South Park Republican

Template:Short description Template:Multiple issues Template:Use mdy dates Template:Conservatism US A South Park Republican is a type of Republican who holds center-right or libertarian political beliefs influenced by the popular American animated television series South Park. Many may hold generally conservative views on fiscal issues, but more moderate or liberal in regard to social issues such as LGBTQ rights and abortion. The term is arguably a contemporary variation on the older classical liberal, with an overlay of pop culture aesthetic. The term was coined by Andrew Sullivan in 2001.<ref name="b732">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="t840">Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref name="j858">Template:Cite web</ref>

Political views of Trey Parker and Matt Stone

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the two creators of South Park, have been vocal opponents of both the Republican and Democratic parties. At an online forum (South Park Studios Chat, May 10, 2001),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Parker and Stone wrote that they hated both conservatives and liberals, with Stone famously stating "I hate conservatives but I really fucking hate liberals." In 2006, Trey Parker commented in an interview that they were aware of the concept of the South Park Republican and they both felt that they were "just pretty middle-ground guys."<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

Parker and Stone are often speculated to be libertarians. In an interview documented by Rolling Stone in 2004, they both contended that the libertarian label which had been applied to them in recent years was not entirely appropriate.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> During an appearance on The Charlie Rose Show,<ref>Template:Cite episodeTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Stone said that they "just play devil's advocate all the time", personifying both sides of the argument and taking "a little funny way out" to differ from the Hollywood liberals in the acting community.

At a 2006 conference in Amsterdam organized by Reason, Parker and Stone stated that if one had to put a label on them, it would be libertarian.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Religious views of Trey Parker and Matt Stone

Parker and Stone have been condemned by many religions yet have said atheists have been their most vocal group regarding religion, they were quoted as saying, "We got calls from atheists friends a couple times saying, 'What the fuck, we thought you were on our side?' and we say, 'We're not on anybody's fucking side and we're not atheists.'"<ref name=HP>Template:Cite web</ref>

Further reading

• Yachi Hiehle, Is South Park Republican? Social and Political Attitudes in South Park, University of Arizona, 2010.
• Nick Gillespie and Jesse Walker. "South Park Libertarians: Trey Parker and Matt Stone on liberals, conservatives, censorship, and religion." Reason.com (2006): 58.
• Gournelos, Ted. Popular culture and the future of politics: Cultural studies and the Tao of South Park. Lexington Books, 2009.
• Podlas, Kimberlianne, Respect My Authority! South Park's Expression of Legal Ideology and Contribution to Legal Culture, 11 Vand. J. Ent. & Tech. L. 491 (2009).
• Weinstock, Jeffrey Andrew, ed. Taking South Park Seriously. Suny Press, 2008.