# GET A BRAIN! MORANS (Go USA) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349 "2005-12-06T14:28:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/1 "2005-12-06T14:28:01Z")
I assume by now we’ve all seen the famous [picture of the bandana-clad mullet-headed man](http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=%22get+a+brain+morans%22) bearing the misspelled sign. It’s come to represent the stereotype of the mindless Iraq war/occupation supporter. But does anyone know the source of this image? When and where was it taken? Was the man really demonstrating for the Iraq war, or was it for some other purpose? Has the man ever been identified or interviewed? ---
**Author:** ![mittu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/2 "2005-12-06T14:48:06Z")
Not 100% sure that [this](http://www.davelippman.com/Welovethepolicestate.html) is the true origin but is all I could find. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/3 "2020-06-22T20:41:22Z")
In case anyone else is still wondering about this meme, I’ve since found [an entry on Know Your Meme](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/get-a-brain-morans) with some more details about it: > Though the man’s identity is unknown, the photo was taken on March 23rd, 2003 outside of St. Louis, Missouri. On that day, approximately 350 pro-peace activists got together with civilian weapons inspectors at the Boeing missile factory, asking to investigate the weapons of mass destruction being produced there. When they were denied access, the protestors sat in front of the main gate in protest. Approximately 75 pro-war supporters came to the factory with signs discouraging the sit-in. One of these supporters held the “Get a Brain Morans” sign. The photo was initially shared on the St. Louis Indymedia Center in 2003. So if this information is accurate, the man is indeed a pro-war (or at least pro-weapons) demonstrator, and the timeline does seem to very closely fit with the start of the Iraq War in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![CurtC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce73a5/32.png) [@CurtC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CurtC)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/4 "2020-06-23T14:21:00Z")
I always figured that the guy was pretending to be on one side, but was punking them with the obviously stupid sign. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/5 "2020-06-23T14:50:52Z")
Huh. I saw a different one recently that said “Get a _Brian_, Morans.” Incompetent copycat? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2020, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/6 "2020-06-23T22:57:53Z")
Fan of Life of Brian? ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/7 "2020-06-24T03:43:59Z")
Probably intentional parody (I say “probably” because it’s just too on the noes to be real). ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/8 "2020-06-24T06:17:14Z")
The sign holder could have meant Jim and Brian: the brothers Moran. Two locally prominent Democratic politicians in Northern Virginia. Jim Moran was a congressman and Brian Moran was a Virginia delegate, contemporaneous with the infamous sign in 2005. I say could have meant, but LOL we all know he didn’t. LOL ---
**Author:** ![PlaceboTarget](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/placebotarget/32/1073_2.png) [@PlaceboTarget](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlaceboTarget)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/9 "2020-06-24T07:22:30Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Jim Moran was a congressman and Brian Moran was a Virginia delegate Apparently this last name stems from various Irish surnames, whose meaning is close to “descendant of the great one.” ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/10 "2020-06-24T10:16:36Z")
Wait—the second sign actually said “Get a [Brian Moran](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Moran)”? He’ll be pleased to know he’s wanted. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/11 "2020-06-24T13:18:51Z")
The “Morans” guy never quite achieved the same infamy as “College Liberal”, who’s starred [in a thousand memes](https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/college-liberal). ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/12 "2020-06-24T14:13:48Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > I assume by now we’ve all seen the famous [picture of the bandana-clad mullet-headed man](http://images.google.com/images?sourceid=mozclient&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&q=%22get+a+brain+morans%22) bearing the misspelled sign. How do you know he has a mullet? ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/13 "2020-06-24T14:24:12Z")
Maybe he hated Sherlock Holmes: [Colonel Moran - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Moran) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/14 "2020-06-24T14:34:58Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > The sign holder could have meant Jim and Brian: the brothers Moran. Two locally prominent Democratic politicians in Northern Virginia. Jim Moran was a congressman and Brian Moran was a Virginia delegate, contemporaneous with the infamous sign in 2005. > > I say could have meant, but LOL we all know he didn’t. LOL Upthread there is a ref to a published article that says the original pic was taken at an RW counter-protest in St. Louis, MO. I’m familiar with the site of that protest and what we can see in the less-cropped versions of the pic with more background showing it certainly could have been there. The fact our hero is wearing a St. Louis Cardinals baseball T-shirt is suggestive as well. IOW, it’s real good bet he’s not talking about 2 minor politicians from a state halfway across the country. ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2020, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/15 "2020-06-24T15:00:36Z")
> [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](#): > > How do you know he has a mullet? Good point; he is wearing a bandana. But come on; you just know there’s a mullet lurking under there, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2020, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/get-a-brain-morans-go-usa/334349/16 "2020-06-25T02:41:29Z")
> [@psychonaut](#): > > Good point; he is wearing a bandana. But come on; you just know there’s a mullet lurking under there, don’t you ? Hmmph. When you assume you make a Moran out of you and me. Moran. 🤪