Release Date: October 26, 2004
In this political protest song, released online as a single right before the U.S. Presidential election in 2004, Eminem states clearly that he passionately disagrees with the Bush administration’s agenda to continue the occupation of Iraq and the War On Terror in the Middle East.
By opening the song with the sound of children reciting the Pledge of Allegiance he illustrates how American culture indoctrinates us from a very young age to be obedient to the flag, even while our leaders are making long term plans to send those very same children to war as soon as they are old enough to die on a battlefield.
The animated video for “Mosh” depicts a U.S. soldier returning home from Baghdad, only to be told he must go back, leaving his family behind in a country that doesn’t even take care of its own citizens properly, while promising to rebuild another nation through the violence of war.
American troops who served in the Iraq War were forced to do many tours of duty during this time. This was due to a lack of people willing to enlist to fight in the controversial conflict due to its occupational nature. The song expresses the righteous anger millions of people felt at George W. Bush for not bringing the U.S. troops home immediately when so many Americans and allies around the world were against the war.
“Mosh” demands we look at the hypocrisy of our political leaders while imagining what it would be like if American people really supported the troops by sticking together to demand they be brought home from an unconstitutional, illegal war that only we can end.