1 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:12,074 Advertise your product or brand here contact www.OpenSubtitles.org today 2 00:00:34,350 --> 00:00:36,409 Iwas kind of a strange child. 3 00:00:36,986 --> 00:00:40,319 My parents knew early on that something was wrong with me. 4 00:00:40,390 --> 00:00:42,415 I crawled backwards until I was two... 5 00:00:42,492 --> 00:00:46,189 but had Kennedy's inaugural address memorized by the time I was six. 6 00:00:47,397 --> 00:00:50,889 It all began when my mother didn't show up for my first birthday party... 7 00:00:50,967 --> 00:00:52,867 because she was having my sister. 8 00:00:52,936 --> 00:00:56,463 My dad tried to cheer me up by letting me eat the whole cake. 9 00:00:57,140 --> 00:00:59,973 I knew then there had to be more to life than this. 10 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,057 When I was a kid, I thought only three people worked for General Motors: 11 00:01:21,131 --> 00:01:25,192 Pat Boone, Dinah Shore and my dad. 12 00:01:26,536 --> 00:01:29,994 Our hometown of Flint, Michigan, was the birthplace of General Motors... 13 00:01:30,073 --> 00:01:32,303 the largest corporation in the world. 14 00:01:32,375 --> 00:01:36,436 There were more auto factories and workers here than in any city on Earth. 15 00:01:37,213 --> 00:01:41,047 We built Cadillacs, Buicks, and Fisher bodies... 16 00:01:41,584 --> 00:01:45,611 GM trucks, Chevrolets, and AC spark plugs. 17 00:01:46,589 --> 00:01:50,685 We enjoyed a prosperity that working people had never seen. 18 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:52,921 And the city was grateful to the company. 19 00:01:52,996 --> 00:01:56,488 With the whole city rocking, Flint, Michigan, throws a birthday party. 20 00:01:56,566 --> 00:01:59,763 It's for the people of General Motors on their 50th anniversary. 21 00:01:59,836 --> 00:02:01,929 Pat Boone celebrates with a song. 22 00:02:03,239 --> 00:02:07,437 The promise of the future is the keynote set by GM President, Harlow Curtis. 23 00:02:09,112 --> 00:02:11,603 From the world of TV comes Sergeant Garcia... 24 00:02:11,681 --> 00:02:13,808 and the swordsman known as Zorro. 25 00:02:15,985 --> 00:02:17,680 But the big hit of the parade... 26 00:02:17,754 --> 00:02:21,121 is the lively marching of the Elks junior drill team. 27 00:02:25,195 --> 00:02:27,959 The citizens of Flint, birthplace of General Motors... 28 00:02:28,031 --> 00:02:30,431 also see the radiant Miss America. 29 00:02:30,500 --> 00:02:34,129 This was Flint as I remember, where every day was a great day. 30 00:02:34,204 --> 00:02:36,195 It's a great day, all right. 31 00:02:36,606 --> 00:02:38,972 A salute to Mr. And Mrs. America. 32 00:03:09,706 --> 00:03:14,609 My dad worked on the assembly line at GM's AC Spark Plug in Flint for 33 years. 33 00:03:15,211 --> 00:03:18,977 In fact, as I grew older, I discovered my entire family had worked for GM: 34 00:03:19,048 --> 00:03:23,610 grandparents, parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins. Everyone but me. 35 00:03:24,621 --> 00:03:28,022 My uncle Laverne was in the Great Flint Sit-Down Strike. 36 00:03:28,091 --> 00:03:30,958 Just hours before the year's end in 1936... 37 00:03:31,027 --> 00:03:34,428 he and thousands of other GM workers took over the Flint factories... 38 00:03:34,497 --> 00:03:38,763 and barricaded themselves inside, refusing to budge for 44 days. 39 00:03:39,502 --> 00:03:43,302 The National Guard was called in, and the eyes of the world were on Flint. 40 00:03:43,539 --> 00:03:47,635 On February 1 1, 1937, General Motors gave in... 41 00:03:47,877 --> 00:03:49,640 and the UAW was born. 42 00:03:51,581 --> 00:03:53,981 The GM employee has made great advances. 43 00:03:54,117 --> 00:03:56,642 It is our wish that he continue to prosper. 44 00:03:56,953 --> 00:04:00,445 Most of our employees, even those who at times cause problems... 45 00:04:00,823 --> 00:04:03,519 are conscientious and hardworking men and women. 46 00:04:03,726 --> 00:04:08,129 Men and women to whose imagination, ingenuity, energy and dedication... 47 00:04:08,531 --> 00:04:11,398 our country owes its industrial leadership in the world. 48 00:04:11,901 --> 00:04:15,393 That all sounded fine and good, but the assembly line wasn't for me. 49 00:04:15,471 --> 00:04:18,872 My heroes were the Flint people who'd escaped the life in the factory... 50 00:04:18,942 --> 00:04:22,275 and got out of Flint, like the guys in Grand Funk Railroad... 51 00:04:22,812 --> 00:04:27,181 Casey Kasem, the women who married Zubin Mehta and Don Knotts... 52 00:04:27,350 --> 00:04:30,877 and perhaps Flint's most famous native son, Bob Eubanks... 53 00:04:31,087 --> 00:04:33,988 host of TV's hit show The Newlywed Game. 54 00:04:34,324 --> 00:04:38,226 I figured if Bob Eubanks could make it out of here, so could I. 55 00:04:39,829 --> 00:04:42,320 After 10 years of editing my own paper in Flint... 56 00:04:42,398 --> 00:04:45,299 a California millionaire asked me to be the editor... 57 00:04:45,368 --> 00:04:47,893 of his muckraking magazine in San Francisco. 58 00:04:48,137 --> 00:04:50,731 It didn't take me long to figure out what to do. 59 00:04:50,807 --> 00:04:53,469 The final issue of the Michigan Voice is being printed. 60 00:04:53,543 --> 00:04:57,479 Ten years after he began it, Michael Moore is moving to San Francisco. 61 00:05:00,450 --> 00:05:03,647 What would you do? I mean, this was San Francisco. 62 00:05:07,056 --> 00:05:10,583 But San Francisco was on the other side of the world from Flint. 63 00:05:10,793 --> 00:05:13,819 Everyone there had a job, yet no one seemed to be working. 64 00:05:13,896 --> 00:05:16,956 The cafés were filled with people at 3:00 p.m. 65 00:05:18,167 --> 00:05:22,126 I was told there's one restaurant for every 44 people in San Francisco... 66 00:05:22,205 --> 00:05:24,765 but most of them seemed to be dessert places. 67 00:05:25,174 --> 00:05:28,575 Trying to get a simple cup of coffee became a nightmare for me. 68 00:05:28,644 --> 00:05:31,841 Espresso, double espresso, cappuccino, double cappuccino... 69 00:05:31,914 --> 00:05:35,145 Iatte, double latte, mocha, double mocha... 70 00:05:35,618 --> 00:05:38,815 caffe con panna, macchiato, double macchiato... 71 00:05:39,622 --> 00:05:42,420 caffe bianco, or house blend. 72 00:05:43,393 --> 00:05:47,955 I was feeling disoriented living in a town that didn't carry any nondairy creamer. 73 00:05:48,331 --> 00:05:50,026 I went to work and announced... 74 00:05:50,099 --> 00:05:53,296 that I was going to give a monthly column to a Flint auto worker. 75 00:05:53,369 --> 00:05:57,396 The owner instead told me to run an investigative report on herbal teas. 76 00:05:57,640 --> 00:06:01,076 I told him I had a better idea: Let's put the auto worker on the cover. 77 00:06:01,144 --> 00:06:05,376 The owner wasn't amused and declared that California and I were a mismatch... 78 00:06:05,448 --> 00:06:08,679 just before he offered me my free U-Haul back to Michigan. 79 00:06:10,987 --> 00:06:12,648 -Hello, Dad. -Hello, son. 80 00:06:12,989 --> 00:06:15,514 -It's been a long time. -lt sure has. 81 00:06:16,059 --> 00:06:17,959 -Where's Mom? -ln the kitchen. 82 00:06:25,935 --> 00:06:28,130 Why, your hands are filthy! 83 00:06:29,138 --> 00:06:32,369 -Go upstairs and wash them. -Okay, Mom. 84 00:06:32,442 --> 00:06:34,808 Okay, so my homecoming wasn't quite like that. 85 00:06:34,877 --> 00:06:38,938 In fact, I wasn't back in Flint more than a few days when the bad news hit. 86 00:06:41,050 --> 00:06:44,508 This is the CBS Evening News, Dan Rather reporting. 87 00:06:44,887 --> 00:06:46,081 Good evening. 88 00:06:46,155 --> 00:06:47,986 General Motors confirmed it today. 89 00:06:48,057 --> 00:06:51,788 It is going to close plants employing almost 30,000 workers. 90 00:06:51,894 --> 00:06:55,125 Today we are announcing the closing... 91 00:06:55,231 --> 00:06:57,791 of 1 1 of our older plants. 92 00:06:58,101 --> 00:07:01,434 While Detroit and Pontiac will certainly be hurt by the shutdowns... 93 00:07:01,504 --> 00:07:04,496 the effect on Flint is absolutely devastating. 94 00:07:07,877 --> 00:07:11,142 Devastating wasn't the half of it. Maybe I got this wrong... 95 00:07:11,214 --> 00:07:14,445 but I thought companies lay off people when they hit hard times. 96 00:07:14,517 --> 00:07:16,644 GM was the richest company in the world... 97 00:07:16,719 --> 00:07:20,450 and it was closing factories when it was making profits in the billions. 98 00:07:20,523 --> 00:07:24,186 We do not have any plan to cut our workforce by 80,000. 99 00:07:24,260 --> 00:07:27,354 That was kind of a what-happens-if type of thing. 100 00:07:28,931 --> 00:07:31,161 So this was GM chairman Roger Smith. 101 00:07:31,467 --> 00:07:33,731 He appeared to have a brilliant plan: 102 00:07:34,337 --> 00:07:36,464 First close 1 1 factories in the U.S... 103 00:07:36,539 --> 00:07:40,202 then open 1 1 in Mexico, where you pay the workers 70 cents an hour. 104 00:07:40,543 --> 00:07:44,479 Use the money you saved by building cars in Mexico to take over other companies... 105 00:07:44,547 --> 00:07:47,675 preferably high-tech firms and weapons manufacturers. 106 00:07:49,018 --> 00:07:50,883 Next, tell the union you're broke... 107 00:07:50,953 --> 00:07:54,218 and they happily give back a couple of billion dollars in wage cuts. 108 00:07:54,290 --> 00:07:56,155 Then take that money from workers... 109 00:07:56,225 --> 00:07:59,251 and eliminate their jobs by building more foreign factories. 110 00:07:59,328 --> 00:08:01,558 Roger Smith was a true genius. 111 00:08:01,631 --> 00:08:05,567 I think our employees have got a new emphasis on job security... 112 00:08:05,635 --> 00:08:07,899 and we want to try and help them with that. 113 00:08:07,970 --> 00:08:11,337 -What do you have to say to Roger Smith? -It's gonna be rough. 114 00:08:11,407 --> 00:08:13,705 I can't mention it on television. 115 00:08:15,111 --> 00:08:17,841 This was to be the first of many layoffs in Flint... 116 00:08:17,914 --> 00:08:20,178 the final day for the GM truck plant. 117 00:08:21,384 --> 00:08:23,716 I think most of you are aware... 118 00:08:24,220 --> 00:08:27,212 that this is the first major plant closing... 119 00:08:27,290 --> 00:08:29,815 to take place in Flint. Let me rephrase that. 120 00:08:29,892 --> 00:08:32,918 This isn't a plant closing. It's a loss of one product line. 121 00:08:41,771 --> 00:08:45,002 My friends and I decided to pose as a TV crew from Toledo... 122 00:08:45,074 --> 00:08:46,905 to sneak inside the factory. 123 00:08:47,710 --> 00:08:50,770 I wasn't exactly sure what a TV crew from Toledo looked like... 124 00:08:50,846 --> 00:08:55,112 but apparently the ruse worked, as we filmed the last truck going down the line. 125 00:09:04,860 --> 00:09:07,920 What's everybody so happy about? We just lost our jobs. 126 00:09:10,933 --> 00:09:13,731 Everybody's applauding. They just lost their jobs. 127 00:09:13,803 --> 00:09:16,931 We're trying impress upon the employees that are being laid off... 128 00:09:17,006 --> 00:09:20,635 that there is nothing out there for them... 129 00:09:20,710 --> 00:09:23,338 to depend upon for the future. 130 00:09:23,412 --> 00:09:27,678 The best thing Michigan and GM can do is get rid of Roger Smith... 131 00:09:27,750 --> 00:09:29,718 and them other sons of bitches. 132 00:09:29,785 --> 00:09:31,946 That seemed to be the general consensus... 133 00:09:32,021 --> 00:09:35,149 as I talked to many GM workers about their chairman, Roger Smith. 134 00:09:35,224 --> 00:09:39,490 -What would you like to tell Roger Smith? -I'd tell him to retire. 135 00:09:40,096 --> 00:09:43,930 He can't look an auto worker in the eye, because.... 136 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:47,163 -He should be feeling guilty. -Most people are hungry. He's not. 137 00:09:47,236 --> 00:09:49,568 I'd tell him to get off his big bucks... 138 00:09:49,639 --> 00:09:52,164 and start giving some of it back to its workers. 139 00:09:53,109 --> 00:09:55,577 I'm sick and tired of these damn fat cats. 140 00:09:56,679 --> 00:10:00,740 I could say a few choice words, but I'm a lady and I was raised a lady... 141 00:10:01,651 --> 00:10:04,085 so I won't say what I really feel... 142 00:10:05,788 --> 00:10:08,814 but I could use some unsavory language as far as the fat cats. 143 00:10:09,158 --> 00:10:12,355 Fire Roger Smith! 144 00:10:12,428 --> 00:10:15,192 There were those who had a different opinion in Flint... 145 00:10:15,264 --> 00:10:18,392 Iike Tom Kay, a spokesman and lobbyist for GM. 146 00:10:18,467 --> 00:10:20,901 I'm sure that Roger Smith... 147 00:10:20,970 --> 00:10:24,963 has a social conscience as strong as anybody else in the country. 148 00:10:25,141 --> 00:10:28,907 Because a guy is an automobile executive does not make him inhuman. 149 00:10:29,378 --> 00:10:32,745 I've talked to enough of them. I know what their concerns are. 150 00:10:32,815 --> 00:10:36,876 He has as much concern about these people as you or I do... 151 00:10:38,154 --> 00:10:42,523 and nobody likes to see anybody laid off or put in a hardship situation. 152 00:10:43,059 --> 00:10:45,584 -Have you ever talked to Roger Smith? -Sure. 153 00:10:45,661 --> 00:10:48,027 What kind of man do you find him to be? 154 00:10:48,097 --> 00:10:50,895 A very warm man. I have.... 155 00:10:52,501 --> 00:10:53,866 A warm man? 156 00:10:54,537 --> 00:10:56,801 Did I have Roger Smith judged all wrong... 157 00:10:56,872 --> 00:11:00,399 simply because he was eliminating 30,000 jobs from my hometown? 158 00:11:01,911 --> 00:11:03,469 I decided to find out. 159 00:11:03,646 --> 00:11:08,208 I wrote. I phoned. I faxed. I tried every means of communication available... 