Yo Joe!

GI Joe. If theres a title that is synonomous with my memories of afterschool cartoons this is it. Every day after school I would come home, plop down in front of the TV, and watch the latest chapter in Gi Joe's continuing battle against COBRA. Like many a red blooded American Male, I saw the joes as the picture of American heroism. So you can imagine my delight when I heard that they were FINALLY making a GI Joe movie.


Untill I read the articles.

"Global Integrated Joint Operations Entity?"

Based in BRUSSELS!?!?

Brussels? The same place were they tried to have President Bush tried for war crimes?

Are you shitting me?


Of all the concepts that have been used in cartoons and comics, among the most inherantly American is GI JOE. Not only is it an idea which is from America, its an idea that could only have come from America. For one GI JOE has always conducted operations on a global level. In many ways the whole idea of GI JOE is an outgrowth of the idea of "America as Global Cop" It seems to me that without the cultural assumption that it is the duty of ones nation to be a global defender the idea of GI JOE wouldnt even make sense. The whole concept is rooted in the US's use of military force to defend Western Europe (and other areas) from the soviet empire during the cold war. In other words it was only becasue we as Americans have spent so many years sending soldiers overseas to defend others that the idea behind GI Joe makes any sense at all. If you look at the more non-interventionist countries in europe such as Holland, Belgium, Sweden etc. the very idea of sending soldiers overseas to fix problems that dont directly threaten its own citizens isnt even explored. The idea of sending them overseas to fight something as nebulous as terrorism, or in defending the global status quo, is simply culturally foreign to most on the continent.

Then theres the fact that from the beginning GI JOE has had a multi ethnic roster. Other than a multi-national force such as NATO, would any other nation be able to field a roster as diverse as GI Joe's? Even more amazing is that while the Joe's were alwasy Multi-ethnic, they were never multi-cultural. Despite the very different social, economic, and ethnic backgrounds of the Joe's, they were all undoubtably and unashamedly Americans. Once again this is a concept that is mostly if not wholly rooted in America. While there are other nations with multi-ethnic populaces, there are none which do as good of a job as we do in assmiiliating those diverse ethnicities into our own culture, as anyone whose been in London near picadilly, or walked the banliues of Paris can tell. WHile there were storylines in which a particular characters background was highlighted, such as say Roadblock's "cajuness" said backgrounds were always portrayed as a different "flavor" in the overall cultural metling pot, rather than as a seperate yet parallell culture in the mosiac. This idea of many diverse ethnicities, all belonging to the same overall culture is one that only exists in America.

Then theres is the complete uniqueness of each Joe. Every single one was an individual, even those with the same or similar skill sets, yet everyone of them was a valued member of the overall team. If theres a better metaphor for being an American I dont know what it would be. The extreme individualism, which could be expressed while still remaining a member of the overall society, is a direct reflection of Americas traditional culture of individualism in the service of the whole throughout the last several centuries.

So here we have an American cartoon, one which in many ways would only make sense in America, which is a direct outgrowth of American ideals, philosophies, and traditions, portraying a team of soldiers doing what Americans Soldiers are best known for, in a manner that is uniqely American, with a uniquely American roster, written from an Ameri-centric perspective, and some bright boy gets the idea to make it a european based global team?

Huh?

First Superman is discovered to be fighting for "truth justice and all that stuff", now GI JOE is european. Next I suppose we will find out that in the New Uncle Sam movie, Sam is actually a French barber and communist organiser.


BTW if you find thsi idea as stupid as I do, feel free to register your protest in this online petition.