Down with the System: A Memoir (of Sorts)

by Serj Tankian

In the days and weeks after 9/11, we saw this happening in the US as well. Newscasters everywhere solemnly intoned how this day would forever change America, and they were right—just not necessarily in the ways that they thought. Private media companies policed the bounds of acceptable expression and became uncritical, full-throated supporters of the government’s actions. There is nothing like war to unify a nation in deep sociological turmoil or juice the profits of the media conglomerates pushing it. Investigative reporting was largely shoved to the margins as major newspapers and TV networks lined up like lap dogs to regurgitate every word coming out of the Oval Office, the Pentagon, and the State Department as if it was the gospel truth. A toxic brew of fear and patriotism was emanating from nearly every household. An attack on our country became a test of our democracy, our freedom of speech, and our right to express ourselves without censorship or threats. It was a test that we failed miserably.