Green Day/Archive 1 - Politics and Social Justice

Politics and Social Justice

When asked his opinion regarding whether all musicians ought to try to add a social or political message to their work, Armstrong replied that

The only people who should sing about social issues or politics are the ones who aren't full of shit.

American Idiot was released two months before former President of the United States George W. Bush was reelected, and as a result the album became protest art. Created as an anti-war album, American Idiot contains many new-age protest songs, like Holiday which was against George Bush's decision to invade Iraq. Armstrong described the song as a means by which "to battle your way out of your own ignorance".

Read more about this topic:  Green Day/Archive 1

Famous quotes containing the words politics and, politics, social and/or justice:

    Man made one grave mistake: in answer to vaguely reformist and humanitarian agitation he admitted women to politics and the professions. The conservatives who saw this as the undermining of our civilization and the end of the state and marriage were right after all; it is time for the demolition to begin.
    Germaine Greer (b. 1939)

    Politics is repetition. It is not change. Change is something beyond what we call politics. Change is the essence politics is supposed to be the means to bring into being.
    Kate Millett (b. 1934)

    What men call social virtues, good fellowship, is commonly but the virtue of pigs in a litter, which lie close together to keep each other warm.
    Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)

    A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears;
    see how yond justice rails upon yond simple thief. Hark in thine ear: change places, and handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief?
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)