But that says very little about the murder rate in most American
communities. It mainly reflects the extraordinary murder rates in our
poor inner cities. To be blunt, most Americans don't live or work in
those communities and don't particularly care about reducing the crime
level in those communities as long as the crime can be largely confined
to those communities. They won't usually say that openly, but it's
undeniable when you follow the money and votes.
Now let's use this thread - more than half of the list is merkin I
suspect and all we outside see is the dark side. Last time I saw a
'nice' US community on the screen it was in Donnie Darko and that was
heavily ironic. Saw the first episode of 'Hack' last night - yet
another violent city. Same crap, different bucket. No wonder our
perception of you doesn't match your understanding of yourselves.
So how about taking the challenge and showing the rest of us the
other 97%? We really don't see it that much at all. Not nice
landscapes - we know lots of it is pretty. Not portraits - we know
you're good looking. Community based stuff. Avoid mass displays of
patriotic or religious fervor perhaps - that makes us a tad nervous
too. Perhaps not ordinary folk enjoying themselves with guns (sorry
Walt). Not too Norman Rockwell either?
I'm sure that leaves you with a tremendous story to tell - we really
do want to like you, you know! Topic - I dunno - The Real America?
Doesn't have to be pretty - my favorite US portraits were Avedon's
'In the American West' and the better Farm Administration 'dust bowl'
shots. Not pretty but they really told me something (bought the
Avedon when I found myself sobbing quietly in the bookstore and it
cost me about as much as an OM1)
Whaddya say?
AndrewF
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