RATM, Dee Snider giving Paul Ryan shit about his iPod

[CountDeMoney]

Tom Morello: 'Paul Ryan Is the Embodiment of the Machine Our Music Rages Against'
Rage Against the Machine's guitarist blasts Romney's VP pick and unlikely Rage fan

By Tom Morello
August 16, 2012 6:44 PM ET

Last week, Mitt Romney picked Paul Ryan, the Republican architect of Congress's radical right-wing budget plan, as his running mate. Ryan has previously cited Rage Against the Machine as one of his favorite bands. Rage guitarist Tom Morello responds in this exclusive op-ed.

Paul Ryan's love of Rage Against the Machine is amusing, because he is the embodiment of the machine that our music has been raging against for two decades. Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn't understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn't understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless about his favorite band, Rage Against the Machine.

Ryan claims that he likes Rage's sound, but not the lyrics. Well, I don't care for Paul Ryan's sound or his lyrics. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting revenue more radically to the one percent is antithetical to the message of Rage.

I wonder what Ryan's favorite Rage song is? Is it the one where we condemn the genocide of Native Americans? The one lambasting American imperialism? Our cover of "Fuck the Police"? Or is it the one where we call on the people to seize the means of production? So many excellent choices to jam out to at Young Republican meetings!

Don't mistake me, I clearly see that Ryan has a whole lotta "rage" in him: A rage against women, a rage against immigrants, a rage against workers, a rage against gays, a rage against the poor, a rage against the environment. Basically the only thing he's not raging against is the privileged elite he's groveling in front of for campaign contributions.

You see, the super rich must rationalize having more than they could ever spend while millions of children in the U.S. go to bed hungry every night. So, when they look themselves in the mirror, they convince themselves that "Those people are undeserving. They're . . . lesser." Some of these guys on the extreme right are more cynical than Paul Ryan, but he seems to really believe in this stuff. This unbridled rage against those who have the least is a cornerstone of the Romney-Ryan ticket.

But Rage's music affects people in different ways. Some tune out what the band stands for and concentrate on the moshing and throwing elbows in the pit. For others, Rage has changed their minds and their lives. Many activists around the world, including organizers of the global occupy movement, were radicalized by Rage Against the Machine and work tirelessly for a more humane and just planet. Perhaps Paul Ryan was moshing when he should have been listening.

My hope is that maybe Paul Ryan is a mole. Maybe Rage did plant some sensible ideas in this extreme fringe right wing nut job. Maybe if elected, he'll pardon Leonard Peltier.  Maybe he'll throw U.S. military support behind the Zapatistas. Maybe he'll fill Guantanamo Bay with the corporate criminals that are funding his campaign – and then torture them with Rage music 24/7. That's one possibility. But I'm not betting on it.

And, from Dee Snider's attorneys:

It was brought to the attention of the management today that Paul Ryan has been using our client Dee Snider's composition "We're Not Gonna Take It" in his political campaign to become the Vice President of The United States of America. Dee does not support Paul Ryan. Accordingly, Dee has released this statement to Benjy Sarlin, campaign reporter for TPM in Washington, DC:

I emphatically denounce Paul Ryan's use of my song "Were Not Gonna Take It" as recorded by my band Twisted Sister. There is almost nothing on which I agree with Paul Ryan, except perhaps the use of the P90X.

Dee Snider

[derspiess]

[CountDeMoney]

Alrighty then, Hank Williams Jr.

[Jacob]

I think Mr. Ryan should copy Twisted Sister's fashion as well.

[derspiess]

Alrighty then, Hank Williams Jr.

Actually Hank III

[Siege]

Obama is done, no matter how much these fanatical radical communists rage against Paul Ryan.
How come the communists are "left"?
In every country they have EVER controlled they have put gays, intellectuals and artists behind bars, or worst, denieying even basic freedoms.

[Viking]

Obama is done, no matter how much these fanatical radical communists rage against Paul Ryan.
How come the communists are "left"?
In every country they have EVER controlled they have put gays, intellectuals and artists behind bars, or worst, denieying even basic freedoms.

Obama has been leading in every poll for over a year now.

[Barrister]

Artists are entitled to have political opinions, of course.

But contrast how Dee Snider handles it, as compared to Tom Morello.

[CountDeMoney]

But contrast how Dee Snider handles it, as compared to Tom Morello.

Well, look at their careers:  one's never taken himself seriously, and the other's taken himself too seriously.

[Barrister]

But contrast how Dee Snider handles it, as compared to Tom Morello.

Well, look at their careers:  one's never taken himself seriously, and the other's taken himself too seriously.

Good point.

[dps]

Artists are entitled to have political opinions, of course.

But if you, as a voter or just a public-minded citizen, put any special stock in those opinions, you're a moron.  Being an artist grants no special insight into public policy questions. 

[Barrister]

Artists are entitled to have political opinions, of course.

But if you, as a voter or just a public-minded citizen, put any special stock in those opinions, you're a moron.  Being an artist grants no special insight into public policy questions.

So RATM's entire fanbase are morons?  I agree.

[CountDeMoney]

So RATM's entire fanbase are morons?  I agree.

HEY NOW

[Viking]

So RATM's entire fanbase are morons?  I agree.

HEY NOW

I agree, but the thing is that sensible reasonable politics never ever produces good music. Revolutions always have the best songs.

[DontSayBanana]

So RATM's entire fanbase are morons?  I agree.

HEY NOW

Wait, wait, wait... weren't you the one that called them Rage Against the Suck?  Or am I thinking of Ed?