Since having their elected leaders tossed out in the elections of 2006 and 2008, some conservative and libertarian Americans have started to emulate the people of the two countries the US recently invaded: Iraq and Afghanistan.
Certainly, it's understandable that some would tend to idolize those who they see daily on television and begin to copy some of their more entertaining mannerisms. Just like movie stars can start fashion trends, these celebrities of the 24-hour news channels seem to be influencing the social behavior of the political minority here in the US.
Let's take a look at a few examples:
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On the left, we see an angry mob of al-Qaeda (or perhaps Taliban) expressing their outrage (likely at something the US has done or not done). On the right, we see some health care town hall attendees behaving in a similar manner. One key difference: American conservatives encourage women to participate in these demonstrations, too. Also, Americans prefer to hold their protests indoors, especially during the warm summer months.
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Here, on the left, we see some douchebags burning former President Bush and former Secretary-of-State Rice in effigy. On the right, we see a conservative copycat douchebag from the Maryland suburbs with an effigy of his congressman. At first blush, they appear to represent almost identical positions: advocating murder of an elected official is universal, right? Not so fast...notice that in the Middle East, politicians should be burned, whereas it's preferable to hang them in the US.
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Finally, on the left, we see your average, everyday Taliban member attending a meeting to discuss an important social issue. On the right, we see a libertarian doing the same thing. Again, there's just one key difference: while the Taliban carries a rifle to symbolize his group's hegemony, the assault-rifle-toting American is simply making a thinly veiled threat against the President of the United States.
So, are these just superficial resemblances to celebrities on TV, akin to hipster jeans or belly button jewelry? Or, are they a deeper indication that some conservative and libertarian Americans have truly bought into the social lifestyle advocated by their Middle Eastern counterparts? It's too soon to tell for sure, but it's definitely a trend worth watching.
