Rage Against the Machine Guitarist Says ‘Not What We Had In Mind’ to Video of Trump Supporters Dancing to Their Song
RATM #RATM
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello has responded to a video of President Donald Trump’s supporters dancing to one of the band’s most popular songs.
“Not exactly what we had in mind,” Morello wrote in a tweet Friday.
The video, which was posted to Twitter by user Manny Alicandro, shows several Trump supporters dancing to the band’s song “Killing in the Name” in Philadelphia, as ballots were being counted in Pennsylvania.
“Right now in Philly…” Alicandro wrote as a caption to the video.
In the video, the song’s chorus can be heard, with the lyrics that say: “Those who died are justified. For wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites. You justify those that died. By wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites. Those who died are justified. For wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites. You justify those that died. By wearing the badge, they’re the chosen whites.”
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According to Genius.com, the chorus focuses on the band’s opposition to police brutality, with Rage Against the Machine vocalist Zack de la Rocha singing that wearing a police badge is used as a justification for murder.
Following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody in May, a Rage Against the Machine fan account on Twitter shared a tweet featuring a picture of former officer Derek Chauvin, who knelt on Floyd’s neck for several minutes before he died.
“Killing In The Name. Recorded in 1992. Regrettably just as relevant in 2020,” the account holder wrote in the tweet.
In addition to the band’s guitarist, several other Twitter users responded to the video of Trump supporters dancing to the song, which was the band’s lead single from its self-titled debut album, released on November 3, 1992.
“When you miss the whole point of Rage Against the Machine,” Twitter user Hector wrote.
Twitter user Scott Hechinger wrote, “These Trump people are dancing (terribly) to Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing in the Name.” A song about resistance to police brutality, killings, white supremacy, & fascism.”
A similar situation occurred in September, when Trump was seen walking off of Air Force One during a rally in Freeland, Michigan, while “Fortunate Son” by ’60s rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival was played.
The decision to play the song during a Trump campaign rally raised questions across social media, as the song’s lyrics protest against the Vietnam War and class privilege in America.
In a video posted to Facebook after Trump walked out to the song, Creedence songwriter John Fogerty said, “I find it confusing, I would say, that the president has chosen to use my song for his political rallies, when in fact it seems like he is probably the fortunate son.”
Newsweek reached out to Morello for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.
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