Young Republicans: Now Available without Horns and Tails
Breaking news from the NYT:
With his mohawk, ratty fatigues, assorted chains and his menagerie of tattoos — swallows on each shoulder, a nautical star on his back and the logo of the Bouncing Souls, a New York City punk band, on his right leg — 22-year-old Nick Rizzuto is the very picture of counterculture alienation. But. . . Mr. Rizzuto is adamantly in favor of lowering taxes and for school vouchers, and against campaign finance laws; his favorite Supreme Court justice is Clarence Thomas; he plans to vote for President Bush in November; and he's hard-core into capitalism.
Wow! That's what I call a lead. It's the twist at the end that does it. See: He's apunk rockerwho . . . votes Republican ! A conservative person who does not dress like a Mormon! What a crazy switcheroo! It's, it's, it's like a feminist who dresses slutty! Or a librarian who's really hot once she takes off her glasses! Ooh, my head hurts from trying to process this topsy-turvey mixed-up world.
And the Times does this to meall the time! First, it was the college students who were. . . conservative ! Then there were the hipsters who were. . . conservative ! Freaky! Thank God for the Times: Clearly, they're going to keep investigating this phenomenon until they properly understand it. Who are these people? What motivates them? So many questions. . .
[A conservative punk in his natural environment. Photo: Norman Y. Lono for The New York Times]