Hypocrites, the whole lot

The first comment I note in the margins of chapter two is to allude to the presidential election more. The book takes place over 90 days from August to early November in a presidential election year. Over the course of the book the story of our two unwanted do-gooders rises up from local to national news with all manner of pundits and politicians putting in their two cents.

Comedically, it's easy to point to politicians and to portray them as hypocrites on any number of issues as the winds of public sentiment shift or new information becomes available. More often than not I have defended politicians' waffling. Why? Because I've managed political campaigns, worked on others and volunteered on many more and have seen how a new piece of information or a new proposal can change an elected official's mind. Does this make this individual a hypocrite? Perhaps, but I'd rather be called a hypocrite and have made an informed decision than stuck with my first opinion despite the availability of additional information.

That being said, the joke here will not only be on our politicians, but most likely the media as well. Have we learned from the wildly inaccurate exit polls of 2000? Nope. Have we learned to avoid sensationalizing bits of stories that may mislead readers rather than performing the due diligence to provide all perspectives and check all facts? Not likely - that doesn't sell newspapers or appeal to advertisers.

At the end of the day, though, the reluctance for Americans to accept help runs deeper than a few defiant politicians or sensationalistic journalists: It runs counter to our country's story; that in light of prosecution, we left one country to find freedom elsewhere; that in light of opportunity in one place, we left to find opportunity elsewhere. When we find that freedom and opportunity are not available in a land that has become synonymous for such things, we question the raison d'etre of this country and by extension, our lives as citizens of this country. As one can imagine, this is not a question any of us would find easy to face or concede to. Addressed seriously this borders on cold, misunderstood French Existentialism; addressed comically and, well, we'll hopefully have more than just the pot calling the kettle black.

Preliminary Detroit Area Research

Chapter two takes our protagonists into the Detroit area to begin their work. In preparation for this chapter, I've been studying up on the area and thinking about the existing sources out there that are set around Detroit. More specifically, I'm looking at demographic statistics and popular culture.

I've learned a couple key things about the Detroit area in the last couple weeks. First, Dearborn, Michigan is considered the United States' Muslim capitol. Second, Grosse Pointe Blank, set in nearby Grosse Pointe, Michigan, appears to have one African-American interloper (an NSA agent) who eventually gets blown away by John Cusack and Dan Aykroyd, professional killers impeccably adept at dialog.

Needless to say, the juxtaposition of these images (real and imagined) potentially supplies ample comic fodder: the reality of a full-blown immigrant city (Muslim at that! beginning in the 1950s) versus a Hollywood comedy/action film in a presumably affluent and Caucasian town. If the writers of Grosse Pointe Blank thought they were playing up the comedy by setting a professional hit in a sleepy town during a high school reunion, in a post- 9/11 world, the last laugh may be on them. Plus, when discussing the idea of American pride, it will be curious to see how the two groups respond. Will they try to out-American each other and if so, to what ludicrous end? And who will actually take up the Batswana's offer of business development assistance?

That being said, I also look forward to watching Gung Ho and seeing how that may or may not play a part in the story. If nothing else, it's a chance to watch Michael Keaton in action. Hell, Mr. Mom took place around Detroit. Classic.