Eminem makes Steve Earle look like Toby Keith: Hasn't anyone noticed?

Radical Society, Oct 2002 by Radosh, Daniel

They might have to soon. The song destined to be Eminem's next big hit, "White America," is easily the most antipatriotic of the year. Em's politics are not as sophisticated as Earle's or Springsteen's. But they're more thoughtful than Toby Keith's, and they're not going to win him any friends at the Washington Times. While "White America," which had fans singing along at the MTV Video Music Awards, makes no explicit references to terrorism, it's hard not to read it as a reaction to the star-spangled tripe that has dominated American culture this past year.

For the most part, Eminem is a single-issue voter. He doesn't like people who try to shut him up, especially when they have the weight of the government behind them. "White America" is one of several tracks on The Eminem Show that tackle censorship (though it's mostly about race and hip hop). In it, Em promises "to lead the march right up to the steps of Congress and piss on the lawns of the White House, to burn the casket and replace it with a parental advisory sticker, to spit liquor in the face of this democracy of hypocrisy....Fuck you with the freest of speech this divided states of embarrassment will allow me to have." Juvenile? Sure. To the tune of 6 million sold and counting. Meanwhile it's the minor cult figure Steve Earle whose CDs are being burned on air.

In "Stimulate," from the 8 Mile soundtrack, Em continues to rave about his "failure to communicate with Congress." But it's another song that should ensure that his politics will only become more relevant in the future. In "Square Dance," Em clues his young fans in on something everyone else seems to be glossing over: When George W. Bush and Dick Cheney say they're going to invade Iraq, what they really mean is they're going to send you to invade Iraq.

The boogie monster of rap, yah the man's back

With a plan to ambush this Bush administration, mush the Senate's face in

Push this generation of kids to stand and fight for the right to say something you might not like. This white hot light that I'm under, no wonder I look so sunburned

Oh no I won't leave no stone unturned

Oh no I won't leave, won't go nowhere, do-si-do, oh, yo, ho, hello there

Oh yeah don't think I won't go there, go to Beirut and do a show there.

Yah you laugh till your muthafuckin' ass gets drafted

While you're at band camp thinkin' the crap can't happen

Till you fuck around, get an anthrax napkin

Inside a package wrapped in Saran Wrap wrapping

Open the plastic and then you stand back gasping, fuckin' assassins hijackin' Amtracks crashin'

All this terror America demands action, next thing you know you've got Uncle Sam's ass askin'

To join the army or what you'll do for their navy.

You just a baby, gettin' recruited at eighteen

You're on a plane now, eatin' their food and their baked beans.

I'm twenty-eight, they're gonna take you 'fore they take me

Crazy insane or insane crazy?

When I say Hussein, you say Shady

Marshall Mathers has challenged the war on terror as forcefully as any celebrity out there. What's a guy gotta do these days to be "protested and demonstrated against"?