Rage Against the Machine Rages Against ‘Anglo-Centric Police State’ in Arizona
by Ezra Dulis[Ed. Note: Please welcome Ezra Dulis to BH. He will be covering the music beat for us, commenting on the personalities, business, and doing an occasional review -- all from the unique point of view of a right-of-center thinking young man who's both passionate about music and a musician himself.]

Concerning actors and artists, “Shut up and sing” has become a conservative cliché long since due for retirement. For one, we’re inconsistent. We can’t applaud Jon Voight speaking his mind one day and then decry Sean Penn for speaking his the next day. Sure, we can point out how much his thoughts lack basic self-awareness, but to suggest that he should just do his job and not voice his opinion is a totalitarian thought. To entertain it is to betray our own principles and become exactly what we hate.
Today, though, I can’t help but entertain it.
Zack de la Rocha, the lead singer of Rage Against the Machine (who came crawling back to his band once it was clear his career as a solo artist was DOA), has organized a boycott of Arizona’s new immigration law, convincing plenty of well-to-do leftist bands to skip on performing in the state. Now, there’s nothing wrong with bands deciding where they’re going to play. The issue is the principle behind the decision, exploiting a cause célèbre to frame themselves as righteous racial crusaders. (more…)






Subscribe via RSS
Got a Tip?