The Good Americans

On the day of the Capitol Insurrection, DONALD TRUMP gives his “Save America” speech that sends his supporters to attack the Capitol. He is accompanied by Trump #2 and Trump #3, who rap background context as “Trump #1” addresses the crowd, using exact quotes from Trump’s actual speech. SANDRA, a well-known poet, stands in a hospital ICU, watching her Asian-American mother, SALLY, die of Covid-19. Sandra blames her Caucasian father, STAN, for being a Trumper and browbeating her mother into ignoring the dangers of Covid-19. Stan is also in the ICU, struggling to survive. Sally, Sandra, Stan and Abby all express their emotions in rap numbers. A NEWSCASTER follows Sandra around, giving minute-by-minute updates about the Capitol Insurrection that is in progress. Sandra goes home to her lover, ABBY, an African American Black Lives Matter activist. They watch the Capitol Insurrection take place throughout the day, trying to get on with their lives, rapping their misgivings to each other and to themselves. Sandra wants to become more involved in protesting the hatred. Abby angrily accuses her of not caring about “the struggle” until it affected her personally. Sandra visits her father, Stan, trying to find a way to break through to him. They rap their conflicting beliefs at each other, unable to get past them to the love that a father and daughter should share. Abby visits her father, JAMAL, to ask for advice on how to cope with her feelings of despair as she watches her country and her relationship fall apart. Instead of comforting her, Jamal reveals he’s already given up on America and advises her to do the same. The Insurrection continues, bringing America closer to the brink as Sandra and Abby try to cope with that and their faltering relationship. Sandra is called back to the hospital where she watches Stan die. Shattered, she calls Abby only to discover that Jamal had been shot by two Caucasian thugs when Jamal intervened to protect a young black man from being beaten by the thugs. Leaving the hospital, Sandra is attacked by thugs who only see an Asian woman who they blame for creating the “Kung Flu.” The hours become days, become weeks, become months, the Insurrection continuing to cast a pall over the country and over Sandra and Abby. Sandra has a fantasy sequence where she confronts Trump at Mar-a-lago. Abby wakes her up and reveals she has decided to leave America. Sandra begs her to stay, but Abby replies: “No. Because this will always be the place that killed my father, and these will always be the people who raped and enslaved and lynched and shot... my people... in public, on these fucking streets.” Abby begs Sandra to come with her, to abandon America the same way America has abandoned them. “No,” she replies. “Because if they win here, they win everywhere.” Abby leaves. Sandra is left to fight her fight for and against America.