Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Something To Say... About Detroit, Chrysler and Detroiters

I'm not much of a Super Bowl person. Nor am I much of  a "car guy" any more.

But, I am a believer in the inherent goodness, strength, persistence, and ingenuity of salt-of-the-earth people. They are my heroes. Sooner or later they will come through. Bet on it.

The Detroit area is overflowing with heroes… The Greatest Generation, our police and firefighters, our hospital personnel, our emergency responders, our teachers, our Peace Corp. vets, our clergy, our military vets… Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, Afghanistan… and all those who served our nation in unnamed, unacknowledged service. Most importantly our workers... hundreds of thousands of our workers... who have repeatedly taken it on the chin during this depression and haven't given up.

These are the people who come to my mind when I think of Detroit. Heroes all.

I see all this and more in this commercial… yes a car commercial. And it’s Eminem taking a lead role, too! Irony. That is what it is.

I’m about as far away from “rap” as one can be. So, here’s one star I would never have considered if I had been in Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne’s shoes. Fortunately, he is the MAN and he made an incredibly good call.

The results are obvious.

I’m proud he chose Eminem and Proud for Detroit, Chrysler / Fiat. And, now I’m proud to call myself a Detroiter, too.

Watch this commercial. You'll understand. Imported from Detroit.