South Park Republicans?

[the_real_38]

Judge for yourself :

http://www.techcentralstation.com/100702A.html

<snip>
The answer could very well be the "South Park Republicans." The name stems from the primetime cartoon "South Park" that clearly demonstrates the contrast within the party. The show is widely condemned by some moralists, including members of the Christian right. Yet in spite of its coarse language and base humor, the show persuasively communicates the Republican position on many issues, including hate crime legislation ("a savage hypocrisy"), radical environmentalism, and rampant litigation by ambitious trial lawyers. In one episode, industrious gnomes pick apart myopic anti-corporate rhetoric and teach the main characters about the benefits of capitalism.

South Park Republicans are true Republicans, though they do not look or act like Pat Robertson. They believe in liberty, not conformity. They can enjoy watching The Sopranos even if they are New Jersey Italians. They can appreciate the tight abs of Britney Spears or Brad Pitt without worrying about the nation's decaying moral fiber. They strongly believe in liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, and free markets. However, they do not live by the edicts of political correctness.
</snip>

I hate to say it, but I've sensed something like this going on for awhile (mainly from watching TV) - but I have much less benevolent views of some members of our young "post-historical" generation. I think they are self-interested and narcissistic, with no historical memory of bad economic times or (from their privileged positions in the suburbs) much compassion for the poor, the sick and especially the aged (there's a lot of animosity about the imminent burdens of Social Security, and the GOP continually circulates the myth that it will fail before they reach retirement aga). And a recent poll that was quoted in one of the debates indicated that the current college generation is more conservative than their parents. I think some (though definitely not all, and probably not most) young people out there have bought into some of the nastier aspects of capitalism, and take them as gospel.

Comments?

[Fixated]

1. Well...yeah

The youth of today don't agree with the moralists within the Republican party, but they support them on a lot of the issues. It's been going on for a while.

[Bucky]

24. Trey Parker is a Republican

I remember when they got attacked over "That's My Bush". TMB adn South Park co-creator Trey included, among other defenses, that he himself was a republican and voted for Bush.

And think about what the core message of TMB was anyway: that Dubya's just a dumb regular guy. The series was hilarious, a real attack on superficial sit-com culture and the vacuousness of TV. But the show had the effect of humanizing George Bush. I think that says a lot about the show's creators' take on Bush.

I still loved the show and miss it. But we can't be blind to its biases.

[rumguy]

26. Do you a link for that?

I just can't believe that trey parker is a registered republican.

[Myra]

28. It's a flaming right wing show

Which is why I haven't watched it for a couple of years.
It's funny, no doubt, but I just can't take the ideology
and the constant trashing of progressive celebrities.

Have they ever trashed a conservative celebrity?
Charlton Heston? Rob Lowe? The Gropinator?

Can anyone think of one example of a Pug that's
received the full SP treatment?

[Cat Atomic]

2. I wonder if that chubby author thinks going to Iraq would be

"pretty sweet"? I somehow doubt it.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. I DO NOT buy the "they believe in personal responsibility" line

It's true - South Park is a very reactionary show (and usually pretty funny) but let's not pretend that the libertarian, libertine, priviledged upper middle class creators and audience of South Park believe in "personal responsibility" when they so obviously don't.

[JohnKleeb]

4. I would call south park libertarian not republican

honestly.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

7. I think you're right

they are libertarians, and the GOP always wants those votes if they can get them.

[JohnKleeb]

14. yeah I think so too

Like its anti morality and very pro gun.

[rumguy]

5. There's more South Park liberals and repubs...

liberals who aren't afraid of un-pc humour. I'm sure most who watch that show lean democratic...

[Some Moran]

13. I used to love it...

I was not as far left as I am now, but I would still enjoy if I could actually find the goddamn thing on TV anymore.

I hate being overly PC. I use the term Liebermanites for PC-freaks.

[Dr Fate]

6. I've called them "Rock & Roll Republicans" before...

Dope smoking, hard-rocking, porn-loving young Republicans.

It's sad, but a draft would fix this overnight.

This description fits more of them than you might think- DEMS let Bush/media incorporate everything that was "hip" about being a Liberal...

[the_real_38]

10. Good one, mate...

"It's sad, but a draft would fix this overnight."

