Blackbeard, Colonial Revolutionaries, Jesse James, Billy the kid, Butch Cassidy, Wild Bill Hickock, Guy Fawx, Al Capone, John Dillinger, Bonnie & Clyde, Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy, Jeffery Dahmer, OJ Simpson, Mike Tyson, Donald Trump.
I don't think Manson, Gacy, or Dahmer are idolized.
Simpson and Tyson are idolized for their non-criminal activities, not because they're criminals. They're not famous for being criminals, whereas most of the others are.
Trump is definitely an interesting one though...lol
Dahmer is one of those who had prison groupies. As do the Columbine shooters, Harris and Klebold. Apparently there's a certain kind of chick that gets lubed up for mass murderers.
I think George Floyd is mentioned by people to highlight how out of control the police in America are. They are thugs with badges, and they need to be reigned in, but that’s not likely to happen due to America leaning more toward “bootlicker” these days. George Floyd was murdered by shit cops. He should be remembered so we can hold bad police actions accountable. Fuck the police.
There are a few different common themes amongst them, either functioning as part of a gang or as a lone wolf, Bonnie and Clyde captured attention for the romantic twist attached to it.
There are also greater numbers of outlaws during periods where laws are hard to enforce due to remoteness and isolation (old west) or due to the laws being flaunted by basically everyone due to the laws being considered ridiculous (prohibition).
The key common theme is that they are viewed as fighting against an (what the public view as) unjust system, though often it's more to do with their goals coincidentally aligning with the publics perception of an unjust system.
Yes, and Bonnie and Clyde also robbed banks and destroyed mortgages, freeing people from their debts. I have no idea if that's true, but that's the myth
"is it just America? Guy Fawkes" means "is it just america? Guy Fawkes is an example of an outlaw idolized by Americans who is not himself an American"
You can see it in our media, even comic books. The Punisher is wanted by law enforcement all the time. Just look at the United Health Care shooting. Guy does what the Punisher does and he instantly becomes an American hero.
Out of all these, though, the only one I have seen still be idolized in some capacity is Dahmer. Women seem to love him, despite the fact he was gay. And a cannibal.
The Oklahoma Sooners, settled in the territory sooner than the enactment of the law allowing them to do so, thereby giving them an advantage over the law-abiders in claiming the most valuable acreage.
I think it comes from America's roots -- America was founded on liberty and freedom, and to some extent, questioning authority, and I think since then it's been somewhat cyclical with socioeconomic changes.
It's also part of the American mythos that is perpetuated in film and music. We have superheroes like Batman, Spider-Man, Green Arrow, western heroes like Zorro and the Lone Ranger, movies like Star Wars, The Hunger Games, Bonnie & Clyde, shows like Mr. Robot...
Slightly off topic but there was an escaped monkey around and people would never report it until they were sure it was gone, they didn't want it caught.
Who says this and what makes them think this phenomenon is exclusive to the US?
Che Guevara, Julius Ceasar and Galileo are household names globally and martyrdom is--in the words of religious leaders everywhere--"a whole thing, y'know"