South Park Republicans

[dalebert]

South Park Republican

This article from Wikipedia, the free on-line encyclopedia, shows the need to adapt the name Republican to suit the "new wave", young adult Republicans.

South Park Republican is a term that was circulated in a few articles and weblogs on the Internet circa 2001 and 2002, to describe what was claimed by the authors as a "new wave" of young adults and teenagers who hold political beliefs that are, in general, aligned with those that seem to underpin gags and storylines in the popular television cartoon. The phrase was coined in 2001 by commentator Andrew Sullivan, who identified himself as a South Park Republican after hearing that the show's creators had "outed" themselves as Republicans at an awards ceremony.

The term is meant to be more of a casual indication of beliefs than a strong partisan label. While South Park co-creator Matt Stone is a registered Republican, co-creator Trey Parker is actually a registered member of the Libertarian Party. Also, Parker and Stone declared All in the Family producer Norman Lear, who helped write a few episodes of South Park [1] and founded the liberal pressure group People for the American Way, as one of their heroes. As the show's co-creator, Matt Stone, sums it up: "I hate conservatives, but I really fucking hate liberals." [2] Such sentiments were reflected in their movie Team America: World Police.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Park_Republican

[Follow]

Ya, they always seemed like libertarians to me with very libertarian messages in their shows.





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[firsty]

bah. meaningless. what does "republican" even mean anymore?

i dont look at "south park" as promoting one or another ideology. they simply expose hypocrisy and stupidity wherever it happens to arise. that anyone can claim anything on that show as being "republican" or any other party simply demonstrates the superficial tags we've applied to "republican," "democrat," "liberals," "conservatives," etc. it doesnt surprise me that republicans would try to stake some claim to a show that constantly talks about THOSE GODDAMNED HIPPIES! most republicans dont have the interpretive skills to realize that most of what they keep voting for is also ridiculed on the program.

[dalebert]

bah. meaningless. what does "republican" even mean anymore?

I think what's key is that a lot of younger Republicans really are more Libertarian-leaning. That's a good thing. I noticed it when I was a Republican candidate and speaking to College Republican groups.

I registered Libertarian largely because it's the best description of my views that I can give someone in one word and telling them I was Republican immediately conjured an image in their head that I had to work to dispel... if I cared to. "South Park Replubican" is just a more detailed description of a point-of-view, a largely Libertarian point of view. When it becomes clear that more people share a particular point of view, it becomes easier to work toward making those views a reality. Politicians pay attention to what people want; not to what's right.

I don't think it's fair to say Republicans somehow laid claim to South Park as a propoganda campaign when one of the two creators pointedly and publicly "came out" as a Republican in the Hollywood environment where it's so unpopular to do such a thing.

[firsty]

I don't think it's fair to say Republicans somehow laid claim to South Park as a propoganda campaign when one of the two creators pointedly and publicly "came out" as a Republican in the Hollywood environment where it's so unpopular to do such a thing.

i'll grant ya that, twitch. but i will say that if someone with the brains of the south park creators refers to himself as republican, it's a long way from the majority belief of what makes a republican.

that sentence sucked, i'm sorry. what i mean is: matt stone is probably more likely to know what a republican means. most republicans in america (i think) have no idea what it means. or, at least they certainly dont vote as if they do.

i agree with your point, tho. if we can a resurgence of young people who believe in small government and are able to influence the republican party, that would be kickass.

of course, look what the hippies did. grew old and got rich and started censoring frank zappa. so who knows.

[Fluff and Stuff]

I don't think it's fair to say Republicans somehow laid claim to South Park as a propoganda campaign when one of the two creators pointedly and publicly "came out" as a Republican in the Hollywood environment where it's so unpopular to do such a thing.

One of them is a libertarian and the other doesn't care enough to say anything.  I have no clue what political parties they belong to or if they even vote.

[Transition Force]

Well, both of the creators of South Park are involved in Libertarian events. See http://www.reason.org/events/ , for example.

[Fluff and Stuff]

Well, both of the creators of South Park are involved in Libertarian events. See http://www.reason.org/events/ , for example.

But that is a libertarian event...

[citizen_142002]

Wikipedia also lists libertarians as a sub group in the republican party along with moderates and Neo Conservatives.

That reason event is a summit about freedom, it never actually uses the L word.

Have you ever looked at the way they depict the feds in that show? Oh, and did you see the way the poker fun at voting for the lesser of two evils in the Vote or Die episode? Good stuff, and yeah there is a libertarian theme to a lot of it.

[Fluff and Stuff]

Wikipedia also lists libertarians as a sub group in the republican party along with moderates and Neo Conservatives.

That reason event is a summit about freedom, it never actually uses the L word.

Have you ever looked at the way they depict the feds in that show? Oh, and did you see the way the poker fun at voting for the lesser of two evils in the Vote or Die episode? Good stuff, and yeah there is a libertarian theme to a lot of it.

Well, that is true.  There are more libertarians in the GOP than the LP.  But, to be fare, there are more libertarians in the Democratic Party than the LP.

[dalebert]

One of them is a libertarian and the other doesn't care enough to say anything.  I have no clue what political parties they belong to or if they even vote.

Well, the Wikipedia article claims Matt came out as Republican at a Hollywood event. It could be wrong of course, but that sounds like a pretty distinctive event. Of course that doesn't mean he isn't Libertarian in his views. In fact, he almost certainly is. It just means he chose to remain in the Republican party, as did I for a while even though I considered myself primarily Libertarian.

[Transition Force]

I think it's kinda funny that they're using the term "coming out [of the closet]" to describe admitting that he's a republican

[dalebert]

I think it's kinda funny that they're using the term "coming out [of the closet]" to describe admitting that he's a republican

It's very apt actually. I found coming out as a Republican with my gay friends MUCH more traumatic than way back when I came out as gay (and was technically Democrat at the time). I never lost friends from telling people I was gay. It's actually a good analogy. Maybe it was made worse by the fact that I was living in L.A. at the time.