Nearly 11 years have passed since the release of the Armenian-American band System of a Down’s fourth album, the socially-politically charged "Mezmerize." The album, which included hit songs such as the powerful “B.Y.O.B” and “Question!,” was filled with lyrics that screamed about injustice and general political unrest occurring around and before 2005. An example is of the war on Iraq which is seen in “B.Y.O.B” with the lyrics “Hangars sitting dripped in oil / Crying freedom” and “Dancing in the desert, blowing up the sunshine.” These words, this album, spoke out against the vile nature of the events that were occurring as a result of political leaders, inevitably referring to the Bush Administration.
It had been nearly 11 years, but yet this album still holds true in the certain political field.
There is still conflict in the Middle East. People are still sending people to war. Granted, 11 years is not too long, but yet similar events are still occurring. Have people even learned?
There is one song from the album in particular that sparked this realization in my head, “Sad Statue.” Listening to this song as I was walking, the lyrics to it screamed at me (both literally and figuratively) and I even let out a little chuckle because we, the Millennials as people like to say, are the “Generation that didn't agree.”
The full lyric is “You and me will all go down in history, / With a sad Statue of Liberty, / And a Generation that didn't agree.” Most of do not agree with what is happening in Washington, with a political deadlock that is seemingly nearly impossible to overcome, and with the laws that both sides are attempting to pass that this generation simply seems not to agree with. There are people with different viewpoints in each generation, but this certain generation seems to break the norm of just listening and doing what the politicians say. In part with what is happening with Black Lives Matter, people who are tired of inaction relating to violence against innocent people, and the same can be said to Bernie Sanders supporters, people who want change and are anti-establishment in terms of breaking the certain system that in many people's eyes is unjust.
All of these events, the injustices within minority communities, more-and-more intervention in the Middle East (which both Democrats and Republicans support) and denying people the right to marriage, are issues that the older generation argues on, but yet us of the new generation seem to agree for the most part on these issues. We should work towards solving injustice against minorities. We should stop intervening in the Middle East because let’s face it -- are we any better than 11 years ago? History just shows that increased instability is the result of intervention. That’s not to say deeds should be unpunished, but a different approach is highly needed rather than sending in America’s sons and daughters to fight. Marriage is a right that people should have. Taking religion away from the issue, there is no reason to deny people to marry the person they love.
Rather than solving these issues, all we have is a “Sad Statue of Liberty” weeping at the injustice that is still going on this great nation of ours. We can do better.
“What is in us that turns a deaf ear to the cries of human suffering?!"
