LAMB OF GOD's phenomenal guitarist Mark Morton has given his two cents about the upcoming U.S. presidential election in article written for Spin.com. Here is what Morton had to say regarding the presidential race between Obama and Romney:
“The most interesting part about this year’s election, for me at least, has been watching the Democrats and Republicans and, really, the American political system as a whole, search for a discernible identity and ideological vision. We are facing a new day with respect to how we will balance domestic and international policy, and the manner in which these interests are to be prioritized to serve our overall national interest. Rather than subscribe dogmatically to one or another version of what are essentially the same, watered down political parties, separated (at least in the modern era) by a few “hot button” issues, the savvy voter will choose the candidate that best espouses a focused and organized approach with regard to how we will strategically direct our resources toward the greater good of the country.
“Throughout the last decade, this has been a largely outward directive. The changing economic and political landscape, in my opinion, implores us to refocus toward an inward looking, dare I say, isolationist strategy. Ok, maybe not that far, but certainly [further] than in the past, well, twenty years. Here’s why: To a student of political science in the 1990s, the primary focus of International Relations theory revolved largely around the readjustment of power in the post-Cold War era. How would the international community settle into a new game in which there were more than two primary players? Aside from a few pseudo-humanitarian military campaigns (Bosnia and Somalia come to mind) and an almost comically lopsided war with some pretty “blurry” motivating factors (the first Gulf War), the overriding questions were: Who would emerge as the new world military and economic superpowers? (A question that implies a balanced focus of external and internal issues.) And: What new alliances would result from a surging China, a “new” Russia and an unstable but resource rich Middle East? These concerns, however, shifted seemingly in an instant with the events of September 11, 2001, sending the American political agenda into a tunnel-visioned, single-tracked offensive against “terror,” defined, in this case, as fundamentalist Muslim extremist groups and the nations that harbored and funded them. Our focus became almost entirely outward. This quest, not surprisingly, proved not to be as cut and dried as we would all hope (see: Pakistan), and in time, after thousands of brave young men and women were sent home in flag-draped caskets and a couple cultural icons of “terror” (Osama bin Laden, Anwar al-Aulaqi) were killed, we all grew tired of our little wars and began the process of turning them over to awkwardly assembled local forces, ostensibly friendly to our national interests. Our focus begins to turn inward.
“So now we find ourselves at a bit of an ideological crossroads. Anyone confused about how a nation, no matter how “rich” or “powerful” it may have been, is sinking in debt after fighting TWO wars at the same time needs their head checked. It doesn’t take a degree in economics to figure out that that shit is insanely expensive beyond imagination. Yet, oddly enough, in our entire collective finger pointing and blame assigning, there is surprisingly little mention of this. I don’t really get it. Perhaps it would be political suicide to risk being perceived as unpatriotic or disrespectful to our lost soldiers by questioning whether or not these wars were worth the impact they had on us at home. (In an economic sense.) Nonetheless, with the wars drawing to a close, at least in the overt sense, we as a nation, and more specifically the two political parties representing us, will be faced with finding a new collective balance between an international and domestic focus. Of course, both [issues] are still going to be facets of our approach to governance, but it’s the balance between them that will lay the framework of where we will stand in the coming decades. The candidate, and party, with the most organized vision and strategy with regard to that balance is the one that will point us toward recovery.
“To me, that choice is obvious. Hopefully it is to everybody else!”
What do you think about Morton's political views? Let us know at the comments section below.
Don't forget that LAMB OF GOD will be touring the United states with IN FLAMES, SYLOSIS, HATEBREED OR HELLYEAH!
