Moonbats unite! Show pride in hotbed suburb
By Hillary Chabot | Saturday, August 2, 2008 | http://www.bostonherald.com | Local Politics
A flap over an allegedly pervy state senator - and scathing columns by the Herald’s own Howie Carr - pushed some Arlington residents to bite back by embracing their inner moonbat.
“I happily take the term moonbat and fly free,” said Menotomy Moonbats spokeswoman Deborah Butler, who was derided in one of Carr’s columns. “We’re looking for a way to put positive energy into the word.”
The group ordered 60 T-shirts last week designed with a bat against a glow-in-the-dark moon backdrop. They’ll be on sale at the Arlington Farmer’s Market for $15 each as soon as Aug. 20.
The caped crusaders hope to turn around the moonbat monicker, which is generally an insulting term for liberals.
The Menotomy Moonbats - who include unenrolled and Green Rainbow Party voters - had considered moonbat pride since May.
Sen. James Marzilli’s groping arrest in June coupled with Carr’s persistent taunting prompted their recent decision to spread their wings.
“You wind up with the straw that breaks the camel’s back,” said Butler. “I can’t say when critical mass was reached, but a number of us started posting that we’d like to put moonbat on a T-shirt and use it.”
Carr has consistently zeroed in on wealthy liberals, and has focused on the Arlington variety in particular since Marzilli’s arrest.
“The moonbat militia is mobilizing just like the time Stop n’ Shop wanted to open that pharmacy on Mass. Ave. that would have brought ‘light pollution’ to Arlington center,” Carr wrote in a July 3 column headlined “Marzilli-loving moonbats have their blinders on.”
Brooks Harrelson registered the batty Web site moonbatpride.com earlier this year, but admits the group “really took off after July 4.”
Butler, who said she’s repulsed by Carr’s “juvenalian satire,” said the group is about reclaiming a supposed slur.
“It’s the idea that moonbat can be as positive as Yankee,” said Butler. Yankee was originally used by the British to put down American colonists.
Not only are the moonbats willing to embrace the diss, they also welcome their No. 1 nemesis Carr.
“Wouldn’t it be great if we could get a photo taken with Howie Carr with the shirt on?” said Harrelson.
All profits from the T-shirts will go to the Arlington Education Enrichment Fund.
Article URL: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/politics/view.bg?articleid=1110565