS; AND CLB TO 13000 FT. WE WERE JUST PASSING BTWN THE CELLS AT THIS POINT IN LIGHT TURB WITH HVY RAIN AND LIGHT HAIL. I COULD NOT RESPOND TO THE CALL IMMEDIATELY; BECAUSE I WAS TURNING ON THE ACFT'S IGNITION SYS. THE CTLR SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE; IDENT IF THE XMISSION WAS RECEIVED. IN JUST A FEW SECONDS; I RESPONDED AND ADHERED TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS. IN MY 30 YRS IN AVIATION; I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED SUCH A SEQUENCE OF RESPONSES FROM A CTLR. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE ATC VOICE AND RADAR TAPES BE SAVED FOR ANALYSIS BY MY AIRLINE; THE UNION SAFETY DEPT AND DETROIT DEP CTL. THE CTLR SHOULD CONSIDER TAKING SOME 'FAM' RIDES DURING THE TSTM SEASON.