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Volume CXXXII, Number 10 |
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Paper cups and "South Park" Republicans
PAT ROCKEFELLER
COLUMNIST
Even as some of us are chuckling quietly to ourselves, other Americans are hysterical over the rise of the GOP to control the White House, Senate and House of Representatives. How could this happen? We're all doomed!
Well, as a card carrying member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy, I'm privy to all sorts of secret information, and yes, you're all screwed. Big Oil, Big Pharmaceutical, Big Industry, the NRA, Special Interest Inc., the North American Baby Seal Hunters Association and the Forces of Mordor will now be calling all the shots. Why? Because the Republicans are in charge.
If someone says "Republican," what image jumps to your mind? Bush? Ashcroft? Pat Robertson? Some white guy in a suit? Some stereotypical image, no doubt. And yet, somehow, this elite group of rich white males has managed to outvote all the other more sensible, more liberal people. How could this be?
The answer is "South Park Republicans." They are the ones that gave the election to the GOP. This name first came, so far as I can tell, from Andrew Sullivan, former editor of The New Republic. He is an openly gay, HIV positive, Bush supporting, Catholic Conservative who writes a brilliant weblog at www.andrewsullivan.com.
The general point behind "South Park Republicans" is that not all conservatives fit that old rich white guy mold, and in fact, they fit much more to the mold of mainstream America. They can see Britney Spears' new outfit and not immediately declare the moral fabric of the people to be in jeopardy. They can appreciate the humor of shows like "South Park," although others have called it a moral nightmare. They like free markets, but may still look to buy American. Self-determination, and self-reliance, is important, and they may or may not go to church.
They get a kick out of the idea that Arnold Schwarzenegger might be the next Governor of California.
They roll their eyes equally at the National Organization of Women and the Christian Coalition. They laugh at inappropriate jokes, the politically correct, the too uptight and themselves. They drink bad beer, and have a good time, but understand the need for sacrifice and tradition. Basically, they know what they like and they like what they do. Within reason.
They aren't thrilled by huge international companies, but neither are they married to the need to preserve ANWR.
They are black, white, old, young, male, female, gay and straight. They recognize that there are two major parties in America, and nobody agrees with everything in either party.
I want to point this out for a few reasons. First of all, the idea of tax-cutting, gun-toting, suit-wearing Republicans is a little narrow. Some of us don't even like the taste of Scotch. Second of all, it's important to understand that while we should take politics seriously, it's also important to laugh about them. Many people understand this, which is why "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart is so popular.
Likewise, it's sometimes important to joke about issues here on campus. For example, the paper cup fiasco that has momentarily overtaken Iraq and terrorism as the central concern of the campus. This is silly in and of itself.
Playing on this, last week, I penned (one'd and zero'd?) a letter to the editor about Sustainable Bowdoin and the paper cup policy. I used terms like "dictatorial", "tyrannical," and made allusions to "justice." If these exaggerations were not enough, I blatantly cribbed the first line of the letter from the Declaration of Independence, and made several other references to it throughout.
This was meant to be satirical. I have far too much respect for the Declaration to use it seriously in an argument about paper cups and Dining Services. Some people picked this up, and regardless of their opinion on the appropriateness of paper cups, thought it was funny. Others did not. And some didn't seem to understand that while I do think we should keep paper cups, the outlandish rhetoric was meant as a joke.
The need to take things in stride and laugh every once in a while, even about things you care deeply about, is the hallmark of South Park Republicans. I'm glad they're in charge.
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