160 00:11:08,284 --> 00:11:10,684 but nothing got me any closer to Roger. 161 00:11:10,853 --> 00:11:12,582 I was left with no choice. 162 00:11:12,655 --> 00:11:16,022 I got in the car and drove about an hour south of Flint to Detroit... 163 00:11:16,092 --> 00:11:18,287 to the world headquarters of General Motors. 164 00:11:19,428 --> 00:11:21,191 My mission was a simple one: 165 00:11:21,263 --> 00:11:24,096 to convince Roger Smith to spend a day with me in Flint... 166 00:11:24,166 --> 00:11:27,135 and meet some of the people who were losing their jobs. 167 00:11:45,254 --> 00:11:46,619 Everybody in? 168 00:11:50,092 --> 00:11:53,687 -Can I help you gentlemen and ladies? -Yes, we're going to the 14th floor. 169 00:11:53,763 --> 00:11:56,231 -Do you have an appointment? -No, we don't. 170 00:11:56,432 --> 00:11:59,265 -I think you need an appointment. -To go up there? 171 00:12:00,603 --> 00:12:03,697 -How can we make one? -You want to step out.... 172 00:12:05,241 --> 00:12:08,210 -First of all, anything above-- -We came down from Flint. 173 00:12:08,277 --> 00:12:12,611 Anything above the first level here is private property. That's off-limits. 174 00:12:13,382 --> 00:12:17,182 -This is all off-limits. It's a security area. -This is? All right. 175 00:12:17,586 --> 00:12:19,554 Listen, who did you want to talk to? 176 00:12:20,222 --> 00:12:23,919 -I want to talk to Roger Smith. -I'll get a PR man and we'll see. 177 00:12:24,193 --> 00:12:27,822 -What kind of movie are you making? -It's a documentary on Flint. 178 00:12:28,464 --> 00:12:30,125 On the labor problems? 179 00:12:30,199 --> 00:12:33,259 The whole situation, the plant shutdowns, the layoffs. 180 00:12:33,836 --> 00:12:38,273 We'll try to have someone contact you as soon as someone's available. 181 00:12:38,340 --> 00:12:41,832 -All right, I'd appreciate it. -Have you got some kind of credentials? 182 00:12:41,911 --> 00:12:44,641 -Where they can contact you? -What's your name? 183 00:12:44,713 --> 00:12:47,341 Herb Slaughter. I'll give you a business card. 184 00:12:52,087 --> 00:12:55,488 Let's see, I've got a frequent-flier card... 185 00:12:57,760 --> 00:12:58,749 Visa.... 186 00:13:00,029 --> 00:13:04,227 I was having a hard time finding my business card, because I don't have any. 187 00:13:04,300 --> 00:13:07,599 So I gave Mr. Slaughter my discount pass to Chuck E. Cheese... 188 00:13:07,670 --> 00:13:10,332 but he said that wouldn't get me in to see Mr. Smith. 189 00:13:10,406 --> 00:13:14,604 So I headed back to Flint for further guidance from GM lobbyist Tom Kay. 190 00:13:15,044 --> 00:13:18,980 General Motors wouldn't be doing anybody any service if it goes bankrupt. 191 00:13:19,448 --> 00:13:21,177 It has to do what it has to do... 192 00:13:21,283 --> 00:13:24,480 in order to stay competitive in today's economic climate. 193 00:13:24,553 --> 00:13:28,649 Even if it means eliminating 18,000 jobs? 194 00:13:28,724 --> 00:13:31,488 Even if it means eliminating 20,000 jobs. 195 00:13:31,627 --> 00:13:33,595 -Or 30,000? -Whatever. 196 00:13:34,029 --> 00:13:36,293 How about all the jobs here in Flint? 197 00:13:37,233 --> 00:13:38,700 It could feasibly happen. 198 00:13:39,034 --> 00:13:42,299 Good evening, I'm Sue Zelenko. Bill Harris has the night off. 199 00:13:42,371 --> 00:13:44,339 It was where the UAW was born. 200 00:13:44,406 --> 00:13:48,467 Tonight 3,000 people are trying to decide what to do with their lives. 201 00:13:48,544 --> 00:13:51,104 Nobody was ready for the announced plant shutdowns today... 202 00:13:51,180 --> 00:13:52,738 Ieast of all, the 1,350 workers. 203 00:13:52,815 --> 00:13:55,249 The last truck chassis headed down the line this morning. 204 00:13:55,317 --> 00:13:57,785 Virtually all the 3,400 people are on layoff. 205 00:13:57,853 --> 00:13:59,946 Larry Elliot was at the plant today... 206 00:14:00,022 --> 00:14:02,889 as that last car was making its way down the assembly line. 207 00:14:02,958 --> 00:14:07,418 Will this plant build engines again if the rush back to small cars occurs? 208 00:14:07,796 --> 00:14:09,195 The answer is no. 209 00:14:09,431 --> 00:14:12,366 In Flint, Joe Weaver, Channel 2 Eyewitness News. 210 00:14:12,434 --> 00:14:13,992 More factories had closed... 211 00:14:14,069 --> 00:14:17,129 and I began to see the effect this was having on my friends. 212 00:14:17,206 --> 00:14:21,336 Ben was the worker I'd put on the cover of that magazine in San Francisco. 213 00:14:21,977 --> 00:14:24,969 He'd been laid off five times in five years from GM. 214 00:14:25,047 --> 00:14:29,279 Expecting to be laid off again, he cracked one night working on the assembly line. 215 00:14:29,718 --> 00:14:32,983 He was now shooting hoop at the local mental health center. 216 00:14:34,356 --> 00:14:36,586 I couldn't take it. I told the guy next to me: 217 00:14:36,659 --> 00:14:39,890 "Tell the foreman I'm sick. I don't give a shit what you tell him." 218 00:14:39,962 --> 00:14:43,420 I grabbed my coat, flew out the door, passed the guards... 219 00:14:43,532 --> 00:14:45,966 jumped into my car, got onto Bristol Road... 220 00:14:46,035 --> 00:14:48,265 and was flying toward my apartment. 221 00:14:48,704 --> 00:14:51,366 I turned on the radio, hoping that might cheer me up... 222 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:53,408 I had tears coming out of my eyes... 223 00:14:53,475 --> 00:14:57,571 and I strike right into the middle of Wouldn't It Be Nice by The Beach Boys. 224 00:14:58,180 --> 00:15:01,343 And I'm thinking, "What a horrible song... 225 00:15:01,417 --> 00:15:04,011 "to have to hear in the midst of this panic attack." 226 00:15:04,086 --> 00:15:07,852 A song that I'd usually get a groove going with. 227 00:15:08,490 --> 00:15:12,187 I'm trying to sing the lyrics, and I've got an apple in my throat. 228 00:15:18,067 --> 00:15:20,501 I'm trying to rationalize with those lyrics... 229 00:15:20,569 --> 00:15:24,061 trying to think, "Wouldn't it be nice?" And it just wasn't working. 230 00:15:46,095 --> 00:15:49,496 Some disturbing news today from the Genesee County Health Department. 231 00:15:49,565 --> 00:15:51,760 It announced the rat population in Flint... 232 00:15:51,834 --> 00:15:54,564 has now surpassed the human population by 50,000. 233 00:15:54,637 --> 00:15:57,970 Health officials say it's due to massive numbers of people leaving... 234 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:01,134 and the city cutting back to twice-monthly garbage collection... 235 00:16:01,210 --> 00:16:02,939 due to budget constraints. 236 00:16:43,919 --> 00:16:47,616 Just when things were looking bleak, Ronald Reagan arrived in Flint... 237 00:16:47,690 --> 00:16:50,625 and took a dozen unemployed workers out for a pizza. 238 00:16:51,727 --> 00:16:56,061 He told them he had a great idea. If they tried it, they'd all be working again. 239 00:16:56,465 --> 00:16:58,695 He suggested that maybe some of us... 240 00:16:58,767 --> 00:17:01,793 could find better jobs elsewhere... 241 00:17:01,870 --> 00:17:04,430 Iike in Texas, or in the southern states. 242 00:17:05,541 --> 00:17:07,372 That's when I spoke up... 243 00:17:07,443 --> 00:17:10,503 because I have a son, a home. 244 00:17:10,579 --> 00:17:15,175 I'm trying to do it by myself. I can't just pull up stakes and take off by myself. 245 00:17:15,250 --> 00:17:18,242 We don't hold public office, we're nobody special... 246 00:17:18,320 --> 00:17:20,481 but he wanted our opinions and views. 247 00:17:20,556 --> 00:17:24,287 It was at a level I could understand, and I liked his ideas... 248 00:17:25,794 --> 00:17:27,728 that he voiced to us. 249 00:17:30,899 --> 00:17:34,562 None of Reagan's luncheon guests got back into the factory in later years. 250 00:17:34,636 --> 00:17:36,900 The only bright spot of the whole affair... 251 00:17:36,972 --> 00:17:40,237 was the individual who borrowed the restaurant's cash register... 252 00:17:40,309 --> 00:17:42,277 on the way out the door. 253 00:17:53,222 --> 00:17:57,591 Meanwhile, Flint's more fortunate were holding their annual Great Gatsby Party... 254 00:17:57,659 --> 00:18:00,219 at the home of one of GM's founding families. 255 00:18:00,996 --> 00:18:04,295 To show they weren't totally insensitive to the plight of others... 256 00:18:04,366 --> 00:18:07,631 they hired local people to be human statues at the party. 257 00:18:16,245 --> 00:18:18,611 What's it like in Flint these days? 258 00:18:19,548 --> 00:18:22,779 Things are tough here for the people that are laid off. 259 00:18:23,018 --> 00:18:24,645 There's still people working. 260 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:28,713 I don't think it's as bad as people may believe. 261 00:18:30,058 --> 00:18:32,458 We started something, and we're gonna finish it. 262 00:18:32,528 --> 00:18:35,019 -We're gonna be the leaders. -What did we start? 263 00:18:35,097 --> 00:18:37,031 We started the industrial revolution... 264 00:18:37,099 --> 00:18:40,865 an art form that's never been created in the history of mankind. 265 00:18:41,570 --> 00:18:44,937 -What was that industrial revolution? -The cars. Steel. 266 00:18:45,808 --> 00:18:49,005 It took off from there. We invented the wheel again. 267 00:18:49,077 --> 00:18:50,738 We're off again and running. 268 00:18:54,216 --> 00:18:57,481 What advice do you have for those having a rough go of it? 269 00:18:57,686 --> 00:19:00,177 Get up in the morning and go do something. 270 00:19:00,622 --> 00:19:04,558 Start yourself. Get your own motor going. There's things to do out there. 271 00:19:06,595 --> 00:19:11,498 I don't think it's fair to pick on the negative things and publicize them... 272 00:19:12,334 --> 00:19:15,098 and not pick up any of the good aspects about Flint. 273 00:19:15,170 --> 00:19:17,331 What are some of those good aspects? 274 00:19:17,873 --> 00:19:22,810 -The ballet. Your kids were involved in it. -Ballet. Hockey. It's a great place to live. 275 00:19:57,479 --> 00:19:59,674 Sheriff's department. Anybody home? 276 00:20:00,215 --> 00:20:01,147 Hello? 277 00:20:06,088 --> 00:20:08,921 I had found one man in Flint with a secure job: 278 00:20:09,224 --> 00:20:11,351 sheriff's deputy Fred Ross. 279 00:20:13,495 --> 00:20:16,362 I treat a person the way I would like to be treated. 280 00:20:16,965 --> 00:20:21,095 You know, I explain to them that I got a job to do. 281 00:20:21,169 --> 00:20:23,296 The court issued the order, not me. 282 00:20:23,739 --> 00:20:26,207 If you can make peace with your landlord, good. 283 00:20:26,275 --> 00:20:28,106 If you can't, you've got a problem. 284 00:20:34,416 --> 00:20:36,646 I've put out some good people. 285 00:20:38,620 --> 00:20:42,420 You have a lot of people in this town paying $800 to $900 a month house note. 286 00:20:42,491 --> 00:20:45,426 That's a lot of money to try to pay on unemployment. 287 00:20:50,399 --> 00:20:52,560 Some of these people don't want to leave... 288 00:20:53,368 --> 00:20:55,302 especially older people. 289 00:20:55,370 --> 00:20:57,998 Some of them have retired from the shop. 290 00:20:59,775 --> 00:21:01,902 Taxes catch a lot of them, too. 291 00:21:06,281 --> 00:21:10,411 So if things go down, they close up some plants here... 292 00:21:10,752 --> 00:21:13,277 this town is gonna be a rough place. 293 00:21:16,124 --> 00:21:18,149 I continued my search for Roger. 294 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:22,218 I scoured the neighborhoods of Grosse Pointe, Grosse Pointe Woods... 295 00:21:22,297 --> 00:21:24,857 Grosse Pointe Farms, Grosse Pointe Park... 296 00:21:25,067 --> 00:21:27,900 Grosse Pointe Shores, and Bloomfield Hills. 297 00:21:29,237 --> 00:21:31,228 I tried in vain to locate his house... 298 00:21:31,306 --> 00:21:34,605 but the name Smith was a common one among these people. 299 00:21:35,410 --> 00:21:39,244 I then read that Roger was going to be at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. 300 00:21:39,448 --> 00:21:41,541 I decided to drop in on the affair. 301 00:21:45,454 --> 00:21:47,115 I haven't seen him. 302 00:21:47,189 --> 00:21:50,454 -You haven't seen him here yet? -Just a moment. 303 00:21:52,561 --> 00:21:55,325 -Are you calling him? -Who, Roger Smith? 304 00:21:55,397 --> 00:21:57,422 You want me to call Roger Smith? 305 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:02,229 I'm trying to get the manager to see if anybody knows anything about him. 306 00:22:02,304 --> 00:22:05,569 I'm sure he said the Grosse Pointe. I mean it wasn't him-- 307 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,005 Who, his office? 308 00:22:07,075 --> 00:22:10,272 -Why don't we call his office and find out? -We could do that. 309 00:22:10,779 --> 00:22:13,942 I have a television crew down here with Michael Moore. 310 00:22:14,016 --> 00:22:18,248 He's supposed to meet Roger Smith at noon. I have no information. 311 00:22:20,655 --> 00:22:23,624 How often does Mr. Smith come here for lunch or dinner? 312 00:22:23,692 --> 00:22:26,456 Last time I saw him here was for Sportsmen's Night. 313 00:22:27,062 --> 00:22:29,326 -What's that? -It's a wild game dinner. 314 00:22:30,732 --> 00:22:33,428 -You go and shoot your own animal? -Pardon me? 315 00:22:33,502 --> 00:22:36,335 You go and shoot your animals and bring them here to eat-- 316 00:22:36,405 --> 00:22:38,600 Some of the stuff is donated. 317 00:22:39,574 --> 00:22:42,907 There are foods like rattlesnake.... 318 00:22:44,579 --> 00:22:47,104 Let me think of some real exotic foods. 319 00:22:48,183 --> 00:22:49,411 Alligator. 320 00:22:51,486 --> 00:22:53,420 -You eat this stuff here? -Roast beef. 321 00:22:53,488 --> 00:22:55,012 That sounds better. 