The Zombie Lady Liberty

Egads. There have been a number of representations and misrepresentations of Lady Liberty over the years for political and other purposes. Once again the 99% have come back to Zuccotti park because you cannot barricade an idea whose time has come. While it may be appropriate to ask what exactly that idea is outside of standing around being angry at everyone with no aspiration for anything other than to feel angry we shall not engage in that debate at the moment, rather we will mock it with a smugness and carry on. Later we will apologize.

But, the Occupy Protestors are back at Zuccotti park brandishing a hideous and zombified Lady Liberty. The symbolism is somewhat lost on me. Is it because the corporate world has turned the American dream into a zombie? If that is the case then have we made the zombie the hero because it is supposed to eat the brains of the bankers? If so then that is one dystopian Frankenstein motion picture I want no part of. But, the sight of a zombified statue of liberty made us think of the many ways that Lady Liberty has been represented and/or debased throughout the years.

One of my favorite stories is when the US Postal Service mistakenly took a photograph of a cheap replica in front of Las Vegas casino and put it on a stamp. We have all seen the obligatory and obscene renditions of when one can see up the lady's skirt, there is no link forthcoming. Here is an odd one of Vladimir Putin as Lady Liberty. We have also seen one where lady liberty has put down her torch and grabbed her face in apparent shame. These are found on Republican blogs during Democratic presidencies and Democratic blogs during Republican presidencies. I'm sure if you look hard enough you'll find it. There was also a number of renditions of Lady Liberty tearing up around 9/11. That was touching. Less so was when she was brandishing the dismembered head of a terrorist in an act of revenge. We probably have also seen the ones where Lady Liberty is holding a favorite adult beverage, be it a beer, wine or spirit. I find the ones where she is holding an import beer ironic. Here is one where she is double fisting, not an alcoholic beverage, but a double dose of liberty. Here she is kissing Miss Justice in an ode to gay rights. But this last one probably sums up about how you are feeling right about now in reading this sad and jaded post. Ahh Apathy, the new flavor of America.

But, we cannot leave on a pessimistic note. That simply would not be our style. We joke a lot on this blog, probably often about things that shouldn't be joked about. However, according to our research we have never seen a rendition of Lady Liberty as a hipster. So for now, the Internet is a safe haven from hipster defacing Lady Liberty. That's enough cheer to last a lifetime.