Panic at the Disco…..Problematic?

So we have all heard Panic at the Disco’s latest hit “High Hopes.” It has reached the number one spot on the Mainstream Top 40 charts as well as Hot Rock songs. It’s a good, catchy pop song with great vocals from leader singer, Brendan Urie. It is the band’s highest charting song, passing the absolute emo kid middle school classic, “I Write Sins not Tragedies.” It speaks to achieving your goals, overcoming obstacles and making a name for yourself in whatever you do in life. A pretty positive song and message to always do your best and “have high, high hopes.” I was on the bandwagon until one line jumped out at me and I knew I could not ignore it and turn the other cheek.

“Manifest destiny, back in the days. We wanted everything. We wanted everything.” I mean come on!! Manifest destiny! Unacceptable and a dog whistle to white nationalists and supremacist! For those who don’t know Manifest Destiny was a call during the 19th century used in white America to plow forward into the West. Conquest and settle these at all costs. Despite the fact that these lands had already been settled by indigenous peoples! (Notice I didn’t say Indians, stay woke). Newspaper editor, John Sullivan is generally credited with first coining the phrase to express the idea that it was white America’s destiny to conquer the West. Used by Democrats and President James K. Polk to justify the war of aggression against hapless Mexico and conquer the Southwest. The Mexican War established America as a continental imperialist power as we stuck our toe into the genocide pool, wishing to imitate our European cousins. We jumped in headfirst as we conquered and massacred the peaceful indigenous peoples (woke) who had already been pushed from their lands further east. Manifest Destiny was used to justify these atrocities as white America spread further and further west, oppressing any innocent, peaceful nature loving peoples in its path. I am honestly shocked that such a popular band would even think to use the term. It’s a short leap of imagination from “Manifest Destiny” of the 19th century to the alt-right Trumpian chant of “Build the Wall.” Now nobody else may be offended by these lyrics or have even made the connection, but I did! I am offended by these words and my feelings must be validated! I say radio stations ban Panic at the Disco until such a time as they publicly apologize for their alt right, bigoted, homophobic, patriarchic, white nationalist/supremacist lyrics and pay me reparations for the emotional trauma they have put me through. I will not be silenced, I will not be oppressed, nevertheless I will persist!