322 00:22:56,858 --> 00:23:00,919 I obviously had the wrong yacht club, because Roger was nowhere to be found. 323 00:23:01,396 --> 00:23:05,696 I didn't have more time to waste here, because back at Flint's county fair... 324 00:23:05,967 --> 00:23:09,733 thousands of people were being entertained by the diving donkeys... 325 00:23:10,072 --> 00:23:13,064 anxiously awaiting the return of our boyhood hero... 326 00:23:13,141 --> 00:23:15,905 as he made his triumphant return home to Flint. 327 00:23:16,445 --> 00:23:20,040 From Genesee County Fair, the newlywed capital of the world... 328 00:23:20,415 --> 00:23:22,144 here come the newlyweds! 329 00:23:22,918 --> 00:23:25,785 A big hand. This is your part.... 330 00:23:27,722 --> 00:23:29,121 There they come. 331 00:23:30,025 --> 00:23:31,925 Yes, it's The Newlywed Game... 332 00:23:31,993 --> 00:23:34,553 and these are our newlywed couples for today. 333 00:23:34,629 --> 00:23:37,598 Let's all meet the host and star of The Newlywed Game: 334 00:23:37,666 --> 00:23:40,396 Bob Eubanks! 335 00:23:46,441 --> 00:23:50,400 Hello, everybody. Welcome. How nice of you to come here today. 336 00:23:50,479 --> 00:23:53,243 Welcome to the opening of.... Hi, Mom. How are you doing? 337 00:23:53,315 --> 00:23:54,475 You devil, you! 338 00:23:54,549 --> 00:23:57,609 What about questions like, "How heavy are your wife's breasts?" 339 00:23:57,686 --> 00:24:00,746 I never ask that. I say, "What does your wife's chest weigh?" 340 00:24:00,822 --> 00:24:03,950 There's a lot of difference in that question you just asked.... 341 00:24:04,025 --> 00:24:07,722 A hell of a lot of difference. That's where I think we get a bad rap. 342 00:24:07,796 --> 00:24:10,731 People like yourself will quote a question like that. 343 00:24:10,799 --> 00:24:14,701 I wouldn't ask that question for anything. I wouldn't even say "breasts." 344 00:24:14,769 --> 00:24:16,794 First question. These are easy questions. 345 00:24:17,205 --> 00:24:20,732 Ladies, how much did your husband say your chest weighs? 346 00:24:21,042 --> 00:24:23,636 -Gladys, what do you say, sweetheart? -Two pounds. 347 00:24:23,712 --> 00:24:26,476 Two pounds! He said six-and-a-half ounces. 348 00:24:29,484 --> 00:24:32,612 I said, "Both of them." He said, "That is both of them." 349 00:24:32,687 --> 00:24:35,679 I said, "I'm sorry." He said, "Not as sorry as I am." 350 00:24:37,058 --> 00:24:40,994 Bob was right. He didn't say "breasts " and I considered apologizing... 351 00:24:41,062 --> 00:24:45,055 for implying that his show wasn't wholesome family entertainment. 352 00:24:45,567 --> 00:24:47,660 You know why Jewish women don't get AlDS? 353 00:24:47,736 --> 00:24:50,899 Because they marry assholes, they don't screw them. Pardon me. 354 00:24:51,473 --> 00:24:54,033 Ladies and gentlemen, that's all for this afternoon. 355 00:24:54,109 --> 00:24:57,909 If I made you smile one time, I'm happy. I had a good time. I hope you did, too. 356 00:24:57,979 --> 00:25:00,174 Until next time. We'll be back every night.... 357 00:25:00,248 --> 00:25:03,081 I'm Bob Eubanks. So long, everybody. See you then. 358 00:25:06,621 --> 00:25:09,784 I was born here in Flint, but I don't know anything about it. 359 00:25:10,525 --> 00:25:12,959 I can only tell you this about this town: 360 00:25:14,095 --> 00:25:15,426 It's pretty... 361 00:25:15,897 --> 00:25:17,626 and the people are nice. 362 00:25:17,799 --> 00:25:22,168 I don't know much about the economy, but I can take you to places in the U.S... 363 00:25:22,404 --> 00:25:26,340 much worse off than Flint, Michigan. I don't think it's such a bad town. 364 00:25:30,979 --> 00:25:35,643 With 30,000 jobs now eliminated, the city decided to turn to the one event... 365 00:25:35,717 --> 00:25:38,618 that had always made us so happy: the big parade... 366 00:25:39,254 --> 00:25:42,712 this time honoring the surviving Flint Sit-Down Strikers. 367 00:25:48,530 --> 00:25:52,159 The highlight of the parade was Miss Michigan, Kaye Lani Rae Rafko. 368 00:25:52,567 --> 00:25:56,901 Passing by dozens of boarded-up stores and hundreds of jobless Flint citizens... 369 00:25:57,138 --> 00:25:59,834 she was an inspiring sight to all present. 370 00:26:02,210 --> 00:26:04,508 How do you feel about the economy in Flint? 371 00:26:04,579 --> 00:26:06,604 The factories all shutting down? 372 00:26:06,848 --> 00:26:10,443 This isn't my interview yet. This is my time for enjoyment. 373 00:26:15,557 --> 00:26:18,856 All kinds of important people showed up to march in the parade... 374 00:26:18,927 --> 00:26:21,623 Iike the governor of Michigan, James Blanchard. 375 00:26:22,397 --> 00:26:25,992 How do you feel about General Motors closing up these factories in Flint? 376 00:26:26,067 --> 00:26:28,262 It's tragic. 377 00:26:28,870 --> 00:26:31,304 Do you think we need another sit-down strike? 378 00:26:31,373 --> 00:26:33,841 That won't do any good. That's the problem. 379 00:26:34,342 --> 00:26:36,776 Is this a great time for a parade? 380 00:26:39,381 --> 00:26:41,872 I think so, too. Let's have a fun time! 381 00:26:43,184 --> 00:26:45,948 Give your life to Jesus today. 382 00:26:46,021 --> 00:26:48,990 Jesus Christ loves you. Give your life to Jesus. 383 00:26:49,057 --> 00:26:52,424 Tell your viewers they need Jesus! Give your life to Jesus. 384 00:26:54,129 --> 00:26:56,461 How could you have a parade for the founders... 385 00:26:56,531 --> 00:27:00,797 without inviting the current president of the United Auto Workers, Owen Bieber? 386 00:27:01,202 --> 00:27:04,330 I don't know that we need another sit-down strike per se. 387 00:27:04,406 --> 00:27:08,706 A sit-down strike today would not necessarily resemble... 388 00:27:10,345 --> 00:27:14,907 or be able to bring about the same thing that it did in 1937. 389 00:27:15,917 --> 00:27:20,081 The union is getting weaker. We're losing power. 390 00:27:20,588 --> 00:27:23,887 Why? Because there's too many guys in the union... 391 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:27,760 that are friends with the management. 392 00:27:29,197 --> 00:27:33,463 Some plants that are announced to be closed obviously will be closed. 393 00:27:35,236 --> 00:27:39,297 We have to accept the reality that they're just not going to remain open. 394 00:27:39,674 --> 00:27:42,040 I think that with the spirit here... 395 00:27:43,011 --> 00:27:46,913 Flint will continue not only to survive, but will continue to grow. 396 00:27:52,887 --> 00:27:56,015 Some people know what time it is. Some people don't. 397 00:27:56,758 --> 00:27:59,454 Miss Michigan, could we talk to you for one second? 398 00:27:59,527 --> 00:28:03,054 Your face looks familiar. Was this when you caught me on the road? 399 00:28:03,131 --> 00:28:07,830 Yes, back in the parade. How does it feel driving through Flint, Michigan, today... 400 00:28:07,902 --> 00:28:11,338 and so many people being laid off, so many plants being shut down? 401 00:28:11,406 --> 00:28:15,035 -How does it feel? I feel like a supporter. -Of? 402 00:28:15,410 --> 00:28:18,868 -Does it matter of what? -A supporter of General Motors? 403 00:28:19,180 --> 00:28:22,707 Of just being here for the people. Is it the parade? 404 00:28:22,784 --> 00:28:27,050 When you pass stores that are boarded-up and people that are laid off... 405 00:28:27,122 --> 00:28:29,852 how does that make you feel on a personal level? 406 00:28:31,926 --> 00:28:35,692 A little sad. Of course, I'm for employment... 407 00:28:35,764 --> 00:28:38,562 and working in Michigan. 408 00:28:38,633 --> 00:28:40,897 And, hopefully, it's just temporarily. 409 00:28:40,969 --> 00:28:45,099 So, I just keep my fingers crossed that they'll be back working soon. 410 00:28:46,274 --> 00:28:50,438 I'm trying to stay neutral. I'm going to Miss America in two weeks, and I don't.... 411 00:28:50,512 --> 00:28:54,881 -It's a great day for a parade, isn't it? -It's beautiful. I can't believe the crowd. 412 00:28:54,949 --> 00:28:57,144 It's the largest parade I've been in... 413 00:28:57,218 --> 00:29:00,153 and I've been in over 20 since June. 414 00:29:00,221 --> 00:29:04,988 It's wonderful. I love coming back to Flint. It's my third trip here, and I love it. 415 00:29:05,059 --> 00:29:06,890 Any message to the people of Flint? 416 00:29:06,961 --> 00:29:10,522 Keep your fingers crossed for me as I go for the gold in two weeks... 417 00:29:10,598 --> 00:29:14,557 and hopefully bring back a crown for Flint and the Michigan state. 418 00:29:14,903 --> 00:29:17,337 Two weeks later, she got her wish. 419 00:29:18,239 --> 00:29:20,104 Our new Miss America... 420 00:29:20,341 --> 00:29:22,775 Kaye Lani Rae Rafko, Miss Michigan! 421 00:29:51,039 --> 00:29:54,167 This is probably Number 15 I've been here and evicted someone. 422 00:29:54,242 --> 00:29:56,540 -From this house? -Yes. 423 00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:00,607 Daryl? Sheriff's department. 424 00:30:12,527 --> 00:30:15,223 Get your clothes on. We're here to put you out. 425 00:30:20,068 --> 00:30:23,629 -Here to do what? -Evict you from the house. Right now. 426 00:30:29,310 --> 00:30:31,870 People stay up all night and sleep all day. 427 00:30:34,816 --> 00:30:37,717 Deputy Fred seemed especially busy these days. 428 00:30:37,952 --> 00:30:40,546 After doing 24 evictions in one day... 429 00:30:40,622 --> 00:30:44,456 he arrived to evict a woman who was a month behind in her rent. 430 00:30:44,559 --> 00:30:46,891 She quickly got the landlord on the phone. 431 00:30:46,961 --> 00:30:50,089 After telling him that a film crew had arrived with the sheriff... 432 00:30:50,164 --> 00:30:53,964 the landlord told Fred not to evict the woman and her children. 433 00:30:55,770 --> 00:30:59,103 It had leaked so much, this whole area was bulging down. 434 00:30:59,173 --> 00:31:03,041 My oldest son.... I moved his bed, I was scared the ceiling would fall. 435 00:31:03,111 --> 00:31:05,602 But nobody was there at the time it fell. 436 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:09,309 It needed to be painted outside. The aluminum siding outside, I put on. 437 00:31:09,384 --> 00:31:11,477 I paid for it and had it put on. 438 00:31:11,619 --> 00:31:14,087 See my new siding? It does look better. 439 00:31:14,188 --> 00:31:18,420 You put that on since last time I was here. You've spent a lot of money. 440 00:31:20,428 --> 00:31:22,862 It looked like the raggediest house on the block. 441 00:31:22,931 --> 00:31:25,923 These houses look nice and I was embarrassed about it. 442 00:31:26,000 --> 00:31:29,265 The deal was pretty good, so I worked with it. 443 00:31:30,405 --> 00:31:33,397 -What will happen to this woman? -End up putting her out... 444 00:31:33,474 --> 00:31:36,534 unless her new husband comes up with the money. 445 00:31:38,846 --> 00:31:42,612 I can't imagine somebody getting married to someone as poor as you. 446 00:31:42,684 --> 00:31:46,552 It gets kind of rough. Put two poor people in the same house.... 447 00:31:48,489 --> 00:31:52,016 I always tell women, "You can be poor by yourself, you don't need help." 448 00:31:52,093 --> 00:31:55,062 And she just got some help being poor. 449 00:31:58,499 --> 00:32:01,798 Three days later, Fred put the woman and her kids out. 450 00:32:04,672 --> 00:32:07,937 -Hi, can I help you? -We're looking for Roger Smith. 451 00:32:08,009 --> 00:32:09,909 We're wondering if he's here. 452 00:32:09,978 --> 00:32:13,971 I have no idea if he's here or not, but you'll have to leave the club. 453 00:32:14,115 --> 00:32:16,242 -Why's that? -It's a private club. 454 00:32:16,317 --> 00:32:19,775 -Has he been here today? -To my knowledge, he has not. 455 00:32:20,254 --> 00:32:23,348 -Does he come here often? -I really don't know. 456 00:32:23,424 --> 00:32:26,291 -ls he a member here? -He is a member. 457 00:32:26,361 --> 00:32:28,454 But you don't know if he's been here? 458 00:32:28,529 --> 00:32:32,056 We don't keep track of our membership. You'll have to leave the club, sir. 459 00:32:32,133 --> 00:32:34,499 -lt is a private building. -You'd know if he-- 460 00:32:34,569 --> 00:32:37,800 -Sir, we'll have to ask you to leave. -I just want to find out-- 461 00:32:37,872 --> 00:32:41,933 Sorry, you'll have to leave the club. Call General Motors. Check with them. 462 00:32:42,010 --> 00:32:44,240 We have called GM. We can't get in there. 463 00:32:44,312 --> 00:32:47,839 If you can't get in there, you can't get in here. Would you mind leaving? 464 00:32:50,051 --> 00:32:52,042 -We could just wait. -No, you can't. 465 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:55,317 They say you must leave the building, sir. You have to step outside. 466 00:33:01,496 --> 00:33:02,861 We'll come back. 467 00:33:03,798 --> 00:33:07,598 I'll be right here. They told me to take you outside. 468 00:33:09,771 --> 00:33:13,400 You may wait outside. If he comes in, you can interview him outside. 469 00:33:13,474 --> 00:33:15,169 You may not interview him in here. 470 00:33:15,243 --> 00:33:17,302 You don't remember the last time he was here? 471 00:33:17,378 --> 00:33:20,142 -That means nothing. -When the chairman of GM is in here? 472 00:33:20,214 --> 00:33:21,806 That doesn't impress me. 473 00:33:21,883 --> 00:33:24,374 It doesn't impress you? The chairman of GM? 474 00:33:24,452 --> 00:33:28,149 The chairman of General Motors is just another member of our organization. 475 00:33:28,356 --> 00:33:32,554 He's an important individual, but no more important than any other member. 476 00:33:33,227 --> 00:33:36,287 I wasn't having much success bringing Roger to Flint. 477 00:33:37,565 --> 00:33:41,524 The mayor, though, was having better luck with an even higher authority. 