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The Rise of MAGA Ideology and Political Extremism In American Cowboy Culture
The American cowboy is an image that has been co-opted over time, transformed from a real-life profession into a political figment of the imagination. 150 years ago, cowboys roamed the American frontier; now they seem to all sit in political boardrooms. In 2026, being a cowboy hardly seems to revolve around riding and ranching the plains, but is more so about pledging loyalty to radical ideologies and the Trump administration. For Thacher students, as patrons to the cowboy lifestyle and aesthetic it is critical to understand the complicated political history of the lifestyle we are supporting, from Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign, to the Bundy Ranch Insurrection, to recent democratic party neglect. My presentation aims to address the rise in MAGA support and political radicalism over recent years, examining how the media, geography, and the larger GOP have contributed, and continue to influence american Cowboy Culture.
WATCH HERE
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The American cowboy is an image that has been co-opted over time, transformed from a real-life profession into a political figment of the imagination. 150 years ago, cowboys roamed the American frontier; now they seem to all sit in political boardrooms. In 2026, being a cowboy hardly seems to revolve around riding and ranching the plains, but is more so about pledging loyalty to radical ideologies and the Trump administration. For Thacher students, as patrons to the cowboy lifestyle and aesthetic it is critical to understand the complicated political history of the lifestyle we are supporting, from Barry Goldwater’s presidential campaign, to the Bundy Ranch Insurrection, to recent democratic party neglect. My presentation aims to address the rise in MAGA support and political radicalism over recent years, examining how the media, geography, and the larger GOP have contributed, and continue to influence american Cowboy Culture.
WATCH HERE
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A college preparatory boarding school for grades 9-12
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