Metal Anarchy

It’s no secret that Rage Against The Machine are a political band. However, over the years many fans have made flawed misinterpretations about the group’s music and beliefs. As such, guitarist Tom Morello has been firing back at X/Twitter users who have been making assumptions about his views.

Morello said the following:

“Never ceases to amaze me how many folks who’ve heard RATM are in Paul Ryan mode, having literally ZERO understanding of anything that band was about and even less understanding where any of us might stand on contemporary issues. Recently was talking to a couple at a restaurant who were big fans of “Killing In The Name”.

The nice lady said, “I love that song. It helped me rage against my parents and later against the jab!” I said, “Ma’am that song is about racist cops who often behave like the Ku Klux Klan in service of historical white supremacy and are boot licking lackeys and thugs of the racist capitalist ruling class.” She sat there chewing and blinking, chewing and blinking.”

That led to the following reply:

“God forbid people misunderstood it was against authorities forcing you get the vaccine to go to your concert or fly or work.

That was ok, awesome use of authority.

You really understand what to rage about.”

Morello then fired back:

“Perfect example right here. No sir, no one was required to be vaccinated to attend or buy a ticket to any RATM show ever. Feel free to check with any of the tens of thousands who attended. Blinded by presumptive bias and misinformation what other sacred tenets of your world view and opinions are perhaps based on total falsities?”

He later added:

“My stance on the “war machine” has been unwavering since I was a teenager: Every US President in my lifetime has been a war criminal by the standards of the post WWII Geneva Conventions and if there was any justice in this world they would be treated as such and answer for those crimes. Again, when you just make stuff up based on bias and misinformation you’ll likely embarrass yourself.”

“My dude. As a day gig for two years in the 80’s I was Scheduling Secretary for Democratic US Senator Alan Cranston. While fairly progressive on many issues I saw first hand how oligarch money controls and criminally shapes politics and policy. No one’s eyes are more open than mine on this topic.

Democrats are war criminals. Republicans are war criminals. While I do always vote because racists and the ruling class don’t want me to, I believe that real change comes from creating an irresistible force from below—working and fighting before, during and after and election at the grassroots regardless of who wins, not just crossing your fingers and begging elites for crumbs.

The ONLY candidate I have EVER publicly or privately endorsed was Cindy Sheehan, an anti-war activist who’s son was killed in the Iraq War. She’s was a true badass. Please pass this info along to the legions of misinformed chodes who have a similar perspective to your own.”

Some more responses from Morello can be found below:

[via The PRP]