Yesterday afternoon, I was sitting in my bedroom, halfway zoned out as I listened to Rover’s Makeover on YouTube. Suddenly, there was an ad, which, as usual, came at an inopportune time. I usually skip the ads on YouTube as soon as I can. Most of the ones I get are in German, anyway. But yesterday, I wasn’t able to immediately hit the “skip ads” button, so I actually heard the opening lines of what turned out to be a new “song” by Canadian rapper Tom MacDonald and Adam Calhoun. I was so shocked and appalled by them that I listened to the whole thing. Below is the video that played. It certainly got my attention.

At the risk of sounding like a Boomer, I think this song is pretty atrocious. However, as I listened to it, I realized that a lot of people are going to identify with it. I found the song on YouTube and noticed that the comments on it were overwhelmingly positive. There are a lot of very angry people in the United States right now who don’t feel heard or respected. And that’s one of the main reasons why we had to endure four years of Donald Trump as our president.

Now that Trump has been ousted, these newly emboldened folks are doubly pissed off. So people like Tom MacDonald and his ilk make bank by writing songs that rally more anger and hatred, and spread disinformation. I have a feeling this song could be a hit among a lot of fed up people, and it might even inspire violence among those who are “pissed the fuck off” and feel “moved” to do something drastic.

I played this song for Bill this morning. After it was finished, Bill said “Well, the song does make a few valid points.” And that’s true. I can see how some people come to the conclusions made in this artistic endeavor. What concerns me, though, is that the song promotes violence, division, and rage instead of peace, solidarity, kindness, and mutual understanding. It adds fuel to an already burgeoning fire, instead of encouraging cooperation, coordination, and collaboration. We really don’t need more people getting pissed off and taking up arms. I think we need to come together and embrace our better natures, not go off half cocked, looking for more fights. But that’s just my opinion.

I am all for artistic expression, and I’m totally against censorship. That’s why I’m writing about this today, realizing that there will be people who will go listen to the song and determine whether or not they agree with its message. Frankly, even though I am a “white person”, and according to this song, I should be feeling disrespected, ignored, and pissed off about minorities and liberals asking for fair and humane treatment, I was unpleasantly shocked and offended by the “New World Order”. As this was playing, I was literally stunned into silence. And then I felt kind of worried. After reading the comments on YouTube, I realized that this song will speak to and probably inspire people to continue being divisive and hateful.

I feel like this song expresses some ideas that are very twisted. However, even though I think the ideas are twisted, I can sort of see how and why some people have them. It takes time and, often, personal experience and thoughtfulness, for people to change their views. I’ve mentioned before, for instance, that I think it’s unrealistic to expect all people to immediately embrace ideas that, for all of time, were either once considered taboo or were once okay, but aren’t anymore. And it takes time for people to shed prejudices and ignorance. It’s best that they do that on their own accord, rather than feeling like they’ve been forced.

I don’t think that tolerance and “political correctness” are things that can be necessarily ordered or legislated. For instance, we can demand that people stop being racist or sexist by enacting new policies, but secretly, a lot of people will still be sexist and racist. They just won’t be as open about it. I think this song sort of drives home that point. A lot of people still have what some people think of as “disgusting attitudes” that they keep under wraps. The fact that so many people agree with these lyrics and are praising them on YouTube tell me that a disturbing number of people deeply resent progressive ideas and “woke” culture. And those are the people who will embrace someone who will give their feelings a voice. I think Tom MacDonald and Adam Calhoun will probably make a lot of money with this song. But I hope that the money they will make isn’t tainted by the senseless and tragic hurting and killing of innocent people.

To be honest, I’m not a big fan of excessively “woke” culture myself. I don’t like the smug attitudes that some extremely liberal people espouse, as if they are so much more evolved than more conservative people are. And I can understand, completely, the chorus of the song, even if I think the sentiment is rather petulantly expressed. The verses are what really disturb me– along with the conflation of situations that don’t really compare, and are, in my view, poor examples of “injustices”– particularly against white people.

Like, for instance, some people’s “need” to carry weapons everywhere, and comparing the need to have guns, and being a so-called “good guy with a gun”, to putting out a sudden fire with a fire extinguisher instead of calling a fire brigade. So many people have been killed by gun violence, many of whom were perfectly innocently going about their business. I’m sorry. I can’t compare a classroom full of six year olds being gunned down at school, to a sudden fire that requires an immediate response with a fire extinguisher. Fire extinguishers don’t usually kill people, unless, of course, they’re being used by a right wing thug to bludgeon and kill a cop at an attempted coup. Guns are expressly made to maim and kill people and animals. It’s as simple as that. And these two situations are NOT comparable… but I know that many people will think of them in that way.

Same thing goes for the lyrics comparing a deadbeat dad who doesn’t support his children to a woman who decides to have an abortion. The situations are NOT comparable. Paying child support and being an attentive parent is not the same as putting one’s health and very life on the line to gestate a potential human being. Paying child support does not, for instance, necessarily cause someone to get sick with eclampsia or force them to delay cancer treatment… and the vast majority of parents paying child support made a choice to bring a child into the world. Sometimes people who get pregnant got that way because they were forced to have sex. In very few cases, are males forced to be fathers. They can almost always choose to keep their pants zipped or use a condom, save for a few very rare exceptions.