478 00:33:45,139 --> 00:33:48,870 He paid TV evangelist Robert Schuller $20,000... 479 00:33:48,943 --> 00:33:52,276 to come to Flint and rid the city of its unemployment plague. 480 00:33:55,283 --> 00:33:59,014 Tough times don't last, but tough people do. 481 00:33:59,954 --> 00:34:04,118 Thousands filled the city's hockey arena to hear his message of hope. 482 00:34:04,192 --> 00:34:06,353 Pull your way out of poverty! 483 00:34:06,427 --> 00:34:10,056 You won't pull your way from poverty to prosperity... 484 00:34:10,131 --> 00:34:14,693 until you realize you have to be humble enough to say, "I need help. " 485 00:34:21,242 --> 00:34:25,406 By then what happens is you can turn your hurt into a halo. 486 00:34:28,649 --> 00:34:30,879 The sorrow becomes a servant. 487 00:34:42,163 --> 00:34:44,188 Just because you've got problems... 488 00:34:45,566 --> 00:34:48,763 is no excuse to be unhappy. 489 00:34:57,044 --> 00:34:58,875 Maybe Reverend Schuller was right. 490 00:34:58,946 --> 00:35:02,074 Things could be worse, and there was much to be thankful for... 491 00:35:02,150 --> 00:35:04,084 Iike the Star Theatre of Flint... 492 00:35:04,152 --> 00:35:07,280 funded with GM money to provide entertainment and escape... 493 00:35:07,355 --> 00:35:09,380 during Flint's hard times. 494 00:35:10,291 --> 00:35:12,384 Buick City, this is called. 495 00:35:13,795 --> 00:35:17,060 Rednecks, hardhat automotive workers. 496 00:35:17,999 --> 00:35:20,991 We bring Broadway and the theater to them... 497 00:35:21,068 --> 00:35:25,004 in this beautiful edifice. But that takes money, time, effort, energy. 498 00:35:25,072 --> 00:35:29,338 Bobby Vinton opened our season. It was 90 percent sold out. It was a big hit. 499 00:35:29,410 --> 00:35:33,676 He has charisma. Came into the audience, spent about 15 minutes with them... 500 00:35:33,748 --> 00:35:36,649 fussing with the ladies, kissing, and they loved him. 501 00:35:36,717 --> 00:35:38,708 He got standing ovations every night. 502 00:35:38,786 --> 00:35:41,152 Peggy Lee came. She wasn't the greatest hit. 503 00:35:41,222 --> 00:35:43,986 But she had her cult from surrounding areas. 504 00:35:44,058 --> 00:35:47,516 Her cult love her. Those who came absolutely loved her. 505 00:35:47,595 --> 00:35:51,258 Standing ovations, bravos, cheers.... They were crazy about her. 506 00:35:51,332 --> 00:35:53,823 Last year, Mitzi Gaynor came here with her show. 507 00:35:53,901 --> 00:35:56,199 She brings 10 wonderful boy dancers with her. 508 00:35:56,270 --> 00:36:00,036 She makes 16 changes. The boys make 14. 509 00:36:00,107 --> 00:36:03,634 When they're on, she's off. She's on, they're off, changing costumes. 510 00:36:03,711 --> 00:36:05,611 One production number after another. 511 00:36:05,680 --> 00:36:10,549 You'd be surprised. Some of those hard-hat factory workers say, "Hey! " 512 00:36:10,718 --> 00:36:15,417 They present their badge or identification, so they can come at a half-price ticket... 513 00:36:15,489 --> 00:36:18,014 to keep them coming when they're having hard times. 514 00:36:26,567 --> 00:36:28,501 Long before she sold orange juice... 515 00:36:28,569 --> 00:36:32,403 Anita Bryant sold spark plugs for General Motors' AC division. 516 00:36:33,007 --> 00:36:35,908 She used to perform for General Motors when I was a child. 517 00:36:35,977 --> 00:36:38,537 I remember her carrying around a giant spark plug... 518 00:36:38,613 --> 00:36:41,047 and singing You'll Never Walk Alone. 519 00:36:41,515 --> 00:36:45,178 Now she was back in Flint, offering advice to the unemployed. 520 00:36:45,253 --> 00:36:48,552 Opportunities are still in Flint, Michigan. They're still in America. 521 00:36:48,623 --> 00:36:50,523 Hang in there. Take a day at a time. 522 00:36:50,925 --> 00:36:53,325 Go forward and be positive about life. 523 00:36:53,394 --> 00:36:57,626 Don't feel regretful or guilty about the past, or worry about the future. 524 00:36:57,698 --> 00:36:59,563 You have today. Today's a new day. 525 00:36:59,634 --> 00:37:02,000 It's an opportunity for you to look about you... 526 00:37:02,069 --> 00:37:05,800 and look at the positive within yourself and within your community. 527 00:37:18,319 --> 00:37:21,186 I read something interesting. Margaret Thatcher says: 528 00:37:21,255 --> 00:37:23,917 "Cheer up, America. You live in a great country. 529 00:37:23,991 --> 00:37:26,482 "You're a free country. You have a great President. 530 00:37:26,560 --> 00:37:30,997 "Not everything's perfect, but cheer up, because you live in a free America." 531 00:37:31,065 --> 00:37:33,090 So, we live in a free society. 532 00:37:33,167 --> 00:37:37,001 Today is a new day, an opportunity to do something with yourself. 533 00:37:38,606 --> 00:37:42,042 If nothing else, thank God for the sunshine... 534 00:37:42,109 --> 00:37:44,703 and for the fact that you're not starving to death. 535 00:37:44,779 --> 00:37:48,044 Go out and do something with your hands. I don't know. 536 00:38:02,830 --> 00:38:05,094 Flint is bedrock America. 537 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:08,130 People here don't quit or give up. 538 00:38:08,202 --> 00:38:12,332 They know there've been many good times in the past, and there's more... 539 00:38:13,174 --> 00:38:16,143 of good, productive time ahead. 540 00:38:21,382 --> 00:38:23,873 It was like I was reliving my childhood. 541 00:38:23,951 --> 00:38:26,351 First Anita, and now "Mr. Chevrolet" himself. 542 00:38:26,420 --> 00:38:29,821 Pat Boone had arrived in Flint just when we needed him. 543 00:38:29,890 --> 00:38:33,257 I look the same. I liked you the moment I saw you. 544 00:38:34,628 --> 00:38:37,096 More people identified me with Chevrolet... 545 00:38:37,164 --> 00:38:40,031 than any other sponsor, and any other spokesman. 546 00:38:40,401 --> 00:38:43,837 Since my family was getting bigger, we were having a baby a year... 547 00:38:43,904 --> 00:38:48,102 I needed a station wagon. So each year I worked for Chevrolet... 548 00:38:48,376 --> 00:38:51,277 I had a Corvette and a station wagon to use. 549 00:38:51,479 --> 00:38:55,643 That strengthened my feeling that this was a great sponsor and a great product... 550 00:38:55,716 --> 00:38:59,447 which I could whole-heartedly endorse on television, and did. 551 00:38:59,620 --> 00:39:02,248 Take a look at Chevrolet's '58 Corvette. 552 00:39:03,257 --> 00:39:04,747 What a beauty! 553 00:39:05,159 --> 00:39:09,027 I own and drive one of these myself. I can vouch for them. 554 00:39:09,096 --> 00:39:11,997 The sweetest-handling baby on the road today. 555 00:39:12,066 --> 00:39:16,298 Chevrolet's completely new in style. It's the longest, too. 556 00:39:17,972 --> 00:39:21,237 Have you ever met Roger Smith, the chairman of General Motors? 557 00:39:21,308 --> 00:39:23,538 I haven't. At least, I don't think I have. 558 00:39:23,611 --> 00:39:26,307 If I had, it would have been before he was chairman... 559 00:39:26,380 --> 00:39:29,372 years ago, during my involvement. I don't think we've met. 560 00:39:29,450 --> 00:39:31,281 So you don't know much about him? 561 00:39:31,352 --> 00:39:36,187 I don't know much about him. He seems to be a very optimistic, can-do kind of guy. 562 00:39:36,824 --> 00:39:38,451 He's not a quitter. 563 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,494 I knew you'd rather have a Buick. See you later. 564 00:39:52,673 --> 00:39:54,834 Who's to blame for what's happened in Flint? 565 00:39:54,909 --> 00:39:57,104 I don't think it's anybody's fault. 566 00:39:58,446 --> 00:40:02,644 In a free society, in a capitalistic, democratic society... 567 00:40:02,716 --> 00:40:05,685 things do change. There are shifts and trends. 568 00:40:06,187 --> 00:40:09,884 I'm sure General Motors doesn't have any desire... 569 00:40:10,257 --> 00:40:13,784 to either close down a plant or put people out of work. 570 00:40:21,168 --> 00:40:23,500 The key becomes the attitude. 571 00:40:23,771 --> 00:40:27,070 Folks wind up saying, "lt was the best thing that happened to me... 572 00:40:27,141 --> 00:40:31,339 "when my job at the plant phased out. I was only gonna go so far at the plant. 573 00:40:31,645 --> 00:40:34,341 "Now I've got my own business, whatever it is." 574 00:40:35,015 --> 00:40:37,245 It's maybe no accident... 575 00:40:37,318 --> 00:40:40,810 that the Amway business, for one, is in aid of Michigan... 576 00:40:40,888 --> 00:40:45,325 offering anybody, for very little money, a chance to start earning dollars... 577 00:40:45,559 --> 00:40:47,083 having their own store in their home. 578 00:40:52,733 --> 00:40:56,669 If you have a dream, and you go after your dream, you can do it. 579 00:40:56,737 --> 00:41:01,037 If you do it full-time, you can really make good money. 580 00:41:01,108 --> 00:41:03,474 You can make a lot of money off of these. 581 00:41:03,544 --> 00:41:07,537 Janet was one of hundreds of Flint's citizens who had taken Pat's advice. 582 00:41:07,615 --> 00:41:09,947 Although her husband was still working at GM... 583 00:41:10,017 --> 00:41:13,885 she'd seen many of her friends laid off, and didn't want to take any chances. 584 00:41:13,954 --> 00:41:17,185 She'd been the founder and host of Flint's feminist radio show. 585 00:41:17,258 --> 00:41:19,658 Now she was a distributor for Amway. 586 00:41:19,727 --> 00:41:21,661 Color is my main love. 587 00:41:21,729 --> 00:41:26,598 I got color-analyzed myself a couple of years prior to learning color consulting. 588 00:41:27,001 --> 00:41:29,868 As soon as I found out what season I was... 589 00:41:29,970 --> 00:41:34,498 it changed my outlook. I went around draping everyone with my eyes. 590 00:41:34,575 --> 00:41:37,738 I really wanted to get into this business. It was exciting to me. 591 00:41:37,811 --> 00:41:41,611 About 80 percent of the world's population is winter or summer. 592 00:41:41,682 --> 00:41:45,982 Blacks, Jews, ltalians most often are winters. 593 00:41:47,254 --> 00:41:49,984 I start with the orange and pink drape. 594 00:41:50,224 --> 00:41:53,387 The reason is because I want to put you into a family: 595 00:41:53,460 --> 00:41:55,553 the warm family or the cool family. 596 00:41:55,629 --> 00:41:59,326 People who are warm have a yellow undertone to their skin. 597 00:42:01,035 --> 00:42:03,629 The orange drape brings the yellow undertone out... 598 00:42:03,704 --> 00:42:05,467 and makes them look really good. 599 00:42:05,739 --> 00:42:09,038 If you put orange on someone who has a blue undertone... 600 00:42:09,109 --> 00:42:12,237 which would be the pink, or cool, family... 601 00:42:12,813 --> 00:42:16,476 then their face will get real pale... 602 00:42:16,550 --> 00:42:18,245 or they'll look real tired... 603 00:42:18,319 --> 00:42:21,117 or they'll get a lot of ruddiness come out on their face. 604 00:42:21,188 --> 00:42:24,646 So I like to put what I think is the wrong color on you first... 605 00:42:25,226 --> 00:42:27,490 then I can compare it to the right color. 606 00:42:27,561 --> 00:42:30,724 That way it will really improve how you look. 607 00:42:32,499 --> 00:42:35,935 What usually happens is what I'm seeing happen to her. 608 00:42:36,437 --> 00:42:38,997 She gets jaundice when you put orange on her. 609 00:42:39,073 --> 00:42:42,270 She turns yellow, looks a little bit sickly. 610 00:42:42,576 --> 00:42:46,569 You might not even see it that much now, but let's compare it to the pink. 611 00:42:55,022 --> 00:42:57,513 I get a small commission on every account. 612 00:42:59,727 --> 00:43:03,026 Join up and find out. It's good! 613 00:43:03,597 --> 00:43:06,327 Three months after we attended Janet's Amway meeting... 614 00:43:06,400 --> 00:43:08,925 she phoned in a panic and asked that we come back... 615 00:43:09,003 --> 00:43:10,868 as she'd made a terrible mistake. 616 00:43:10,938 --> 00:43:14,840 I've very recently learned that I am not an autumn. 617 00:43:14,908 --> 00:43:18,400 I was color-analyzed by someone in the lMS line... 618 00:43:18,479 --> 00:43:20,777 who are the people who taught me to do colors. 619 00:43:20,848 --> 00:43:23,408 I've discovered that I am another season. 620 00:43:23,484 --> 00:43:26,647 It's a warm season, like autumn, but it's spring instead. 621 00:43:26,720 --> 00:43:30,315 The colors that I wear are basically the same color family... 622 00:43:30,658 --> 00:43:33,354 but they're lighter and brighter. 623 00:43:33,427 --> 00:43:36,225 It's really a shock to me, because I am out there... 624 00:43:36,297 --> 00:43:39,460 color-analyzing women all the time. Little did I know... 625 00:43:39,533 --> 00:43:43,162 that I was not the season that I was telling people I was. 626 00:43:44,171 --> 00:43:48,403 I felt sorry for Janet. So, to cheer her up, I let her do my colors. 627 00:43:48,475 --> 00:43:51,205 As it turned out, we were the same season. 628 00:43:54,448 --> 00:43:56,973 There were other ways to survive in Flint. 629 00:43:57,251 --> 00:43:59,014 Taco Bell was one. 630 00:43:59,219 --> 00:44:02,086 The local Taco Bell was retraining laid-off auto workers... 631 00:44:02,156 --> 00:44:04,750 to assemble tacos and chicken fajitas. 632 00:44:04,825 --> 00:44:07,055 The local paper said this would be their dream job. 633 00:44:08,662 --> 00:44:10,789 When I stopped by to see how they were doing... 634 00:44:10,864 --> 00:44:14,356 the manager told me why all the ex-GM workers had been fired. 635 00:44:16,870 --> 00:44:19,532 Many of them say this is a lot of hard work... 636 00:44:19,606 --> 00:44:23,474 because assembly work is easy. It depends on what you make it. 637 00:44:23,877 --> 00:44:26,573 At Taco Bell, every day's a new day. 638 00:44:26,814 --> 00:44:29,476 Every time you turn around, it's a different challenge. 