30-Oct / Phoenix, AZ / Comerica Theater / Friday September 21 / Buy Phoenix Tickets Here
31-Oct / Los Angeles, CA / Palladium / Friday September 21 / Buy Los Angeles Tickets Here
1-Nov / Las Vegas, NV / House of Blues / Friday September 21 / Buy Las Vegas Tickets Here
3-Nov / Lubbock, TX / Lonestar Pavilion / Friday September 21 / Buy Lubbock Tickets Here
4-Nov / San Antonio, TX / Sunken Garden / Friday September 21 / Buy San Antonio Tickets Here
5-Nov / Oklahoma City, OK / Diamond Ballroom / Friday September 21 / Buy Oklahoma City Tickets Here
7-Nov / St. Louis, MO / Pageant / Friday September 21 / Buy St. Louis Tickets Here
8-Nov / Indianapolis, IN / Egyptian Room / Friday September 21 / Buy Indianapolis Tickets Here
9-Nov / Milwaukee, WI / Eagles Ballroom / Friday September 21 / Buy Milwaukee Tickets Here
10-Nov / St. Paul, MN / Myth / Friday September 21 / Buy St. Paul Tickets Here
12-Nov / Louisville, KY / Expo Five / Saturday September 22 / Buy Louisville Tickets Here
14-Nov / Stroudsburg, PA / Sherman Theater / Friday September 21 / Buy Stroudsburg Tickets Here
15-Nov / Glens Falls, NY / Glens Falls Civic Center / Friday September 21 / Buy Glens Falls Tickets Here
16-Nov / New York, NY / Roseland Ballroom / Friday September 21 / Buy NYC Tickets Here
17-Nov / Silver Spring, MD / Fillmore / Friday September 21 / Buy Silver Spring Tickets Here
19-Nov / Orlando, FL / House of Blues/ Saturday September 22 / Buy Orlando Tickets Here
20-Nov /Atlanta, GA / Tabernacle / Friday September 28 / Buy Atlanta Tickets Here
21-Nov / Charlotte, NC / Fillmore / Friday September 21 / Buy Charlotte Tickets Here
23-Nov / Wallingford, CT / Oakdale Theater / Friday September 21 / Buy Wallingford Tickets Here
24-Nov / Philadelphia, PA / Electric Factory / Saturday September 22 / Buy Philadelphia Tickets Here
25-Nov / Boston, MA / House of Blues / Friday September 21 / Buy Boston Tickets Here
26-Nov / Niagara Falls, NY / Rapids Theater / Saturday September 22 / Buy Niagara Falls Tickets Here
27-Nov / Pittsburgh, PA / Stage AE / Saturday September 22 / Buy Pittsburgh Tickets Here
28-Nov / Richmond, VA / The National / Friday September 21 / Buy Richmond Tickets Here
30-Nov / Chicago, IL / Congress Ballroom / Friday September 21 / Buy Chicago Tickets Here
1-Dec / Detroit, MI / Fillmore / Friday September 21 / Buy Detroit Tickets Here
2-Dec / Columbus, OH / LC Pavilion / Saturday September 22 / Buy Columbus Tickets Here
3-Dec / Grand Rapids, MI / Orbit Room / Friday September 21 / Buy Grand Rapids Tickets Here
4-Dec / Des Moines, IA / Val Air Ballroom / Friday September 21 / Buy Des Moines Tickets Here
6-Dec / Houston, TX / Bayou Music Center / Friday September 21 / Buy Houston Tickets Here
7-Dec / Dallas, TX / Palladium Ballroom / Friday September 21 / Buy Dallas Tickets Here
8-Dec / Kansas City, MO / Uptown Theater / Saturday September 29 / Buy Kansas City Tickets Here
9-Dec / Denver, CO / Fillmore / Saturday September 22 / Buy Denver Tickets Here
11-Dec / Farmington, NM / McGhee Park / Friday September 21 / Buy Farmington Tickets Here
13-Dec / San Francisco, CA / Warfield / Friday September 21 / Buy San Francisco Tickets Here
14-Dec / Medford, OR / Medford Armory / Friday September 21 / Buy Medford Tickets Here
15-Dec / Spokane, WA / Knitting Factory / Friday September 21 / Buy Spokane Tickets Here
16-Dec / Seattle, WA / Showbox SoDo / Friday September 21 / Buy Seattle Tickets HereClick here for the link to the LAMB OF GOD Memorabilia site and here for the link to the Justice Now site.
Related links:
Lamb Of God's Official Site
Spin.com
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