A sad day for political music afficionados
by Carlos Raigosa, editor-in-chief

     Wednesday, Oct. 18, is another day that will live in infamy. None of our naval bases were bombed and no more ships fell victim to terrorist attacks either, but a void was created in a broader scale that will be hard to fill.
     This was the day that America’s last truly influential band lost its leader Zack de la Rocha. Rage Against the Machine had lived through rumors of break ups and conflict, but last week was the time that the rumors finally became fact.
     In the past there have been individuals, such as the two Bobs: Marley and Dylan, who had a message to convey. Their music had none of this “lovey-dovey” girly nonsense that seems to be on the radio every time you turn it on. Others like Public Enemy and U2 shared these same characteristics, and both aimed their messages at a target audience.
     The ignorant brush off the message RATM tried to implement; the band made it known that the only way to make a change is to stand up for what you believe.
     Some oblivious to government wrong doings view their music as a “worthless attempt at fueling anarchy”; on the contrary, they encouraged action be taken through marches, protests and the court systems.
     The band wore many hats while helping several causes. They pushed for the added sovereignty of the monks in Tibet and the freedom of political prisoners such as Leonard Peltier. They endorsed literacy by playing music festivals aimed at helping buy books and pay for education.
     Education is the key—and they are not uneducated—so the group played a concert in Mexico City last year to make sure the Mexican government didn’t take that right away from the 100,000 students that had been locked out of their university for more than a year.
     These causes do not seem evil to me, but then again, my views may not be clouded by the idea that the government cannot be altered.
     The band lasted nine years. In those years, they produced three albums with a live one due out next month. Timmy C, Brad, Tom and Zack changed music and people’s political views. Whether it was for the good or the bad, you must decide.