639 00:44:29,583 --> 00:44:31,574 -Taco Light. -One Taco Light. 640 00:44:32,252 --> 00:44:36,279 -Would you like Cinnamon Crispas? -Yeah, you make it sound so good. 641 00:44:36,357 --> 00:44:37,449 Dining here today? 642 00:44:38,359 --> 00:44:41,453 Fast food is one of the most stressful environments... 643 00:44:41,528 --> 00:44:43,496 because of the demands on you. 644 00:44:43,931 --> 00:44:46,331 Fast food demands a fast pace... 645 00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:48,925 because we want to present a food item... 646 00:44:49,403 --> 00:44:51,803 within so many seconds, if we can do it. 647 00:44:52,473 --> 00:44:57,376 The transaction from assembly work and the fast pace at Taco Bell.... 648 00:44:58,145 --> 00:45:01,137 Some of them just couldn't develop that speed. 649 00:45:01,849 --> 00:45:06,047 There's a number of small manufacturing companies that have done very well. 650 00:45:07,187 --> 00:45:11,089 One I like to look at is Helmac Co. Are you familiar with them? 651 00:45:11,158 --> 00:45:13,058 They invented a lint roller. 652 00:45:13,127 --> 00:45:15,789 Now they ship lint rollers all over the world... 653 00:45:15,863 --> 00:45:19,765 and have a very profitable, nice business operating. 654 00:45:21,869 --> 00:45:23,598 Maybe there's a.... 655 00:45:24,037 --> 00:45:27,632 -There's all kinds of opportunities-- -Tom, wait a minute. 656 00:45:28,742 --> 00:45:32,303 Lint rollers? That's the solution to an auto industry-- 657 00:45:32,379 --> 00:45:33,641 That's an example. 658 00:45:33,714 --> 00:45:36,911 A giant auto industry that had its birthplace here in Flint? 659 00:45:36,984 --> 00:45:40,147 Lint rollers will pull us out of this depression? 660 00:45:40,220 --> 00:45:42,654 There's as much opportunity here... 661 00:45:42,723 --> 00:45:46,819 as when Billy Durant started the motor company on Water Street. 662 00:45:46,894 --> 00:45:48,361 Maybe more opportunities. 663 00:45:48,429 --> 00:45:50,920 -You believe that? -Yes, I do. Absolutely. 664 00:46:10,350 --> 00:46:12,875 I saw the sign down on the street... 665 00:46:12,953 --> 00:46:16,047 that said you're selling rabbits and bunnies here? 666 00:46:16,824 --> 00:46:19,122 -For sale? -You want pets or meat? 667 00:46:19,193 --> 00:46:20,490 Pets or meat? 668 00:46:20,561 --> 00:46:25,191 Meaning I can buy the bunnies to have as a pet... 669 00:46:25,899 --> 00:46:28,527 or I can buy them for.... 670 00:46:28,602 --> 00:46:31,093 Meat. They're already dressed and cleaned. 671 00:46:31,171 --> 00:46:34,766 I butcher the babies when they are four or five months old. 672 00:46:34,842 --> 00:46:36,241 That's good. 673 00:46:36,310 --> 00:46:38,744 If you butcher the older ones, like these guys... 674 00:46:38,812 --> 00:46:41,747 then they're stewers. They're not fryers. 675 00:46:41,815 --> 00:46:44,841 A lot of people like fryers better than they do the stewers. 676 00:46:44,918 --> 00:46:48,513 -That makes sense. -So I keep my personal stock. 677 00:46:48,689 --> 00:46:53,092 When my babies get four or five months old, and I have 15 to 20 babies... 678 00:46:53,360 --> 00:46:55,453 you've got to get rid of them some way. 679 00:46:55,529 --> 00:46:59,363 If they don't sell as pets, you got to get rid of them as meat. 680 00:46:59,900 --> 00:47:01,697 Them guys are all meat. 681 00:47:02,336 --> 00:47:06,102 -See, they start doing this to each other. -What's that? 682 00:47:06,173 --> 00:47:09,233 Peeing on each other and stuff like that, when they get older. 683 00:47:09,309 --> 00:47:13,712 If you don't have separate cages for them, then they start fighting. 684 00:47:13,780 --> 00:47:16,578 Then the males castrate the other males. 685 00:47:17,117 --> 00:47:21,383 They do. They chew their balls right off. Then you have a bloody mess. 686 00:47:22,055 --> 00:47:25,354 That's why you got to butcher them when they're a certain age... 687 00:47:25,425 --> 00:47:27,256 or you have a heck of a mess. 688 00:47:27,661 --> 00:47:29,526 I'm on social security. 689 00:47:29,596 --> 00:47:33,259 The only other income I have is my rabbits... 690 00:47:33,500 --> 00:47:36,025 for groceries, bills, and my dogs. 691 00:47:36,103 --> 00:47:38,128 I also raise Doberman pinschers. 692 00:47:39,172 --> 00:47:42,039 Because sometimes I only make $10 to $15 a week... 693 00:47:42,109 --> 00:47:46,546 but that's better than nothing. At least I can buy $10 to $15 worth of groceries. 694 00:47:47,014 --> 00:47:50,142 'Cause you only get paid once a month from social security... 695 00:47:51,418 --> 00:47:53,045 and that's not very much. 696 00:48:00,260 --> 00:48:03,252 It's really popular. A lot of people come down here. 697 00:48:03,330 --> 00:48:04,991 Usually some people come down. 698 00:48:05,065 --> 00:48:09,001 They're only open on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. 699 00:48:09,069 --> 00:48:11,060 Saturday and Sunday, they're closed. 700 00:48:11,138 --> 00:48:13,402 On the holidays, they get... 701 00:48:13,473 --> 00:48:16,874 Iike, $1 to $2 bonus here and there. 702 00:48:17,578 --> 00:48:21,912 If you're doing this every day, isn't your arm filled with needle marks? 703 00:48:22,749 --> 00:48:25,081 They only keep it in one certain spot. 704 00:48:26,086 --> 00:48:28,919 You keep it right there. Doesn't look bad. 705 00:48:28,989 --> 00:48:32,789 I take some rubbing alcohol to get the scar tissue to heal up. 706 00:48:32,859 --> 00:48:34,292 Can we see it? 707 00:48:35,796 --> 00:48:37,764 I only do it in my right arm. 708 00:48:38,765 --> 00:48:40,357 It's not so bad. 709 00:48:41,068 --> 00:48:44,868 They only do it in a certain place, in a certain spot. 710 00:48:46,673 --> 00:48:48,197 It's right here. 711 00:48:48,275 --> 00:48:51,335 They don't track it up. They only do it in two places. 712 00:48:56,383 --> 00:48:58,613 No! My baby! 713 00:48:59,052 --> 00:49:00,314 Oh, God! 714 00:49:00,387 --> 00:49:02,878 Flint is best known for its principal industry. 715 00:49:02,956 --> 00:49:06,050 But it's quickly gaining notoriety as a major crime center. 716 00:49:06,126 --> 00:49:08,594 It's a record year for homicides in the Vehicle City. 717 00:49:08,662 --> 00:49:12,428 According to the FBI, Flint now has the highest violent crime rate in America. 718 00:49:12,499 --> 00:49:15,093 ...crime rate is one of the highest on the continent. 719 00:49:15,168 --> 00:49:18,262 A big part of the problem is there aren't enough jail cells... 720 00:49:18,338 --> 00:49:19,999 for all the criminals. 721 00:49:30,751 --> 00:49:33,845 -I got it. -I don't think that target would have lived. 722 00:49:34,021 --> 00:49:36,114 I got two out of the ring there. 723 00:49:36,189 --> 00:49:38,919 -You got three out the ring, son. -Yes, sir. 724 00:49:39,693 --> 00:49:41,422 Where is my third one? 725 00:49:42,329 --> 00:49:45,662 Here's two here. Where's the third one out of the ring? 726 00:49:45,732 --> 00:49:47,529 Okay, that one's out of the ring. 727 00:49:47,601 --> 00:49:50,161 Your biggest problem is your barrel length. 728 00:49:50,303 --> 00:49:54,831 We usually tell them that probably their best protection for home... 729 00:49:55,175 --> 00:49:57,735 is the short-barreled shotgun. 730 00:49:59,846 --> 00:50:02,747 -Why is that? -It's easy to handle... 731 00:50:04,184 --> 00:50:07,017 and if you do have to shoot, you're not liable to miss. 732 00:50:08,488 --> 00:50:11,651 And when they hear that pump gun... 733 00:50:11,958 --> 00:50:15,485 when you rack that, there's no other sound like it. 734 00:50:15,562 --> 00:50:17,826 Usually you don't have to fire it. 735 00:50:17,898 --> 00:50:21,629 They get moving pretty fast. They'll move away. 736 00:50:21,935 --> 00:50:23,493 They don't like the sound. 737 00:50:23,570 --> 00:50:25,231 They know exactly what you have. 738 00:50:25,305 --> 00:50:27,671 You don't have to say, "l have a gun in my hand." 739 00:50:27,741 --> 00:50:30,107 They know it'll really tear them up. 740 00:50:32,479 --> 00:50:35,380 With higher unemployment creating more crime in Flint... 741 00:50:35,449 --> 00:50:39,749 General Motors and the United Auto Workers' union came up with a novel idea. 742 00:50:39,820 --> 00:50:44,223 Train the ex-auto workers to be prison guards and give them jobs in the jails... 743 00:50:44,291 --> 00:50:46,851 now filling up with their former line mates. 744 00:50:46,927 --> 00:50:49,987 It's kind of sad in a way to see somebody that you know... 745 00:50:50,063 --> 00:50:52,793 or had done something with on the outside being in jail... 746 00:50:52,866 --> 00:50:55,664 or sentenced to prison or something like that. 747 00:50:57,204 --> 00:51:00,731 But I guess it's, you know.... The theory goes, you play, you pay. 748 00:51:01,575 --> 00:51:03,065 And you get over it. 749 00:51:03,343 --> 00:51:05,573 I'd have a possibility to move on. 750 00:51:05,779 --> 00:51:08,907 That's what this 160-hour program was all about. 751 00:51:09,382 --> 00:51:13,682 I have a certificate now, stating that I can apply anywhere in the United States. 752 00:51:13,854 --> 00:51:15,845 The money's not an object right now. 753 00:51:15,922 --> 00:51:19,358 If I can improve myself, morally, the money will come later. 754 00:51:19,559 --> 00:51:22,653 It's almost half of what I was making at General Motors... 755 00:51:22,729 --> 00:51:25,994 -but I like the work a lot better. -You'll do what? 756 00:51:26,133 --> 00:51:27,225 It's not as hot. 757 00:51:27,300 --> 00:51:30,701 You don't scare me by saying that. I'll screw your fucking ass! 758 00:51:30,771 --> 00:51:33,604 I don't care what you think! I'll screw you! 759 00:51:33,740 --> 00:51:36,937 You'll cope with me in a few days, I'm telling you that now! 760 00:51:37,010 --> 00:51:39,740 You don't scare me! I know my rights! 761 00:51:39,813 --> 00:51:42,281 -I went to school, okay? -What's going on? 762 00:51:43,183 --> 00:51:46,050 Someone in a heated discussion down there, I guess. 763 00:51:46,953 --> 00:51:49,683 I'm going to jump you! I'll get you, man! 764 00:51:51,658 --> 00:51:54,593 ...a staff member is a violation of that rule. 765 00:51:54,661 --> 00:51:57,357 I don't respect you! 766 00:51:57,430 --> 00:51:59,921 When you give me respect, I'll respect you. 767 00:52:00,300 --> 00:52:02,097 -Take it easy. -I know my rights! 768 00:52:08,508 --> 00:52:12,137 I really don't know the answer. I feel sorry for people... 769 00:52:12,712 --> 00:52:17,046 but you can't help them. I mean, you have such a good welfare program. 770 00:52:17,484 --> 00:52:19,782 So, they just don't want to work. 771 00:52:19,853 --> 00:52:23,084 I don't think so. I really don't know. 772 00:52:25,292 --> 00:52:27,260 -Good shot. -That's nice. 773 00:52:27,761 --> 00:52:32,221 All four of us have always lived in Flint and gone to school here. 774 00:52:34,801 --> 00:52:36,291 We just love it so. 775 00:52:37,404 --> 00:52:41,602 -What do you love about it? -I personally love our friends, you know. 776 00:52:43,977 --> 00:52:46,775 And we like our club, and we like... 777 00:52:48,348 --> 00:52:49,975 all the stores and... 778 00:52:50,283 --> 00:52:52,217 you know, what's left of them. 779 00:52:57,858 --> 00:52:59,519 I think everybody should... 780 00:53:01,228 --> 00:53:05,130 try to find another job, or do something else in training, or something. 781 00:53:06,633 --> 00:53:09,101 You think a lot of people are being lazy? 782 00:53:09,369 --> 00:53:10,927 I think some of them. 783 00:53:11,004 --> 00:53:14,633 I think a lot of them take the easy way out. 784 00:53:23,783 --> 00:53:25,978 Judge issued the order to vacate the house. 785 00:53:26,052 --> 00:53:27,679 -Right now? -Yes, ma'am. 786 00:53:27,888 --> 00:53:30,823 Okay, that's the least he can do. I'll go get a truck. 787 00:53:30,891 --> 00:53:32,552 -Today? -Right now. 788 00:53:33,226 --> 00:53:35,251 Can't you wait till we get a truck? 789 00:53:35,328 --> 00:53:38,229 You can get the truck, but they got a crew on the way here. 790 00:53:38,298 --> 00:53:42,257 They stopped at the store to get a pop. I'd get dressed if I was you. 791 00:53:42,535 --> 00:53:44,332 We got to vacate the house. 792 00:53:46,573 --> 00:53:50,065 We're doing more evictions, more repossessions, and everything... 793 00:53:50,143 --> 00:53:52,043 way behind, trying to catch up. 794 00:53:52,445 --> 00:53:56,643 A lot of these people bought school clothes and didn't pay the rent. 795 00:53:57,617 --> 00:53:59,585 The system 's got to change... 796 00:53:59,653 --> 00:54:03,487 because if they didn't have enough money to pay rent and buy clothes... 797 00:54:03,556 --> 00:54:05,581 they're in trouble, anyway. 798 00:54:06,326 --> 00:54:10,763 I've put out some of my best friends, but it's nothing personal, you know. 799 00:54:12,365 --> 00:54:15,129 They know me, they know what I do, so.... 800 00:54:16,469 --> 00:54:18,994 If they're lucky enough to draw me... 801 00:54:19,072 --> 00:54:21,063 at least they got somebody to talk to. 802 00:54:21,207 --> 00:54:22,196 What? 803 00:54:37,624 --> 00:54:41,583 These people couldn't find a truck. They called two or three different places. 804 00:54:41,661 --> 00:54:44,129 They called U-Haul... 805 00:54:44,197 --> 00:54:47,360 and they said all their trucks were out for today. 806 00:54:47,567 --> 00:54:51,435 They called Ryder Truck, and they said all of theirs were out for today. 807 00:54:51,504 --> 00:54:55,668 A gentleman came by, we hauled him down, and he didn't want to get involved. 808 00:54:55,742 --> 00:54:59,178 So now I assume they're on the phone, trying to get a trailer... 809 00:54:59,245 --> 00:55:02,339 from Mark's Trailer Rental up on Carpenter Road. 810 00:55:02,549 --> 00:55:05,109 Why are all the trucks being rented here? 811 00:55:05,518 --> 00:55:07,509 People are probably moving. 