Yesterday evening (gmt + 1) Danish teevee news live fed President Obama’s announcement that Chrysler will head into bankruptcy protection. Can anyone tell me if the CNNization of Danish news along with its increased obsession focus on live “breaking” coverage of D.C. political intrigue is merely a figment of my imagination?
A few weeks ago, thinking about the ubiquitous global financial “crisis,” particularly the massive gap between how the Establishment framed Detroit and Wall Street, I asked Steen if he’d write a follow up to his excellent post, “The Big Three Killed My Baby.” In light of yesterday’s news I wanted to re post that piece, along with his recent article, “Motor City is Burning,” which he graciously agreed to produce for us.
In both articles Steen explores musical arrangements as social criticism aimed at the American automobile industry, namely management of the top three automobile manufactures. The first looks at the song, “The Big Three Killed My Baby,” from Detroit band The White Stripes’ 1999 debut album. His recent post, examines MC5’s 1968/69 cover of John Lee Hooker’s 1943 song “Motor City Is Burning.”
Taken together these pieces, fascinating on their own, represent an important and critical dimension of a very real crisis in Detroit and across America. They reflect upon deep cultural attachments not only to the automobile, but to the politics and economics of the automobile industry. Steen summed up what’s at stake thus, “So, once again, the fate of Detroit is closely tied to the industry and there is reason to believe that The Big Three will drag Detroit (and other cities) down with them.”
Obama’s address, though riddled with some progressive ideas, calls to protect the working middle class, and a green energy future, also revealed a regressive business as usual approach to handling Detroit. Consumerism as well continues to hold a central position within D.C. thinking, articulated by Obama in his address. Michael Shaw certainly didn’t miss the consumption narrative’s redeployment yet again with this terrific catch from a NY Times slide show. I also appreciated the way images 10 and 11 are sequenced. To continue picking on the Times, I personally felt that this image, leading the article, “Chrysler Files to Seek Bankruptcy Protection,” serves as the quintessential visual narrative of how the establishment frames our automotive socio-economic discourse. Pretty clever dontcha think?
So what is likely to be the outcome of the current auto bail-out for Detroit, America, and the rest of the world? I trust David Nye will again have something important to say. But the latest headlines taken with Obama’s statements lead me to imagine a continued stream of great Motor City music for Steen to analyze. Unfortunately for average Americans it will sound like more blues.
“Employees and customers watching President Obama’s announcement at Lochmoor Chrysler Jeep in Detroit. In bankruptcy, Chrysler will be able to cancel some of its dealership franchises.”
(image: Paul Sancya/Associated Press, NYT)
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