I'm all for intensity and emotion in music.
I mean, I used to wear a bloody doctor's labcoat and rip up naked baby dolls on stage while singing a song about abortion.
I wanted people to feel my rage and anguish over the atrocities = murder that's going on in today's sterilized world. I knew I was getting in peoples' face. It was a battle I was obviously choosing to get into. Even if someone disagreed with me and went off on my performance on some blog (they'd be message boards back then, of course), I felt like I would have communicated well. Even if I didn't convince someone who disagreed with me on the issue to see my side, getting them to talk and discuss the issue was a victory in itself.
And so I'm watching the Otep video for "Warhead" this morning. The band and director Paul Brown are getting paid by the remnants of the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden himself. They really are.
Well, not really, but I bet if a member of an extremist suicide bomber terror muslim were to see their video, with images of Bush being a pig, the US spreading misery, and having gas pumps as arms (in a not-so veiled attempt to paint the war in Iraq as a greedy attempt to control oil and make money)... if my imaginary terrorist were to watch this video on Headbanger's Ball, he would smile, knowing that propaganda for his agenda was being spread openly and willingly by the USA on its young people. He might be sadded to know that Headbanger's Ball is not influencing millions of young people's minds and Otep is not leading a cultural revolution, but still this video is strongly making an emotional statement that the USA and its current leadership are evil empires that need to be eliminated.
They have the right to make that statement, just like political cartoonists will lampoon our leaders to make pointed criticism. I'm glad they have that right. I have the right, on a smaller scale, to say, "I disagree with their statement. I think their message is a load of crap. Just because I'm young (at heart) or listen to hard music does not mean I have to buy in to their politics.
Posted by Doug Van Pelt at January 29, 2005 11:56 AMI've never thought that rock and politics went well together. lately, its really gotten old. like beating a dead horse.
Posted by: lauren at January 29, 2005 07:00 PMI am with ya all the way bro. Curiously absent from Otep's video are the pictures of the Kurdish children that Sadam gassed, the mass graves, the images of oppression of his own people under his rule. Plus Sadam was a fact and for someone who had no links to terrorist groups our troops sure seem to be fighting alot of foreign & domestic terrorists over there. There was also the Homeland Security guy who leaked that they had satellite and other evidence of Russian troops helping Iraqis move WMDs through Syria 6 days before the invasion. You know while Bush was trying to please the whole world by begging the UN to give its blessing.
As a chrisitan I look to Jesus as the answer not gov't. I am just not a big fan of gov't. Historically when they weren't throwing us to lions, using us as tikki torches at their dinners gov't was corrupting us with inappropriate power because God's people have long been deceived into thinking that the Gospel will be accomplished politically. Jesus didn't think so but oh well.
That said I think gov't should be as small as possible so the opporttunity to mess with us is minimal. I think the role of gov't is to protect the people and administratively meet common needs (transportation, roads, health standards, etc). As a believer I am bummed by people's lack of commitment to justice. Do not with hold good when it is in your power to act.
Then there is the 'punk rockers'. You know how punk is about anarchy, and anti-establishmentarianism. So it only makes sense that the scenesters like Epitaph records consistently campaign for the most liberal democractic candidates. You know big, huge government control and taxes go hand and hand with Punk. That's why the Sex Pistols sang God Save the Queen because the monarchy and socialist gov't just wasn't big enough for guys with Anarchy As on the guitars!
People need Jesus not gov't. If we are civilized and value Justice and freedom we have a responsibility to use our power and resources to help others realize the same. Whether that be in another oppressed country or in a self-centered woman's womb.
I remember 10 years ago when there were so many headlines about Sadam using weapons of mass destruction to commit genocide, and now all these news reporters are screaming "where are the WMD?" It's like, duh... they are in your own headlines. Go take a look.
My church has sent several groups to Iraq over the last few years. One time, they were staying at a hotel across from people like CNBC and CNN. They woke up and saw about 20 people walking around outside with signs and decided to see what was up. These Americans spent a while in the crowd talking to them, finding out that they were teachers that weren't getting paid, and they hoped to get on TV to get some attention to their cause. So the TV people can out, and they rushed the cameras. That night on TV it was all over the news - "violent anti-American protest erupt all over Iraq! The teachers in Iraq are going crazy!" It was only 20 people in one city, and they had no problems with Americans. It's sad how much stuff gets distorted in the news. My pastor has had to give a lot of press conferences, and he says that at least 60% of what has come out has been distorted or untrue.
Posted by: Matt at January 31, 2005 09:17 AMyour ever loving proof reader wants to know if sadded is a new word??
Posted by: ma at January 31, 2005 09:26 AMIt's crap to say the war is about oil...but that doesn't make this war or the Bush administration righteous either.
Posted by: Law at February 1, 2005 02:55 AMOTEP sucks, never licked them. I like some bands that hate Bush, but they didn't influence me to vote for Nader or Kerry. I voted Bush.
Posted by: jay at February 3, 2005 04:51 PMHaha - Never "Licked" them...which is true, but I never liked them either.
Posted by: jay at February 3, 2005 04:52 PM