The verse about blackface being wrong compared to transgender people is just plain offensive and overly simplified. But– I can understand how certain “salt of the earth” types will think it makes perfect sense. I know that a lot of people are upset that they are being asked to deny what they were taught as children– that there are only two sexes and a person is either one or the other. I can understand why that is upsetting to them, but I am repulsed by the hatred and profound ignorance behind how that condition is expressed in this song. Like, they won’t even try to empathize with someone who might be suffering because they can’t identify with the either/or male or female model. I don’t think transgender people are a threat to humanity, and it’s sad that some people are so threatened by those who simply aren’t like them.

Also… as someone who has actually spent time in a formerly communist/Soviet country, it really disturbs me how people who clearly do not have actual experience or even real knowledge of what communism and socialism are try to compare the United States to China. There is no comparison. But these lyrics continue to drive home the fear and ignorance behind so many people’s opinions regarding different government models. Also, a lot of them don’t seem to realize that some of our most celebrated and vaunted government programs are pretty “socialist”. One prime example is the military system, which is very much a government regulated entity. But try to get some career military service people to give up their retirement pensions and “perks”, and there will be a backlash, won’t there? Yet, a lot of them will only vote for Republicans, who are deemed more “military friendly”… as they go to their government owned quarters, shop at the commissary, and get their and their families’ healthcare needs taken care of on military installations, free of charge.

Anyway… I think it’s clear how I feel about “New World Order”. I think it’s a profoundly ignorant song that takes some elements of truth and twists them in lyrics, sets the lyrics to a catchy beat, and will, unfortunately, rile up equally ignorant people who lack perspective and don’t have any regard for anyone besides themselves. I really think it’s a disgusting song. But, as I am all for freedom of expression, I’m not going to call for it to be censored. In fact, by sharing this post, I know I’m simply raising awareness of this song and, perhaps, even promoting it.

Some people will read this post, listen to the song, and determine that they like and agree with it. And when people downvote it because it’s offensive and hateful, they will complain about censorship by the left wing media. Could it be that a lot of us just don’t think that this is the right way? I’d like to hope so… and I hope there are more people wanting to make things better for EVERYONE, instead of selfishly focusing on the perceived hatred, disrespect, and disenfranchisement of white people.

Again, YouTube showed this to me as an AD… I don’t think the song is being censored by YouTube. I saw it twice yesterday without having searched for it. It just popped up as I was watching something I actually wanted to see. I was stunned and offended by the video, and wholeheartedly disagree with its message. And while Tom MacDonald and Adam Calhoun will no doubt make money and win over fans with this, I think this song’s message is just going to make things worse for everyone. What a terrible shame.

Below are the lyrics for those who don’t want to listen to the video:

Here’s the problem with America, the country is broken
’Cause they minds stay closed but they mouths stay open
Get attacked and we blame terrorists, go broke and we blame the price
Blame racists for the racism but only if their skin is white

If we don’t need guns ’cause we can call the police
We don’t need fire extinguishers, call the fireman, please
You didn’t wanna build a wall and now the border is weak
Your favorite actor has a gate that’s like 15 feet

Racism is gay, if you’re offended, that’s retarded
Intolerance is great until you speak and you’re a target
If a white man paints his face black he’s a racist piece of garbage
But you put him in a dress and he’s courageous and he’s gorgeous

All these double standards, man, I’m tired of the noise
Freedom’s an illusion if they censor your voice
Call a dad a deadbeat for neglecting his boys
But a mom kills a baby and you call it pro-choice

[Chorus: Tom MacDonald & Adam Calhoun]
You act like you’re so much better than us
Yeah, we know that
Who told you that you so special?
But you’re a new world order
Your facts ain’t facts without censorin’ us
Yeah, we know that
Good job, you loses your medal
But you’re a new world order

[Verse 2: Adam Calhoun]
Why they hate the flag, they try to burn it to the ground
Don’t do that in front of me, I’ma let off a round (Pow)
Scream loud, burn the city down now
Put it on the news, make ’em all feel proud

Look, make a system where 85% of black people fill the prison
Is it ’cause they black, or they make bad decisions?
I ain’t good at math, but it seems like it’s division
Or is it white privilege?

I believe politicians need to be locked up
Try to take our freedoms, that’s how you get shot up
Got our back against the wall, try to just stop us
More guns, more ammunition, please stock up

Election gets rigged, rights get infringed
Take the syringe, frighten your kids
Show up right where you live
Make me wanna grab a rifle and just go… (*Bang*)

[Chorus: Tom MacDonald & Adam Calhoun]
You act like you’re so much better than us
Yeah, we know that
Who told you that you so special?
But you’re a new world order
Your facts ain’t facts without censorin’ us
Yeah, we know that
Good job, you loses your medal
But you’re a new world order

[Verse 3: Tom MacDonald & Adam Calhoun]
And everyone blames white folks for every little bitty thing
We don’t have no one to blame, we take responsibility
They tell you be a man, then call it toxic masculinity
Then when you act feminine they call it white fragility

I don’t understand, trans-man, with humility
I’m just tryna raise my kid the best of my ability
If I disagree you try to cancel, get rid of me
You can’t, so you can’t be the answer, you killin’ me

And I hate white supremacy just as much as you
But I ain’t feelin’ guilty for somethin’ I didn’t do
The system’s killin’ everyone, it sucks but it’s true
They kill you then they broadcast it and call it the news

Or they’ll brainwash you through social media feeds
And if you disagree, they’ll eat you immediately
Make America China, pretty easy to see
I will always remember the land of the free

[Chorus: Tom MacDonald & Adam Calhoun]
You act like you’re so much better than us
Yeah, we know that
Who told you that you so special?
But you’re a new world order
Your facts ain’t facts without censorin’ us
Yeah, we know that
Good job, you loses your medal
But you’re a new world order

And below is a sampling of the comments on the video…