I don't think music is meant to uplift always. Art often is about telling the truth the way the artist views it. The crux of Green Day's "American Idiot" appears to be this paragraph:

"Don't wanna be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information nation of hysteria.
It's going out to idiot America."

Isn't this simply about how a citizen should be suspicious of big media? That he or she shouldn't be an idiot and believe everything he or she hears?

I'd say this song is the anthem of most right-wing bloggers...that the MSM must be questioned, audited, and cross-checked since it's liberal.

But even for us lefties, maybe the theme of the song is simply, "Don't believe everything you hear or read."

>What a kind and tolerant man; bringing healing to us all.

EES PARTY LINE, COMRADE.

Along with such Concern & Compassion (TM) as:

war is peace
freedom is slavery
ignorance is strength
chocolate ration of 20g has been increased to 10g
oceania has always been at peace with eurasia
2 + 2 = 5
bush is goldstein

And did you notice that when Green Day performed, they hung the American flag backward as a gesture of disrespect?

Think of all the patriots sacrificing their lives so these talentless pampered clueless types can trash our flag in the name of free speech.

Picture of Green Day in front of backward flag at
http://americandaughter.blogspot.com/2005/02/grammy-whammy-and-goodbye.html

I hate to say it, but that doesn't look like a backwards flag...rotate it counter-clockwise...it looks perfectly normal.

If you think its been flipped, try again, Billie Joe is a right hander, and holds the neck with his left hand, which he is doing in the pic.

And sacrificing their lives for them? Our soldiers are not fighting for American freedoms, they are fighting for Iraqi freedoms. Get it straight.

"What a kind and tolerant man"

What does kind and tolerant have to do with drunk driving? I've seen all kinds of people be a lot less tolerant. Republicans, for one...and kind and tolerant people get pulled over too.

Don't wanna be an Austraia idiot.
Don't want a nation under the new media.
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Well that's enough to argue.

Well maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along in the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
Well that's enough to argue.

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information nation of hysteria.
It's going out to idiot America.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alien nation.
Everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.

Sorry gang, I have to agree with "the boys" of Green Day. And if you would stop and listen to yourselves you would too! Every unkind and/or intolerant word posted against the band only solidifies the lyrics of the song in question.

At 38 years old myself, I can honestly say that the vast majority of unkind and intolerant people I have met in my life have been those folks who fall into one of the following catagories with a common thread between them all. They have open mouths and closed minds.

1. Fundamental Christians
2. Rednecks
3. Flag waving patriots who have never picked up a gun.
4. People who think we need more governmental control in our lives.

If you want to wave the flag and talk about troops fighting for American freedom, consider what freedoms you might think you have, and ask yourself if you're really free to exercise these freedoms. And now, ask yourself whether or not freedoms only given to those we like are really freedoms at all, or rather priveledges we bestow on those who agree with us. I agree with Bec1967 on the list of social categories. Truthfully, there is far more resistance toward those who exercise their freedoms to an extreme degree. Inversely, there is very little resistance to gun toting, Bible-thumping, government-trusting bigots who think freedom of speech and freedom of religion means you're free to speech as long as you agree with them, and you're free to religion as long as you're a Christian.

And as far as Grammies go, I'd much rather see a Grammy go to a politically-active band that encourages thinking than a rap artist who simply advocates materialism, womanizing, and violence.

I'm feeling the love

I happen to think it's a catchy tune.

First of all, I don't think that Green Day hung the American flag backwards, and second of all, why should it matter even if they did? To "American Daughter" - have you talked to the members of Green Day? Did they personally tell you that it was "a gesture of disrespect"? I'm guessing not. I don't understand why people can't let other people have their own opinions. Too bad for you that they're famous and can get their words out to many people while you sit there and complain about them disrespecting our country and the people fighting for it. Maybe they don't agree with the president and his decisions, and maybe you do. Cool for both of you. YOU'RE ALLOWED TO HAVE AN OPINION... SO LET THEM HAVE ONE TOO.

Wow that Adrienne person really has some anger issues...

and as you probably guessed I am a devout Green Day fan. lol

[img]http://content.grammy.com/gallery/arrivals/01_greenday.jpg[/img]

okay, first of all, WHO CARES. Their critizing BUSH if you don't see it through. And I agree, because most of our presidents only care for the RICH, not US average joes. Their not caring what we want! That's WHY we have so many homeless people. "One nation controlled by the media.
Information nation of hysteria." < meaning BUSH. Critize my opinon, im just speaking out.

Schätzen Sie he was Sie übel riechende Missbildungen! Ich bin mit Alice Cooper verheiratet! Hölle ja und wissen Sie was noch? Meine beste Freundin ist mit Patrick Stump verheiratet! Ja aber ist mein Mann achtundfünfzig Jahre alt, und ich bin ... ein Minderjähriger! Aber es ist ok. Wir haben erstaunlichen Geschlechtsverkehr. Aber technisch ist es nicht Geschlechtsverkehr, es ist gesetzliche Vergewaltigung, weil ich nicht alt genug bin, um dem Geschlechtsverkehr zuzustimmen. Gut Bockmist! WAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ich entschuldige mich für meinen Ausbruch. Dumme Sheryl. Sie ist ein Ziege Möse!