Politically-outspoken rock band Rage Against the Machine (RATM) blasted the recent SCOTUS decision on abortion during a weekend show, calling to “abort” the Court while criticizing “forced birth” in a country with rampant gun violence, no universal health care or guaranteed paid parental leave, and where “Black birth-givers” experience higher maternal mortality than “white birth-givers.”
In Rage Against the Machine’s first concert in 11 years, the politically charged Los Angeles rock band appeared at Wisconsin’s Alpine Music Theater on Saturday as part of its “Public Service Announcement” tour, which was initially postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to provoking visuals, which included an El Paso police vehicle alight, Border Police officers hunting an individual, refugees in a boat spotted by a helicopter, as well as an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer dummy being beaten, the band highlighted the issue of abortion following the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
During the performance of “Freedom,” their final single from their self-titled 1994 album, the band displayed a message on a screen reading:
Forced birth in a country with no universal healthcare and where the cost of giving birth is $4,000 to $15,000.
The message was followed by another decrying alleged economic hardships for parents in America:
Forced birth in a country that is the only wealthy country in the world without any guaranteed paid parental leave at the national level.
The next caption highlighted the alleged racial impact of abortion restrictions:
Forced birth in a country where Black birth-givers experience maternal mortality two to three times higher than that of white birth-givers.
The following one pointed to gun violence, apparently linking the right to abortion and the likelihood of a child being a victim of such violence:
Forced birth in a country where gun violence is the number one cause of death among children and teenagers.
The final message called to “ABORT THE SUPREME COURT.”
Last month, the band said it was “disgusted” by Roe being overturned, and it pledged to donate $475,000 to abortion groups in Wisconsin and Illinois.
The alternative rock band is known for voicing its political ideology, both in its music and off stage.
In 2018, RATM guitarist Tom Morello proposed the formation of a “Children’s Liberation Army,” made of “disgruntled vets” to take on the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.
Previously, Morello urged people to “stand up against” Donald Trump, referring to the former president as a “frat house rapist” and war-mongering racist.
The band’s bassist Tim Commerford claimed anyone who voted for President Trump is as racist as the man himself.
“Anyone who voted for him is racist, he’s a racist. And as a racist who voted for a racist, you have an opportunity to make it right, and admit that you made the wrong decision,” he said.
Commerford, a self-described “conspiracy theorist,” had previously told Rolling Stone magazine he does not believe “ISIS is real” and NASA never landed on the moon.
Follow Joshua Klein on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.
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