Communique 006: Marky Mark & the Dunkies Bunch

Communique 006: Marky Mark & the Dunkies Bunch

Elias goes deep with writer, storyteller, and musician Thom Dunn on Hollywood commercialization of tragedy and the militarization of local police forces in the years since the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Is there room for reflection in the culture industry, or is it all toxic schlock? How can the stories we tell make the world a better place? Can Mark Wahlberg just fuck off already?

Talking points: Brother West on militarized policing, a different kind of reading, Sean Boo-urns, stories are about people–they’re people!, reading our Miranda July Rights, reflection in the mainstream, obscuring the lesson, whom does optimism benefit?, Darth Vader police chic, cooks with AR-15s, state vs capital: a lover’s spat, a very American Hustle, talking tragedy profiteers and merchandising, Thom and Elias are friendly dummies, what kind of lefty are you?, toxic schlock, Heavyweights with SWAT LARPing, we believe the children are our dystopian future, fun in a bleak way.

Relevant links:
Thom Dunn on the WWW, Twitter, and Facebook
The Unsettler on Twitter and Facebook
Review – Patriots Day (Sean Burns, North Shore Movies)
Was the police response to the Boston bombing really appropriate? (Radley Balko, The Washington Post)
Does ‘Boston Strong’ Mean Anything Anymore? (Kyle Scott Clauss, Boston Magazine)
Marathon Bombings Play Finds A ‘Finish Line’ Beyond The Tragedy (Jeremy D. Goodwin, wbur.org)
Lawyers raising questions about Watertown home searches following Marathon bombings, shootout (Jaclyn Reiss, Boston.com)
Tactical-Life advertising piece using the Marathon Bombings to promote the LenCo BearCat Armored Vehicle