Though I linked to the Chrysler/Eminem ad, I didn’t comment on it, wanting instead to let my colleagues who actually work or live in the city comment on it.
Now that they have, I’ll add what I thought of when I saw the ad: public schools that have the worst graduation rate in the country. Also I thought of a resentment towards outsiders that has been so strong that the community (or at least the education establishment) rejected a $200 million gift to create some new educational opportunities for children.
Oh sure, the Fox Theater, which made an appearance in the ad, has a grand history. And the artwork alludes to the city as the “arsenal of democracy.” But both of those allude to the glory that has long ago crumbled. I also thought of the median housing price being under $10,000.
The phrase “imported from Detroit” caught my attention. On the one hand, I’m glad to see an affirmation of sorts, of foreign trade. On the other hand, the city seems, in too many ways, to in fact be governed as a foreign country–the kind with a corrupt government. Crony capitalism, anyone?
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1640