I'm not sure of the overall meaning of the song but...
"manifest destiny" is a term that refers to the belief in the ~1830s/40s United States that westward expansion was inevitable. Its meaning was broadened and people came to think of the westward expansion as almost divinely ordained and justifying almost any action by the American settlers.
Now, this connects to the "don't underestimate the fate of preordained malice" line, because many Americans naturally felt Native Americans were inferior, and made them flee or killed them etc. when they moved west. Also, State Radio songs have some other references to Native American Indian injustice ("Guantanamo" and "Fight No More" in particular), so I get the feeling this could have something to do with that.
The only thing is, the "the knowledge / That rests in me to fear my own race" contradicts that because it's the narrator's "own race."
I don't want to be "that guy" but the song "Guantanamo" isn't referring to the injustice done to Native Americans but the injustice done to the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Their all suspected terrorists who are held without basic rights and tortured even though many of them are not terrostists but people who, to quote State Radio themselves, were the wrong color at the wrong time.
I don't want to be "that guy" but the song "Guantanamo" isn't referring to the injustice done to Native Americans but the injustice done to the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Their all suspected terrorists who are held without basic rights and tortured even though many of them are not terrostists but people who, to quote State Radio themselves, were the wrong color at the wrong time.
Hahah, well obviously it's about Guantanamo Bay! But I'm pretty sure (helpfully based on the comment on this site for "Guantanamo" that the lines about Geronimo and "all hail the line of the crooked white kings whose fathers stole the bones from an Indian grave" are alluding to the, basically, extermination of Indians as the U.S. expanded westward.
Hahah, well obviously it's about Guantanamo Bay! But I'm pretty sure (helpfully based on the comment on this site for "Guantanamo" that the lines about Geronimo and "all hail the line of the crooked white kings whose fathers stole the bones from an Indian grave" are alluding to the, basically, extermination of Indians as the U.S. expanded westward.
I think that when he talks about fearing his own race, he isn't talking about fearing for his own sake, to save his own skin, but rather to fear the fact the someone who has had the same upbringing as him could be so cruel.
I think that when he talks about fearing his own race, he isn't talking about fearing for his own sake, to save his own skin, but rather to fear the fact the someone who has had the same upbringing as him could be so cruel.
I'm not sure of the overall meaning of the song but...
"manifest destiny" is a term that refers to the belief in the ~1830s/40s United States that westward expansion was inevitable. Its meaning was broadened and people came to think of the westward expansion as almost divinely ordained and justifying almost any action by the American settlers.
Now, this connects to the "don't underestimate the fate of preordained malice" line, because many Americans naturally felt Native Americans were inferior, and made them flee or killed them etc. when they moved west. Also, State Radio songs have some other references to Native American Indian injustice ("Guantanamo" and "Fight No More" in particular), so I get the feeling this could have something to do with that.
The only thing is, the "the knowledge / That rests in me to fear my own race" contradicts that because it's the narrator's "own race."
Hmm... any thoughts?
I don't want to be "that guy" but the song "Guantanamo" isn't referring to the injustice done to Native Americans but the injustice done to the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Their all suspected terrorists who are held without basic rights and tortured even though many of them are not terrostists but people who, to quote State Radio themselves, were the wrong color at the wrong time.
I don't want to be "that guy" but the song "Guantanamo" isn't referring to the injustice done to Native Americans but the injustice done to the prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Their all suspected terrorists who are held without basic rights and tortured even though many of them are not terrostists but people who, to quote State Radio themselves, were the wrong color at the wrong time.
Hahah, well obviously it's about Guantanamo Bay! But I'm pretty sure (helpfully based on the comment on this site for "Guantanamo" that the lines about Geronimo and "all hail the line of the crooked white kings whose fathers stole the bones from an Indian grave" are alluding to the, basically, extermination of Indians as the U.S. expanded westward.
Hahah, well obviously it's about Guantanamo Bay! But I'm pretty sure (helpfully based on the comment on this site for "Guantanamo" that the lines about Geronimo and "all hail the line of the crooked white kings whose fathers stole the bones from an Indian grave" are alluding to the, basically, extermination of Indians as the U.S. expanded westward.
I think that when he talks about fearing his own race, he isn't talking about fearing for his own sake, to save his own skin, but rather to fear the fact the someone who has had the same upbringing as him could be so cruel.
I think that when he talks about fearing his own race, he isn't talking about fearing for his own sake, to save his own skin, but rather to fear the fact the someone who has had the same upbringing as him could be so cruel.