812 00:55:11,358 --> 00:55:15,294 With GM closing, there are so many people leaving town. 813 00:55:15,362 --> 00:55:17,956 We've handled over 82,000 address changes. 814 00:55:18,031 --> 00:55:21,558 We're having a lot of people just abandon their house sometimes. 815 00:55:21,868 --> 00:55:24,132 Thank God we're getting new equipment here. 816 00:55:24,204 --> 00:55:28,470 We're getting new higher-tech computers that will be able to process more mail. 817 00:55:29,109 --> 00:55:31,703 I don't foresee this job evaporating. 818 00:55:32,145 --> 00:55:34,170 I feel we're secure in forwarding mail. 819 00:55:34,647 --> 00:55:37,514 Usually we see somebody every day that we know... 820 00:55:38,418 --> 00:55:40,443 that's moved on, left town. 821 00:55:40,520 --> 00:55:43,045 A lot of people are looking for work elsewhere. 822 00:55:43,123 --> 00:55:47,526 My husband's currently laid off, and we're giving some thought to it ourselves. 823 00:55:47,761 --> 00:55:49,251 The GM layoff. 824 00:55:51,131 --> 00:55:53,622 We have been having so many trucks... 825 00:55:53,700 --> 00:55:55,998 go one-way to places like Florida... 826 00:55:56,069 --> 00:55:58,799 and places south of here. 827 00:55:59,139 --> 00:56:03,405 We have a very hard time keeping trucks in the Flint area. 828 00:56:03,910 --> 00:56:08,040 It's expected we'll get some of our fleet back towards midsummer... 829 00:56:08,548 --> 00:56:11,915 but with the layoffs coming heavier... 830 00:56:12,352 --> 00:56:15,321 it's going to be very hard to keep a truck around here. 831 00:56:28,768 --> 00:56:31,601 I continued to dog Roger all over the country. 832 00:56:31,805 --> 00:56:34,000 From Detroit to Chicago... 833 00:56:34,574 --> 00:56:37,065 to Washington, D.C., to New York City. 834 00:56:37,143 --> 00:56:41,011 I followed a trail of three-martini lunches in pursuit of the chairman. 835 00:56:41,748 --> 00:56:45,650 I finally found Roger at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York City... 836 00:56:45,985 --> 00:56:49,011 where he was getting an award for the car of the year. 837 00:56:50,657 --> 00:56:52,716 We weren't in the hotel five minutes... 838 00:56:52,792 --> 00:56:55,317 when GM security recognized one of our crew members... 839 00:56:55,395 --> 00:56:58,489 as a relative of their arch nemesis, Ralph Nader. 840 00:56:59,099 --> 00:57:01,067 They called the New York City police and carried him out... 841 00:57:02,102 --> 00:57:04,866 chair and all, down to precinct headquarters. 842 00:57:07,740 --> 00:57:11,005 As soon as I could, I headed to Detroit to Roger's office... 843 00:57:11,077 --> 00:57:14,843 where I was determined this time to get on to the 14th floor. 844 00:57:22,021 --> 00:57:23,352 Excuse me. 845 00:57:25,959 --> 00:57:29,759 -Where are you guys going? -We're going up to the 14th floor. 846 00:57:29,896 --> 00:57:32,956 -Do you have an appointment? -We're going to see Roger Smith. 847 00:57:33,032 --> 00:57:36,092 No, you're not. You're not getting on one of those elevators. 848 00:57:36,169 --> 00:57:39,570 -Why's that? -You're not going without an appointment. 849 00:57:39,639 --> 00:57:41,971 Can we go up and try making an appointment? 850 00:57:42,041 --> 00:57:43,099 Why? 851 00:57:44,043 --> 00:57:45,374 I need Tony or Denise. 852 00:57:46,379 --> 00:57:50,042 -The reason to talk to Roger Smith? -Michael Moore. 853 00:57:50,416 --> 00:57:53,112 No, what's your reason for seeing Roger Smith? 854 00:57:53,186 --> 00:57:56,314 -Excuse me. I need to see you. -We're making a film.... 855 00:58:03,730 --> 00:58:05,698 I quickly sized up the situation: 856 00:58:05,765 --> 00:58:08,791 three guards in the booth, plus the one with the corsage... 857 00:58:08,868 --> 00:58:10,495 a dozen security cameras... 858 00:58:10,570 --> 00:58:14,597 and four new cars with inflated sticker prices parked in the lobby. 859 00:58:14,674 --> 00:58:18,770 If I made a run for it to Roger's office, what's the worst that could happen? 860 00:58:18,878 --> 00:58:22,211 Before I could fully explore the consequences of such an action... 861 00:58:22,282 --> 00:58:25,740 my escorts to the 14th floor finally arrived. 862 00:58:26,119 --> 00:58:28,781 Mr. Smith is not in at the present time. 863 00:58:28,855 --> 00:58:33,554 We'd be happy to take your request under advisement, as with all appointments. 864 00:58:33,626 --> 00:58:37,790 I've been told that before. I've called, written, and I've been here before. 865 00:58:37,864 --> 00:58:39,798 -Have you written? -Yes, I've written. 866 00:58:39,866 --> 00:58:42,562 -To whom? -To Roger Smith... 867 00:58:43,002 --> 00:58:46,665 General Motors building, Grand Avenue, Detroit, Michigan. 868 00:58:46,973 --> 00:58:49,373 John, how about we have a letter sent to your office? 869 00:58:49,442 --> 00:58:51,774 Why don't you send a letter to us... 870 00:58:51,844 --> 00:58:54,836 and we will be happy to, as I say, take it under advisement... 871 00:58:54,914 --> 00:58:57,280 just as we do all requests to see the chairman. 872 00:58:57,350 --> 00:59:01,184 It's just that I've been waiting for a year to get this. 873 00:59:01,254 --> 00:59:03,722 It's been under advisement for a long time. 874 00:59:03,790 --> 00:59:07,021 What I'd like to do is just go up to the 14th floor... 875 00:59:07,126 --> 00:59:09,321 and set up an appointment with his secretary. 876 00:59:09,395 --> 00:59:11,386 That would be impossible. 877 00:59:11,731 --> 00:59:14,393 Obviously, I was getting the big blowoff once again. 878 00:59:16,202 --> 00:59:19,035 Meanwhile, things weren't getting better back in Flint. 879 00:59:19,105 --> 00:59:21,039 More jobs had been eliminated. 880 00:59:21,107 --> 00:59:24,372 The city had become the unemployment capital of the country. 881 00:59:25,078 --> 00:59:27,945 The visits from the stars and the creation of new jobs... 882 00:59:28,014 --> 00:59:30,710 had failed to pull Flint out of its depression. 883 00:59:31,684 --> 00:59:34,448 Just when it appeared that all hope was lost... 884 00:59:34,621 --> 00:59:37,818 the city fathers came up with one last great idea. 885 00:59:39,259 --> 00:59:43,025 You don't usually think of tourist attraction when you think of Flint... 886 00:59:43,162 --> 00:59:45,756 but people here in Flint would like to change that. 887 00:59:45,832 --> 00:59:48,858 And they're willing to go to some pretty extreme lengths. 888 00:59:48,935 --> 00:59:52,837 Flint officials would like to see the local tourist economy explode. 889 00:59:55,341 --> 00:59:57,673 Flint's Convention and Tourism Bureau president... 890 00:59:57,744 --> 01:00:01,703 says visitors should take advantage of Flint's convenient location. 891 01:00:01,948 --> 01:00:04,382 Millions of travelers pass by our doorstep. 892 01:00:04,450 --> 01:00:06,975 Now, with this active and aggressive promotion... 893 01:00:07,053 --> 01:00:11,854 we'll be able to draw them into our city and experience what we have to offer. 894 01:00:14,627 --> 01:00:17,460 As part of the plan to attract tourism and conventions... 895 01:00:17,530 --> 01:00:22,331 the city spent $13 million in tax funds to build a Hyatt Regency Hotel. 896 01:00:24,804 --> 01:00:28,706 Although most people in Flint were now too poor to afford a room at the Hyatt... 897 01:00:28,775 --> 01:00:31,107 the hotel allowed the public on opening day... 898 01:00:31,177 --> 01:00:33,702 to come and ride the city's only escalator. 899 01:00:34,213 --> 01:00:36,681 We put a luxury hotel in the heart of our city... 900 01:00:36,749 --> 01:00:39,775 just like other cities with their luxury hotels... 901 01:00:39,852 --> 01:00:43,015 with everything from the fountains and high ceilings... 902 01:00:43,089 --> 01:00:46,957 the atrium lobby, to the large windows, the large plants. 903 01:00:47,226 --> 01:00:49,126 The quality is there... 904 01:00:49,362 --> 01:00:53,128 what you would find in Chicago, or Atlanta, or San Francisco. 905 01:00:53,866 --> 01:00:58,064 We've got some great facilities, as far as places to stay... 906 01:00:58,304 --> 01:01:02,070 interesting places to see, museums.... 907 01:01:02,275 --> 01:01:05,676 And it's a nice community to visit. 908 01:01:18,358 --> 01:01:20,349 Meet Mr. and Mrs. Roberts. 909 01:01:20,426 --> 01:01:22,553 They're two of the thousands of people... 910 01:01:22,628 --> 01:01:25,859 who decide to spend some time at Genesee County each year. 911 01:01:26,199 --> 01:01:28,463 There's the sign. We're almost there. 912 01:01:28,534 --> 01:01:31,628 I can hardly wait to see some of the places in the brochures. 913 01:01:31,704 --> 01:01:34,104 Let's pull off and fill up first. 914 01:01:34,741 --> 01:01:37,107 -You from out of town? -Yeah, we're on vacation. 915 01:01:37,176 --> 01:01:39,269 Welcome to Flint. You staying here? 916 01:01:39,345 --> 01:01:41,245 Yeah, we are. Lots to do? 917 01:01:41,314 --> 01:01:45,273 Sure, there's lots of attractions here. Have you seen Crossroads Village? 918 01:01:45,351 --> 01:01:49,412 See how a little hospitality, right from the start, really makes a difference? 919 01:01:49,489 --> 01:01:52,583 Suggesting things to see and do builds our own image... 920 01:01:52,925 --> 01:01:55,951 and it creates positive word-of-mouth endorsements... 921 01:01:56,028 --> 01:02:00,192 the most inexpensive, yet most valuable type of advertising there is. 922 01:02:00,366 --> 01:02:03,927 Once again, you see our slogan: "Flint: our new spark will surprise you." 923 01:02:04,003 --> 01:02:05,630 Capturing a lot of enthusiasm. 924 01:02:05,705 --> 01:02:09,766 Letting people know there are some new and surprising things in the Flint area. 925 01:02:09,842 --> 01:02:13,972 This is our visitors' log book. I see West Germany here, Australia. 926 01:02:14,847 --> 01:02:18,442 Jackie, what are some of the things that visitors ask us? 927 01:02:18,518 --> 01:02:20,816 First off, "Where is the bathroom?" 928 01:02:21,154 --> 01:02:23,384 That's the question I get asked most. 929 01:02:23,823 --> 01:02:26,519 Then, "What is there to do in Flint?" 930 01:02:29,562 --> 01:02:32,793 The city had a hard time attracting major conventions to the Hyatt. 931 01:02:32,865 --> 01:02:37,063 It settled for groups like the Michigan Ready Mix Concrete Association... 932 01:02:37,136 --> 01:02:40,037 and the statewide organization of Scrabble players. 933 01:02:40,239 --> 01:02:44,005 On this last game, I made a seven-letter word, "partier." 934 01:02:44,076 --> 01:02:46,169 P-A-R-T-l-E-R. 935 01:02:46,579 --> 01:02:50,606 So we looked in the Scrabble bible, which is this dictionary... 936 01:02:50,850 --> 01:02:52,750 and it isn't allowed there. 937 01:02:52,819 --> 01:02:56,186 They allow "partied," P-A-R-T-l-E-D... 938 01:02:56,522 --> 01:02:59,423 and "parties," P-A-R-T-l-E-S... 939 01:02:59,525 --> 01:03:02,688 but no "partier." So don't claim you are one ever. 940 01:03:05,832 --> 01:03:08,164 Flint's leaders needed more tourists. 941 01:03:08,234 --> 01:03:11,499 They hired the company that built New York's South Street Seaport... 942 01:03:11,571 --> 01:03:14,540 to come to Flint and create Water Street Pavilion. 943 01:03:15,942 --> 01:03:18,740 We took a four-square-block area, tore it down... 944 01:03:18,811 --> 01:03:21,245 and built this new facility... 945 01:03:21,314 --> 01:03:24,613 which is a lot of glass and steel, as well as plants... 946 01:03:25,485 --> 01:03:29,387 and different colors to make it festive, fun and exciting. 947 01:03:29,455 --> 01:03:31,719 Also, a major parking ramp... 948 01:03:31,791 --> 01:03:35,454 and some other facilities connected with the building. 949 01:03:35,528 --> 01:03:39,157 It's more than just another building in downtown Flint. 950 01:03:39,232 --> 01:03:43,965 I like the color and the excitement of it. It's very good for tourism in our area. 951 01:03:44,036 --> 01:03:47,494 A major stop for the bus tours that come to our area. 952 01:03:47,673 --> 01:03:52,372 They pull up, park the bus, and unload 40 senior citizens or so. 953 01:03:53,179 --> 01:03:57,673 Water Street brings a fun atmosphere that comes with a festival marketplace... 954 01:03:57,884 --> 01:04:00,944 much like other festival marketplaces around the country. 955 01:04:01,521 --> 01:04:05,548 But the crowning jewel in Flint's plan to attract tourists was AutoWorld... 956 01:04:05,625 --> 01:04:09,459 hailed by city officials as the world's largest indoor theme park. 957 01:04:09,762 --> 01:04:12,128 Today is the first day... 958 01:04:12,665 --> 01:04:14,064 of the rebirth... 959 01:04:14,400 --> 01:04:16,698 of the great city of Flint. 960 01:04:17,870 --> 01:04:19,997 The governor had reason to be excited. 961 01:04:20,072 --> 01:04:23,269 Donny and Marie had come to celebrate the opening of AutoWorld... 962 01:04:23,342 --> 01:04:26,277 constructed at a cost of over $100 million... 963 01:04:26,512 --> 01:04:30,175 and dedicated to the belief that the automobile made America great. 964 01:04:32,852 --> 01:04:36,686 I paid my $8.95 and saw something I hadn't seen in a long time... 965 01:04:36,756 --> 01:04:39,520 downtown Flint, rebuilt exactly to scale... 966 01:04:39,592 --> 01:04:41,856 under the glass-enclosed dome of AutoWorld... 967 01:04:41,928 --> 01:04:44,863 to look like it used to before the factory closings. 968 01:04:46,666 --> 01:04:48,998 They predicted a million tourists would come... 969 01:04:49,068 --> 01:04:51,832 to ride the world's only indoor Ferris wheel... 970 01:04:51,904 --> 01:04:54,464 to gaze at the world's largest car engine... 971 01:04:54,907 --> 01:04:58,138 and to meet the official sponsors of the American dream. 