Truest damn thing I've heard all day.

[rumguy]

16. How the Left Lost Teen Spirit

is a great book...I've only seen excerpts of it on Salon but it makes some great points. The leaders of this party and liberal movements in general need to embrace pop. culture and not despise it like so many do.

It's like how all the pc groups came out bashing eminem at the beginning. and damn it, man, he's on our side.....

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

17. a draft would fix this overnight

Oh how true that is. I know EXACTLY where Rangel was coming from.

[rumguy]

8. As a huge south park fan

I find this article insulting...south park doesn't communicate the republican message...what the hell is this guy smoking?

[Hippo_Tron]

9. Complete Bullshit, South Park makes fun of everything...

Anybody recall that episode regarding the priest molestation scandals, the episode about the child abductions, the epsiode where Jimbo takes the kids hunting. This show in no way demonizes liberals rather, makes everything hillarious.

[GinaMaria]

15. It was coming right at me

Loved that. I think it pretty much pokes fun at small town Colorado life. The gnomes episode the article talks about, was that the underwear gnomes? the ones that stole underwear from people for their business? LOL, yes I guess that would be a republican leaning business philosophy. They also had no real business plan to make it work, short of stealing the underpants, IIRC.

[Liberal Veteran]

22. Step 1: Steal underpants

Step 2: ...
Step 3: Profit!

I loved that.

"Gotta go to work, work all night, search for underpants hey. We won't stop until we have underpants, yum tum tilly tummy tay..."

[Bombtrack]

23. Trey Parker is a registered libertarian

I don't know if Matt Stone is political.

But it's ovious that south park leans more right than left on NON SOCIAL issues and even sometimes on social issues.

Just 2 weeks ago they had an episode that blasted the AARP for basically holding the US hostage for there entitlements.

They had a pro-corporate episode(underwear gnomes) they've had anti-stem cell research episodes on more than one occasion, they always make fun of environmentalists and they kill the poor kid in every episode.

[Bucky]

25. Tehy killed Kenny! You bastards!

Their depictions of gay characters is pretty offensive. But not as offensive as Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.

[hey2370]

11. techcentralstation is owned and run by DCI

...which is a lobby corp for the Republicans. Every "story" or "article" at that site should be viewed as an attempt at agitprop.

[rumguy]

18. No doubt it is

after reading that article it's obvious agitprop. It's spinning, pure and simple, another lame attempt to make the republican party appear so friendly and nice, while wreck enviro. laws and gut the constitution.

The layout of the site also smacks of repukes...it just has a repuke feel to. And the guy who wrote it has the smug arrogant yet wimpy look of a rich lowry...

[eileen_d]

12. It's an anti-PC thing

Not necessarily Republican, but can overlap with the Republican agenda.

Like the guys from my office who still think calling things "gay" is an insult. "Protesting the war / caring about the rainforest is totally gay." :eyes:

[Eric J in MN]

19. I'm not an expert on "South Park," but

I'm not an expert on "South Park," but I think the author may have interpreted some of the satire on the show as pro-Republican which wasn't meant that way.

With regard to Republicans who value "limited government" and "fiscal discipline," if they support Bush, they can't support those things very much.

Bush's FBI is monitoring antiwar groups and Bush and the Republican Congress have massively increased the national debt.

[name not needed]

20. since when is a stoned talking towel

and a fat kid with a slutty mom right wing?

[TennesseeWalker]

21. "Don't forget to bring a towel"

South Park kicks ass. It's neither right NOR left. It's pretty much middle of the road, common sense. Republicanism is NOT common sense, and I would rather have people educated by Matt Stone and Trey Parker than George W ANY time.

By the way, the "Mormon" episode of South Park last week was GREAT.

DUM DUM DUM DUM DUM

[John_Shadows_1]

27. I think it's become fashionable ...

... to unabashedly agitate for your own class interests - I bet a lot of the "South Park Republicans" are just little suburban kids protecting theirs. The AARP thing really shows it - I think you're totally right that there's a resentment about Social Security out there - there's some kind of generational warfare going on there. The crazy thing is the head of the AARP, this Novelli guy, is actually on the Bush payroll, and is shortchanging the elderly of the country for money on this Medicare Bill.