It strays from your format, but Start with the band. The band name, Rage Against the Machine kind of has a stick it to the man feel. But in the song Freedom off the same CD, they whisper “Anger is a Gift” to start the chorus. Meaning, Anger is good if you get mad enough at your problems to do something about it. That’s what is meant by Rage. The machine being the system. The band actually says the machine can be any “illegitimate authority” So act to correct any problems in society. The CD cover is the “Burning Buddhist.” Actually a news photo of a monk who committed suicide in public in Vietnam to protest the oppression of religion. That is extreme activisim, but the US was watching and started sending troops over.

Keep in mind the band make up. Mostly minorities. A Chicano, a Polish Buddhist,a Irish/Italian mau-mau (black) and a abused Caucasian raised in a broken home. Given that, this says a lot about the state of the school systems. Education is a great tool, but it can be used as a weapon against the people too. “Eurocentric” (White) themes of patriatism, propaganda, christianity…. Especially for minorities — school leaves you broken and lost. The first point of the song is to question everything you are taught. If you ask questions and think for yourself instead of just accepting things as given. Ask who wrote the lesson and why?

The next part is “take the power back” People have power over us because we let them. You need to take it back. First to fight back by asking the tough questions, then eventually to change the school agenda.

“The teacher stands in front of the class

But the lesson plan he can’t recall

The student’s eyes don’t perceive the lies

Bouning off every f*ing wall

His composure is well kept

I guess he fears playing the fool

The complacent students sit and listen to some of that

B*S* that he learned in school”

The Weathermen were a militant sub-group in the late-1960’s

politically-focused Students for a Democratic Society. The

Weathermen were known for bombing buildings at various college

campuses and similar activities to illustrate their point. SDS

distanced themselves from the Weathermen after the bombings started.