What Would Superman Do?
7/8/11
What would Superman do?
This is not a joke. Really, if you are an American and a fan of comic books, or just a true fan of fantasy and the Superman character created so long ago Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, you have got to have noticed the change in the iconic phrase "Truth, Justice, and the American Way". Not any more.
At one time it had been changed to "Truth, Justice and Freedom" (animated cartoon "The New Adventures of Superman" in the mid-60's), but it didn't really take. In 1993 another change took place in "Lois & Clark", and Superman merely states "Well, trught and justice. That sounds good." Again, it didn't really take.
"Truth, Justic and the American Way." Iconic. Simple. Straightforward. And totally dependant on believing, knowing, that the "American Way" was the way of good, of light, and of truth and justice embodied in a place - America.
In "Superman Returns" the phrase doesn't appear. Good move. "The American Way" is now suspect and suspected everywhere around the world. And this change took place in my lifetime.
This situation is nothing less than horrific.
Would Superman, if he existed, be proud to defend the "American Way" as it has defined itself over the past 30 years? During the rise of Reaganism and the destruction of the middle class, the demonization of the homeless, the poor, the immigrant? The imprisonment of women and children in our version of terrorist concentration camps? The torture, rape, and murder of innocents under the red, white and blue banner?
Horrific.