It seems some conservatives are a wee upset that Obama memorabilia is being sold to his supporters, like (oh MY Gawd!) a commemorative plate. It’s even being advertised on Television! Here’s a typical reaction from a conservative blogger who finds the whole thing profoundly upsetting:
This bears a disturbing resemblance to the sort of “dear leader” worship we see in totalitarian countries. It’s scary. It’s dangerous. It has no place in a free society.
Here’s the ad, by the way that they find so disturbing:
Personally I think that ad is more than a little cheesy and reminds me of far too many late night commercials for this or that piece of [expletive deleted] memorializing this or that “important historical” event. I don’t plan to buy the Obama plate, but I can’t see that it is any more or less objectionable than all the George W. Bush memorabilia we’ve seen over the last eight years. Like the 24 Karat Bush Commemorative Coin. Or the just released 2008 Bush White House Christmas tree ornament. Or the Bush Presidential paperweight. Or cufflinks. Or the Bush sculpture bust. And as for tacky, well, has anything surpassed the Bush Commander-in-Codpiece action figure?
Why there’s even an entire online store devoted to Bush memorabilia (I especially like the “W” golf balls). Still, I wouldn’t suggest that people who bought such items were deifying George Bush or perpetrating a “dangerous cult of personality.” I’d just say it’s a free country and they can waste their money on tasteless, stupid junk if they want to.
No, what I truly found offensive was all the 9/11 tragedy memorabilia. Or the infamous “Ashley” Bush campaign ad, which exploited a young girl whose mother had died on 9/11 in order to help President Bush win re-election in 2004. Compared to those disgusting examples of crass commercialism and political opportunism, an Obama commemorative plate controversy seems just — well — moranic.
