Independent America

Baseball cap battles in Kentucky

Dan Smith sent us this e-mail after watching "Independent America: The Two-Lane Search for Mom & Pop" on the Sundance Channel last week (it's on again this Tuesday).  We'd like to share his thoughts with you.

I woke up at 2:45 a.m. this morning from a nightmare of my small business being taken over by a large conglomerate. I was arguing with the new credit guy whom told me that we could no longer extend credit to two of my biggest customers. I was yelling "but you must still have faith and trust in some people!"

Giving Thanks for Life in the Slow Lane

I picked up the DVD "Cars" for my niece and nephew's Thanksgiving turkey coma viewing.  When I originally saw the film in the theaters, I was struck by how much it represented many of the ideals of Independent America: the virtue of the slow lane on America's secondary highways, and a nostalgia for strong, self-sufficient community (Radiator Springs of an age long passed).

I also remember thinking that the town bore a passing resemblance to one of our favorite stops, Seligman Arizona.  Paying close attention to the credits, and watching some of the DVD's bonus materials, I now know that the filmmakers spent considerable time at the knee of Angel Delgadillo, the "Guardian Angel of Seligman."  He was the town patriarch who saved Seligman after it was bypassed by Interstate 40 by promoting the history of this Route 66 throwback.  Here's our videoblog entry from Seligman.

And delving further into Stacy Mitchell's terrific "Big Box Swindle," the following passage bears relevance to this post.  Mitchell uncovers a few federal studies conducted in the late 1940's to examine the impact of growing corporate consolidation on public policy.

Communities that possess a degree of economic self-reliance more competently care for themselves, while concentrated economic power threatens civic participation and democracy.

...[T]he studies were ignored and even actively suppressed...Instead, postwar policy was built on the idea that big business was more efficient and therefore would provide higher incomes and thus improved social welfare.

What followed was the very "military-industrial complex" that so concerned President Eisenhower (ironically fueled by his federally-funded Interstate highway system that undermined downtowns and gave rise to suburbs, shopping centers and corporate retail).

So I'm always heartened to receive e-mail even today, on Thanksgiving, from people like Steve and Dianne in Ellenville NY.  They want to show our film on December 4th to raise awareness about the importance of buying local as they face the possible construction of a Wal-Mart supercenter.  He may be a corporate Hollywood creation, but animated race-car Lightning McQueen would be proud....

Big Box Shock at Big Sky

The last time I was in Helena, we were shooting the film.  It was here in Montana's state capital at the tail end of our expedition, that Jennifer Rockne and Jeff Milchen from AMIBA gave us the answer to "what does this all mean?"

Last night I returned to screen "Independent America" at the "Big Box Shock! Conference."  Since finishing IA, I've been to Africa twice, and Central America (overrun by KFC and Burger King despite the amazing local food) to work on other film projects.  But IA keeps our attention.

Screenings continue (there was also one in Hawaii last night, thanks to Maui Peace Action). SBS Australia will broadcast the documentary on November 29th. And in the coming weeks, we hope to announce a partnership with a website of global stature -- which will feature clips from the film and an interview with us.

Meanwhile the "movement" grows exponentially.

Mom & Pop and the Big Easy

Knee-deep in editing with our executive producer Tom who has joined us to make some decisions about the final version of our documentary.  It's an intense time.  Fortuitously, after last night's late session, we received an e-mail from our Texas retail guru Dan Houston about how independent business and Katrina go hand-in-hand.  So with Dan's permission, we're posting his thoughts on this.

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Dear Heather and Hanson,

I trust your monumental editing task has distracted you from the monumental disaster in New Orleans.  On this end, despite being quite busy this week, Katrina has occupied much of my attention, waiting for word from friends (mostly checked in now).

I lived in New Orleans for five years until, like many, I reluctantly migrated to places with greater economic opportunity.  Since starting Civic Economics and freeing myself from any particular location requirements, I’ve intended to move back when finances allowed.  An issue now for another year.

What made me think to write to y’all now is the endless parade of pictures from the city.  Once you think to look, you’ll see, just beyond the water and the homes, that nearly every photo depicts a mom and pop business of some sort.  Where other American cities have abandoned the form in droves, New Orleans has remained a small business city.

Yes, there is a Wal-Mart on Tchoupitoulas – now an infamous source of food and water in the aftermath; Walgreen’s and Rite-Aid have aggressively colonized every neighborhood in town.  Yet, until last week, residents continued to meet most of their needs at small shops and offices.