972 01:04:59,412 --> 01:05:02,313 My favorite was the exhibit sponsored by General Motors. 973 01:05:02,381 --> 01:05:03,712 A puppet auto worker... 974 01:05:03,783 --> 01:05:07,275 singing a love song to the robot replacing him on the assembly line. 975 01:05:07,353 --> 01:05:09,548 The song was called Me and My Buddy. 976 01:05:15,628 --> 01:05:18,324 AutoWorld will make a major contribution... 977 01:05:18,931 --> 01:05:22,025 to our important tourism and travel industry. 978 01:05:22,902 --> 01:05:26,099 It's not only a contribution to that, but as the mayor said: 979 01:05:26,172 --> 01:05:30,006 "To jobs for our people, our children, our neighbors." 980 01:05:32,044 --> 01:05:34,569 The million tourists never came to Flint. 981 01:05:35,147 --> 01:05:37,945 The Hyatt went bankrupt and was put up for sale. 982 01:05:38,451 --> 01:05:42,410 Water Street Pavilion saw most of its stores go out of business. 983 01:05:43,723 --> 01:05:45,918 And, only six months after opening... 984 01:05:45,992 --> 01:05:48,893 AutoWorld closed due to a lack of visitors. 985 01:05:50,129 --> 01:05:52,962 I guess it was like expecting a million people a year... 986 01:05:53,032 --> 01:05:57,867 to go to New Jersey to ChemicalWorld, or to Valdez, Alaska, to ExxonWorld. 987 01:05:58,604 --> 01:06:02,631 Some people just don't like to celebrate human tragedy while on vacation. 988 01:06:03,042 --> 01:06:05,840 It started to get looking like Toronto... 989 01:06:05,945 --> 01:06:08,379 upper middle-class black and white people... 990 01:06:08,447 --> 01:06:10,574 and everybody was dressed nice. 991 01:06:10,816 --> 01:06:14,650 We thought it would be the entertainment center of the county... 992 01:06:14,720 --> 01:06:17,518 in all truth. That may be naive, but that was my goal. 993 01:06:17,590 --> 01:06:20,024 Let's make it the entertainment center... 994 01:06:20,092 --> 01:06:23,186 so that everybody wants to be in downtown Flint. 995 01:06:23,262 --> 01:06:25,787 We're going to have entertainment and art. 996 01:06:25,865 --> 01:06:29,062 It's going to be very cultural, it going to be very upbeat. 997 01:06:29,135 --> 01:06:32,002 Somebody said something to me, and maybe it's true. 998 01:06:32,338 --> 01:06:34,738 They said, "Look, Maxine... 999 01:06:36,575 --> 01:06:39,976 "you can't make Palm Beach out of the Bowery. 1000 01:06:40,846 --> 01:06:43,337 "You want to make Palm Beach, you got to go there." 1001 01:06:45,017 --> 01:06:48,885 Half of Flint was now receiving some form of government welfare. 1002 01:06:49,388 --> 01:06:52,846 Meanwhile, Roger Smith gave himself a $2,000,000 raise. 1003 01:06:53,259 --> 01:06:55,819 GM lobbyist Tom Kay tried to explain. 1004 01:06:56,095 --> 01:06:58,893 I don't understand your connection, that by saying... 1005 01:06:58,964 --> 01:07:03,094 because General Motors was born here, it owes more to this community. 1006 01:07:03,169 --> 01:07:05,103 -I don't agree with that. -Why not? 1007 01:07:05,171 --> 01:07:08,299 Because I just don't agree with it. I believe it's a corporation. 1008 01:07:08,374 --> 01:07:12,401 It's in business to make a profit. It does what it has to do to make a profit. 1009 01:07:12,812 --> 01:07:15,872 That's the nature of corporations or companies. 1010 01:07:16,082 --> 01:07:20,485 It's why people take their own money and invest it in a business... 1011 01:07:20,586 --> 01:07:22,019 so they can make money. 1012 01:07:22,088 --> 01:07:24,556 It isn't to honor their hometown. 1013 01:07:49,782 --> 01:07:51,044 What's going on here? 1014 01:07:51,617 --> 01:07:54,279 They're evicting somebody from his home. 1015 01:07:56,622 --> 01:07:58,453 I was just wondering. 1016 01:08:00,259 --> 01:08:04,389 It turned out that the guy Deputy Fred was evicting had gone to my high school. 1017 01:08:04,463 --> 01:08:05,987 His name was James Bond. 1018 01:08:06,065 --> 01:08:08,329 As if that hadn't caused him enough grief... 1019 01:08:08,400 --> 01:08:10,561 he was now being thrown out of his home. 1020 01:08:11,070 --> 01:08:12,867 Where can I go to stay? 1021 01:08:12,938 --> 01:08:17,272 We had five kids at the place where I was this morning. 1022 01:08:17,343 --> 01:08:19,311 And you went over there and evicted them? 1023 01:08:19,478 --> 01:08:21,742 -Set them out on the ground. -Why is that? 1024 01:08:21,914 --> 01:08:25,042 Because they didn't pay the rent. You think I like this? 1025 01:08:25,484 --> 01:08:27,042 I got other things to do. 1026 01:08:27,119 --> 01:08:30,611 -You've been doing it a long time. -It's a job. 1027 01:08:31,991 --> 01:08:34,357 -What can I say? It's a job. -It's a job. 1028 01:08:34,426 --> 01:08:36,553 Somebody's got to do it. 1029 01:08:36,796 --> 01:08:39,264 I feel sorry for the people that have kids. 1030 01:08:39,331 --> 01:08:42,494 What will they grow up to? What do they look forward to? 1031 01:08:42,768 --> 01:08:46,534 -lf I was a young man, I'd keep working. -Look out there. It's nothing. 1032 01:08:46,605 --> 01:08:50,598 -They got a bleak future. -I know. I worked over there for 17 years. 1033 01:08:50,776 --> 01:08:53,301 -I quit. I worked there. -Why did you quit? 1034 01:08:54,914 --> 01:08:56,609 Got tired of the system. 1035 01:08:57,049 --> 01:08:59,176 It was like a prison to me, so I quit. 1036 01:08:59,251 --> 01:09:00,946 It was like a prison? 1037 01:09:03,055 --> 01:09:05,489 That factory played tricks on your mind. 1038 01:09:05,591 --> 01:09:09,391 -Where are you going to stay? -I'll probably stay at my brother's tonight. 1039 01:09:09,461 --> 01:09:12,453 The thing is, I don't want to stay with somebody. 1040 01:09:13,566 --> 01:09:15,898 I want a chance to have something of my own... 1041 01:09:15,968 --> 01:09:18,801 which doesn't look like it's going to happen, ever. 1042 01:09:19,405 --> 01:09:20,736 Not in this town. 1043 01:09:21,473 --> 01:09:23,031 These are rough times. 1044 01:09:24,410 --> 01:09:28,642 Really rough times. I got thrown out of my house once. 1045 01:09:31,650 --> 01:09:33,811 The health inspector came out... 1046 01:09:33,886 --> 01:09:38,823 and told me that I was dressing my rabbits in a unsanitary condition. 1047 01:09:39,825 --> 01:09:42,589 So now I have to build me a building... 1048 01:09:42,695 --> 01:09:46,290 where there's washable walls, washable floors... 1049 01:09:47,032 --> 01:09:49,796 and an unbreakable light. 1050 01:09:49,869 --> 01:09:52,770 I have to have a scale that weighs properly... 1051 01:09:53,405 --> 01:09:57,705 and I have to have three sinks where I dress the rabbits. 1052 01:09:58,611 --> 01:10:01,739 -What's going to happen to him? -He's going to be eaten. 1053 01:10:03,015 --> 01:10:05,745 He's going to be our supper on the supper table. 1054 01:10:06,051 --> 01:10:07,450 What's the matter? 1055 01:10:11,924 --> 01:10:13,915 What are you guys crying about? 1056 01:10:14,860 --> 01:10:16,293 How do you slaughter them? 1057 01:10:16,362 --> 01:10:19,263 Hung them upside-down and stripped their fur off... 1058 01:10:19,999 --> 01:10:21,466 and gutted them. 1059 01:10:21,967 --> 01:10:23,127 Quit biting. 1060 01:10:23,903 --> 01:10:25,598 And chop their heads off. 1061 01:10:26,372 --> 01:10:27,339 Quit it. 1062 01:10:27,406 --> 01:10:30,170 What happened to your brother who worked at the factory? 1063 01:10:30,242 --> 01:10:31,834 He got laid off. 1064 01:10:47,593 --> 01:10:49,788 Now you know what I'm talking about. 1065 01:10:50,062 --> 01:10:51,324 He's dripping. 1066 01:10:54,600 --> 01:10:58,969 My girlfriend out in Fenton, we tan them... 1067 01:11:01,140 --> 01:11:05,304 and we try to make coats, gloves and animals out of the furs. 1068 01:11:05,377 --> 01:11:08,505 -What kind of coat does rabbit fur make? -A rabbit coat. 1069 01:11:10,249 --> 01:11:13,616 -What else do you think it makes? -ls it a nice coat? Warm? 1070 01:11:14,219 --> 01:11:17,518 I don't know. We ain't made one yet. We got to get enough furs. 1071 01:11:17,589 --> 01:11:20,319 -How many do you need? -A lot. 1072 01:11:22,061 --> 01:11:24,291 You need lots and lots of furs. 1073 01:11:24,863 --> 01:11:28,299 Right now, we've only got 135 furs... 1074 01:11:29,101 --> 01:11:31,592 with all the rabbits I've done so far... 1075 01:11:31,870 --> 01:11:33,599 before I got in trouble. 1076 01:11:35,374 --> 01:11:38,400 That's why I'm not actually supposed to be doing this. 1077 01:11:43,916 --> 01:11:46,908 I was brought up to learn to survive. 1078 01:11:47,820 --> 01:11:50,050 If you were out in the wilderness.... 1079 01:11:50,289 --> 01:11:52,189 I'm getting ready to gut him. 1080 01:11:53,258 --> 01:11:56,159 You think it's hard to survive in Flint these days? 1081 01:11:59,465 --> 01:12:00,489 Why? 1082 01:12:00,733 --> 01:12:04,328 The shops are all going down, and people just ain't... 1083 01:12:04,870 --> 01:12:07,703 got the money like they used to anymore... 1084 01:12:08,273 --> 01:12:10,264 and you can't be buying things. 1085 01:12:10,376 --> 01:12:13,573 That's why I said my rabbit meat usually went.... 1086 01:12:14,380 --> 01:12:16,814 The people of Flint had been through the wringer. 1087 01:12:16,882 --> 01:12:18,474 Then came the lowest blow. 1088 01:12:18,550 --> 01:12:22,646 Money magazine declared Flint the worst place to live in all the country. 1089 01:12:22,988 --> 01:12:26,890 The chamber of commerce and local beer distributors decided to take a stand. 1090 01:12:26,959 --> 01:12:28,950 They would burn Money magazine. 1091 01:12:29,261 --> 01:12:32,890 I came to burn Money magazine, because Flint's my adopted city. 1092 01:12:32,965 --> 01:12:35,866 I've lived in plenty of cities, and this is one of the best. 1093 01:12:35,934 --> 01:12:39,529 There's plenty of things to do. The economy isn't that bad off. 1094 01:12:39,605 --> 01:12:43,132 We're all hard workers and survivors, and I support Flint. 1095 01:12:43,675 --> 01:12:46,166 This is to tell people that Flint is our hometown. 1096 01:12:46,245 --> 01:12:50,773 There's no way on God's green earth it's the worst place to live in the country. 1097 01:12:50,949 --> 01:12:54,817 A lot of people say there's nothing to do in Flint. "Ha! " I say. 1098 01:12:56,922 --> 01:13:01,018 I mean, how many cities have their own PGA Tour event? 1099 01:13:01,560 --> 01:13:04,654 Not that many. We have one right here. 1100 01:13:04,863 --> 01:13:08,196 How many cities have an air show the size we have? 1101 01:13:09,334 --> 01:13:13,293 How many people have parks, rivers and trees... 1102 01:13:13,439 --> 01:13:16,704 and huge colleges like this over here? Not that many. 1103 01:13:16,775 --> 01:13:19,869 We've got a lot going for us, and don't ever forget it. 1104 01:13:21,013 --> 01:13:23,379 One good way to start out would be with a song... 1105 01:13:23,449 --> 01:13:26,213 about another industrial city that has seen hard times. 1106 01:13:26,285 --> 01:13:30,187 The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, singing a song about his hometown. 1107 01:13:30,255 --> 01:13:32,382 Burn, Money, burn! 1108 01:13:32,458 --> 01:13:34,392 That smells like Gary, Indiana. 1109 01:13:34,460 --> 01:13:37,657 Don't let anybody tell you you live in the country's worst place. 1110 01:13:37,729 --> 01:13:38,991 They're wrong! 1111 01:13:41,200 --> 01:13:44,601 Good evening. I'm Ted Koppel, and this is Nightline. 1112 01:13:46,238 --> 01:13:49,730 Flint was now in the national spotlight. The biggest event was to come... 1113 01:13:49,808 --> 01:13:52,834 when Ted Koppel announced he'd interview city officials live... 1114 01:13:52,911 --> 01:13:55,311 in front of city hall, on Nightline. 1115 01:13:56,482 --> 01:13:58,143 The trouble started-- 1116 01:14:06,325 --> 01:14:07,758 Here's what we know so far. 1117 01:14:07,826 --> 01:14:10,727 The ABC news program Nightline was to be broadcasted live... 1118 01:14:10,796 --> 01:14:12,627 from in front of city hall tonight. 1119 01:14:12,698 --> 01:14:15,895 The reason? The closing of the historic Fisher One Plant. 1120 01:14:15,968 --> 01:14:18,163 Apparently, moments before the broadcast... 1121 01:14:18,237 --> 01:14:21,832 someone got in the satellite truck and drove it off, cables and all. 1122 01:14:21,907 --> 01:14:25,035 Nightline has had to cancel their segment from the city of Flint... 1123 01:14:25,110 --> 01:14:27,374 and police are looking for a suspect. 1124 01:14:27,446 --> 01:14:31,610 Reporting live from city hall in Flint, I'm Barb Schroeder, TV 12 News. 1125 01:14:33,152 --> 01:14:37,179 They caught the unemployed worker who made off with the Nightline van. 1126 01:14:37,256 --> 01:14:40,089 But crime in Flint continued to grow. 1127 01:14:40,159 --> 01:14:44,061 One guy thought he was Superman's cousin and decided to save the town. 1128 01:14:46,899 --> 01:14:48,526 He didn't get very far. 1129 01:14:51,069 --> 01:14:53,560 He just wanted us to call him Captain Dah. 1130 01:14:53,739 --> 01:14:57,175 He said, "You can call me Dah-Dah," whatever that meant. 1131 01:14:58,877 --> 01:15:00,640 The old jail couldn't hold... 1132 01:15:00,712 --> 01:15:03,613 the increasing number of inmates the judges were locking up. 1133 01:15:03,682 --> 01:15:06,378 So the county built a new, state-of-the-art jail... 1134 01:15:06,451 --> 01:15:09,614 that was five stories high and filled a city block. 1135 01:15:10,088 --> 01:15:13,353 The night before the jail was to open, the city threw a party... 1136 01:15:13,425 --> 01:15:16,952 where couples paid $100 to stay overnight in jail. 1137 01:15:38,817 --> 01:15:41,615 When you first come in from the limo ride... 1138 01:15:41,954 --> 01:15:45,185 from the pub-crawling before you get here, they book you... 1139 01:15:45,257 --> 01:15:49,421 they give you a free Breathalyzer test, and a mug shot... 1140 01:15:49,661 --> 01:15:52,095 complete with your fingerprinting. 1141 01:16:04,710 --> 01:16:07,736 Why do you want to spend the night in Flint jail? 1142 01:16:09,281 --> 01:16:12,944 -Just for the experience. -Yes, I've never been in jail before. 1143 01:16:28,734 --> 01:16:29,928 Eureka! 1144 01:16:31,903 --> 01:16:33,131 Let's fight. 1145 01:16:35,140 --> 01:16:37,472 And we're having a fantastic time here. 1146 01:16:41,179 --> 01:16:43,841 It was time to confront Roger face to face. 1147 01:16:44,616 --> 01:16:49,178 Posing as a GM stockholder, I got into the annual GM shareholders' meeting. 1148 01:16:49,821 --> 01:16:53,882 I sat patiently as stockholders aired their grievances to the board. 1149 01:16:54,626 --> 01:16:56,651 Finally, it was my turn at the mike. 1150 01:16:56,828 --> 01:17:00,889 Microphone number 40 is somebody who hasn't had the opportunity to speak. 1151 01:17:00,966 --> 01:17:03,901 Mr. Chairman, I have Mr. Michael Moore... 1152 01:17:04,002 --> 01:17:06,232 a stockholder from Flint, Michigan. 1153 01:17:06,371 --> 01:17:09,636 Mr. Gilbert, I wonder if you'd like to make a motion to adjourn? 1154 01:17:10,375 --> 01:17:12,309 I think we've answered all questions. 1155 01:17:12,377 --> 01:17:15,107 I think everyone has had a turn at the mike. 1156 01:17:16,982 --> 01:17:18,244 I have one question. 1157 01:17:18,317 --> 01:17:20,046 All right. Moved and adjourned. 1158 01:17:20,118 --> 01:17:22,951 Thank you very much. You've been a great audience. 1159 01:17:23,922 --> 01:17:26,049 I thought you said Louie was here. 1160 01:17:26,124 --> 01:17:28,285 -He's right there. -He was sleeping. 1161 01:17:28,460 --> 01:17:32,055 He got up slow, and didn't know what the hell to do. 1162 01:17:34,032 --> 01:17:37,297 I think he was surprised, for whatever reason. 1163 01:17:37,369 --> 01:17:38,461 Me, too. 1164 01:17:38,670 --> 01:17:42,766 I'm going to leave this stuff here, okay? They'll pick that up and bring it? 1165 01:17:50,048 --> 01:17:53,745 It was two weeks before Christmas. General Motors was closing the factory... 1166 01:17:53,819 --> 01:17:56,845 where the great Flint Sit-down Strike had taken place. 1167 01:17:57,322 --> 01:17:58,653 The UAW had promised... 1168 01:17:58,724 --> 01:18:02,820 that a massive demonstration would be held on the last day of the factory. 1169 01:18:03,161 --> 01:18:06,722 Only four workers showed up to protest the plant closing. 1170 01:18:06,865 --> 01:18:09,265 This is my second one I've closed. 1171 01:18:09,468 --> 01:18:13,768 It must be my destiny to close all General Motors plants. 1172 01:18:14,139 --> 01:18:18,405 It's never pleasant when something like this comes to an end... 1173 01:18:18,844 --> 01:18:20,778 but life goes on. 1174 01:18:21,046 --> 01:18:22,741 What are you going to do? 1175 01:18:22,814 --> 01:18:25,009 Excuse me a minute. Where are you guys from? 1176 01:18:25,083 --> 01:18:27,517 We're making a documentary about Flint, Michigan. 1177 01:18:27,586 --> 01:18:29,816 -From where? -We're independent. 1178 01:18:29,888 --> 01:18:31,651 -We'd like you off the lot. -Why? 1179 01:18:31,723 --> 01:18:34,988 Because this is private property. We'd like you not to be here-- 1180 01:18:35,060 --> 01:18:39,019 We thought it was a significant day here today. The factory's closing.... 1181 01:18:39,364 --> 01:18:41,298 It is a very significant day. 1182 01:18:41,366 --> 01:18:44,802 It's a very sad time, a very private, personal time. 1183 01:18:44,903 --> 01:18:49,306 What do you think about General Motors closing up this factory? 1184 01:18:49,374 --> 01:18:52,309 This is a very private, emotional, family time. 1185 01:18:52,377 --> 01:18:56,336 -We would not let outsiders in the plant. -We're not outsiders. We're from Flint. 1186 01:18:56,415 --> 01:18:58,144 You are outsiders. You don't work here. 1187 01:18:58,216 --> 01:19:00,446 This community depends on General Motors-- 1188 01:19:00,519 --> 01:19:02,987 Jerry, this guy, out. 1189 01:19:04,356 --> 01:19:07,848 I don't understand why we can't talk to them for a couple minutes. 1190 01:19:07,926 --> 01:19:11,123 This is the factory's last hour. What's the problem? 1191 01:19:11,463 --> 01:19:14,330 The problem is, we were told to keep you on the sidewalk. 1192 01:19:14,399 --> 01:19:18,665 -You're hired by GM to do that? -That's correct. On the sidewalk, please. 1193 01:19:19,871 --> 01:19:22,396 Mrs. McGee. There she is. Let me ask her. 1194 01:19:22,474 --> 01:19:24,965 Why can't we talk to you if you're the spokesperson? 1195 01:19:25,043 --> 01:19:27,773 You can. I'll come outside and talk, but not inside. 1196 01:19:27,846 --> 01:19:29,313 I've asked you to leave. 1197 01:19:29,381 --> 01:19:32,714 -We'll go, if you come and talk. -I don't think I'll talk to you. 1198 01:19:32,784 --> 01:19:35,878 You're the spokesperson, and you won't speak to us. 1199 01:19:36,154 --> 01:19:38,486 That's correct. You don't represent anybody. 1200 01:19:38,557 --> 01:19:41,856 You're a private interest, and I won't speak to you. 1201 01:19:42,594 --> 01:19:45,188 We happen to be citizens of this community. 1202 01:19:45,697 --> 01:19:47,631 That's not a private interest. 1203 01:19:47,999 --> 01:19:50,160 We're all citizens of the community. 1204 01:19:51,002 --> 01:19:52,731 On the sidewalk, please. 1205 01:19:57,876 --> 01:20:01,642 The 1,800 hourly workers at this operation were sent home with flowers today. 1206 01:20:01,713 --> 01:20:04,113 Even union leaders offered them bleak advice. 1207 01:20:04,182 --> 01:20:07,948 One worker told me, "You know when they send you flowers? When you die. " 1208 01:20:08,487 --> 01:20:10,478 So, not a very merry Christmas. 1209 01:20:10,722 --> 01:20:13,316 In fact, as one man walked out of the plant... 1210 01:20:13,391 --> 01:20:16,952 he told me, "l want to wish Roger Smith a merry Christmas." 1211 01:20:24,636 --> 01:20:26,763 It was now Christmas Eve in Flint. 1212 01:20:27,072 --> 01:20:30,974 After three years of trying to bring Roger here, I was ready to give up. 1213 01:20:31,476 --> 01:20:34,775 Deputy Fred had three evictions scheduled for this day. 1214 01:20:35,180 --> 01:20:36,943 At the same time, in Detroit... 1215 01:20:37,015 --> 01:20:39,381 Roger Smith was beaming his Christmas message... 1216 01:20:39,451 --> 01:20:41,942 to every GM factory throughout the world. 1217 01:20:47,225 --> 01:20:49,193 Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. 1218 01:20:49,261 --> 01:20:53,857 I'd like to welcome you to our traditional General Motors Christmas program. 1219 01:21:20,458 --> 01:21:22,790 We're trying to clear up all evictions today... 1220 01:21:22,861 --> 01:21:27,389 so it won't get into the latter part of Christmas, which is tomorrow. 1221 01:21:27,566 --> 01:21:29,397 We don't want to do any tomorrow. 1222 01:21:29,467 --> 01:21:31,731 -Because it's Christmas? -Right. 1223 01:21:34,506 --> 01:21:37,134 Ladies and gentlemen, it's my pleasure to introduce... 1224 01:21:37,208 --> 01:21:40,837 the chairman of General Motors with his annual Christmas message... 1225 01:21:40,912 --> 01:21:42,402 Mr. Roger B. Smith. 1226 01:21:49,888 --> 01:21:54,587 You know, the thing that strikes me about Christmas... 1227 01:21:55,393 --> 01:21:58,419 is that it's such a total experience. 1228 01:21:59,297 --> 01:22:01,424 For a few weeks out of our year... 1229 01:22:01,499 --> 01:22:04,093 our whole environment is transformed. 1230 01:22:05,036 --> 01:22:07,129 There are the lights, of course... 1231 01:22:07,205 --> 01:22:09,935 that lift us out of winter's cold and gloom. 1232 01:22:10,008 --> 01:22:13,637 This bitch got his money and sent my motherfucking shit out. 1233 01:22:15,447 --> 01:22:19,679 They remind us of the warmth of human companionship... 1234 01:22:20,385 --> 01:22:23,218 and of the spring that's never far behind. 1235 01:22:25,523 --> 01:22:28,981 Try to lay it down. The wind will blow it over if you don't. 1236 01:22:29,094 --> 01:22:32,188 We listen for jingle bells in the country. 1237 01:22:32,731 --> 01:22:35,359 We smell the pine needles on the trees... 1238 01:22:35,467 --> 01:22:37,594 and the turkey on the table. 1239 01:22:38,570 --> 01:22:40,868 We even dream of a white Christmas... 1240 01:22:40,939 --> 01:22:45,876 in the hope that nature will accommodate our longing for a total experience. 1241 01:22:46,077 --> 01:22:48,545 Where are the motherfucking keys? 1242 01:22:48,613 --> 01:22:52,276 -That motherfucker got his money. -They're setting us out on the street! 1243 01:22:52,350 --> 01:22:55,285 I paid this man his rent. Give me my shit. 1244 01:22:56,688 --> 01:23:00,351 ...the individual dignity and worth of each human being... 1245 01:23:00,425 --> 01:23:03,485 the more fully human each of us will become. 1246 01:23:03,595 --> 01:23:06,587 He's got his money! I showed you the paper! 1247 01:23:06,665 --> 01:23:08,155 All I owe that man is $150. 1248 01:23:08,767 --> 01:23:11,565 Now let me close with an observation... 1249 01:23:11,636 --> 01:23:15,936 that I consider by a real leading authority on Christmas: 1250 01:23:16,474 --> 01:23:19,910 Charles Dickens. Here's what he said: 1251 01:23:21,212 --> 01:23:23,373 "l have always thought of Christmas... 1252 01:23:23,448 --> 01:23:24,847 "as a good time..." 1253 01:23:25,016 --> 01:23:27,041 Get your goddamn coats on! 1254 01:23:27,652 --> 01:23:32,248 "...a kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time... " 1255 01:23:32,590 --> 01:23:35,058 Set my shit out, and I done paid the bitch! 1256 01:23:35,226 --> 01:23:39,219 I only owed the bitch $150, and I was going to give it to her stinking ass. 1257 01:23:40,265 --> 01:23:44,292 "...the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year... 1258 01:23:44,402 --> 01:23:47,303 "when men and women seem by one consent... 1259 01:23:47,372 --> 01:23:49,363 "to open their hearts freely. 1260 01:23:49,874 --> 01:23:51,136 "And therefore... 1261 01:23:51,209 --> 01:23:55,168 "though it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket... 1262 01:23:55,580 --> 01:23:58,208 "I believe that it has done me good... 1263 01:23:58,283 --> 01:23:59,910 "and will do me good. 1264 01:24:00,185 --> 01:24:02,415 "And I say, God bless it! " 1265 01:24:03,655 --> 01:24:06,852 Mr. Dickens, I couldn't agree more. 1266 01:24:07,759 --> 01:24:11,559 So I say, "God bless Christmas, and God bless all of you." 1267 01:24:14,365 --> 01:24:16,799 Thank you for coming. 1268 01:24:19,938 --> 01:24:21,667 Thank you, Mr. Smith. 1269 01:24:32,617 --> 01:24:34,482 Mr. Smith, we came from Flint... 1270 01:24:34,552 --> 01:24:37,350 where we filmed a family being evicted from their home... 1271 01:24:37,422 --> 01:24:41,153 the day before Christmas Eve. A family that worked in your factory. 1272 01:24:41,226 --> 01:24:44,627 Would you be willing to come with us to see the situation in Flint? 1273 01:24:44,696 --> 01:24:49,030 I've been to Flint, and I'm sorry for them, but I don't know anything about it. 1274 01:24:49,267 --> 01:24:51,599 Families being evicted on Christmas Eve-- 1275 01:24:51,669 --> 01:24:53,762 General Motors didn't evict them. 1276 01:24:53,838 --> 01:24:56,398 -Talk to the landlord-- -They used to work for GM. 1277 01:24:56,474 --> 01:24:59,034 -Now they don't work there anymore. -I'm sorry, but.... 1278 01:24:59,110 --> 01:25:01,977 -Could you come to Flint? -No, I cannot. I'm sorry. 1279 01:25:09,220 --> 01:25:11,950 What's Christmas going to be like for you this year? 1280 01:25:12,023 --> 01:25:16,119 I get a couple of days off. That's the good part. 1281 01:25:16,194 --> 01:25:20,756 I get a chance to rest. But come Tuesday morning, I'll be back. 1282 01:25:38,016 --> 01:25:40,416 I failed to bring Roger to Flint. 1283 01:25:40,885 --> 01:25:43,046 As we neared the end of the 20th century... 1284 01:25:43,121 --> 01:25:45,681 the rich were richer, the poor poorer... 1285 01:25:46,024 --> 01:25:48,584 and people everywhere had a lot less lint... 1286 01:25:48,660 --> 01:25:51,720 thanks to the lint rollers made in my hometown. 1287 01:25:51,796 --> 01:25:54,264 It was truly the dawn of a new era. 1288 01:26:00,371 --> 01:26:03,807 If you're espousing a philosophy, which apparently you are... 1289 01:26:03,975 --> 01:26:07,877 that the corporation owes employees... 1290 01:26:07,946 --> 01:26:11,382 cradle-to-the-grave security, I don't think that can be accomplished... 1291 01:26:11,449 --> 01:26:13,212 under a free enterprise system. 1292 01:26:25,063 --> 01:26:27,088 Many of us are proud to be here... 1293 01:26:27,165 --> 01:26:31,727 and it will continue to be a good place to live and raise a family... 1294 01:26:31,970 --> 01:26:33,961 and have a good place to work. 1295 01:26:43,514 --> 01:26:46,278 -Where are you going? -I am going to Tel Aviv. 1296 01:26:46,351 --> 01:26:47,443 Why? 1297 01:26:47,518 --> 01:26:50,078 Maybe someday I'll be the Ministress of Tourism. 1298 01:27:05,403 --> 01:27:08,133 I mowed the lawn with my shirt off, made my back stiff. 1299 01:27:08,206 --> 01:27:11,266 My wife asked me to mow the lawn with my pants off next time. 1300 01:27:21,419 --> 01:27:26,083 I'm planning on going back to school in January... 1301 01:27:26,691 --> 01:27:31,185 for veterinary assistance, and also for dog grooming... 1302 01:27:32,096 --> 01:27:35,657 'cause there's a lot of animals that need taking care of. 1303 01:27:49,280 --> 01:27:51,077 It's great to have you guys here. 1304 01:27:51,149 --> 01:27:54,346 It's been fun having you around. You see all the craziness that goes on. 1305 01:30:24,001 --> 01:30:26,196 If you decide to go for it, you'll make it. 1306 01:30:36,114 --> 01:30:36,978 English 1307 01:30:37,305 --> 01:30:43,904 Support us and become VIP member to remove all ads from www.OpenSubtitles.org