Independent U.K. the Second

As major supporters (and backers) of Independent America, Hanson's brother Ian (a.k.a. Dr. Gus) and his partner Melissa decided they had to adopt Mom & Pop retail principles as well.

Yesterday, we published Dr. Gus' account of what it was like to adhere to "The Idea" in Dependent London.  Today, it's Melissa's turn.  We'd like to also point out that had it not been for her enthusiasm from the moment she learned about Independent America two years ago, we would never had perservered and actually gone out and shot this documentary.  So ευχαριστώ πολύ!. Δείτε επίσης Melissa.  And Happy Birthday Dr. Gus!

Independent U.K. the First

As major supporters (and backers) of Independent America, Hanson's brother Ian (a.k.a. Dr. Gus) and his partner Melissa decided they had to adopt Mom & Pop retail principles as well.

Now Dr. Gus is American-born.  And Melissa's parents live in Independent Greece.  But these two young academic professionals live together in decidedly Dependent London.  Which made their steadfast resolution even more commendable -- as they supported us in spirit, and in lifestyle -- for the duration of our trip.  So read on about what it was like to practice "The Idea" across the pond.  Here's Part 1 from Dr. Gus.

Books & Eats in Ann Arbor

The morning air in Toledo was cool, breezy and surprisingly fresh.  A severe storm blowing 60 mph winds blew just past the city late last night.  We witnessed an ominous and approaching storm cloud and a few lighting strikes but unfortunately nothing too exciting.  Summer storms are not a common occurrence in our part of the world... they are a thing of wonder, and yes sometimes disaster.  This writer may not be so enthralled once we hit Tornado Alley.

We stopped this afternoon in Ann Arbor, Michigan to speak with Karl Pohrt of Shaman Drum Bookstore on S. State Street.   Karl was recommended to us by Chuck Robinson of Village Books in Bellingham  - mostly because they are good friends and colleagues but also because Shaman Drum is a stone’s throw from the flagship Borders store.  Borders started as a Mom & Pop shop in Michigan in the 1970s. Today, partnered with Amazon.com it is the largest bookstore retailer in the world.  We had hoped to speak with a representative of Borders but our request was declined.  It’s unfortunate because we had a frank and interesting conversation with Wal-Mart and we are currently in dialogue with Starbucks.  Borders would have rounded the trio nicely – considering all three began as local, independent stores that went on to global success.

Air Conditioning

I’m old enough to remember when A/C was not a standard feature on a new car (it still isn’t in many parts of the world).  Traveling from our home in New Haven CT down south was always an exercise in ventilation.  Windows down – exposed to the world, a chink in the metal capsule’s armor.  We could see out.  People could see in.

Today, a sweltering heat wave has Vermont under siege.  Our windows are up, probably so tight that we could pull a James Bond and drive into a river and still stay dry.  They’re also heavily tinted, for shade and security.  Miles has nearly stopped panting.  It’s our job to make friends, but that’ll have to be done outside of the vehicle, where people can actually see and talk to us.  Who would want to approach a fierce looking (albeit wheezing) Nissan Xterra with beefy tires, limousine-dark windows and bumper stickers from the redneck lands?

In this state, people still sit outside on their porches in the evening.  Who knows, maybe they have A/C, maybe they don’t.  Prior to the Freon invasion, that’s what we did to stay cool at the height of summer.  And it forced us to be neighborly because there was no hiding behind closed doors.  We’d die of heat prostration otherwise.

[Farmers Diner motto: “Think Locally, Act Neighborly.”]

Cars and A/C, the great comforters.  The great isolators.  And the great equalizers.  Hedges B&B owner Barbara back in Clinton NY had this great theory: that the worst thing that ever happened to the Northeast was air conditioning.  Suddenly, the poor, agrarian South could stay cool.  People could work harder and longer.  And states could dole out tax breaks to encourage business in the north to come on down to a more hospitable region.  Meanwhile, the Great Lakes region rusts, stuck with high taxes and a lot of lake-effect snow in the winter.

News

Wal-Mart Heir John Walton Dies in a Crash

Farm Fresh

Portabella Sandwich at the Farmers Diner in Barre, VT ~ click to enlarge

It’s been another incredibly full day here in Independent America. Once again we’re spent and ready for bed, our technology (a cantankerous external hard drive) is giving us some grief but we’re still marveling over what we’ve found and experienced today.