Tom Morello's Bammie Acceptance Speech

The Award was presented by Cheech Marin: "The list of people who have gotten money, time and attention from Rage Against the Machine is long. It includes - United Farmworkers, the media watch-dog organisatioin - Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting and Unite - a textile union protesting sweatshop abuses by Guess Inc. clothing makers. For their actual involvement in the issues they write about day in and day out, Rage Against the Machine has been named the recipients of the Arthur M. Sohcot Award for Public Service. The Arthur M. Sohcot Award for Public Service goes to Rage Against the Machine. Here tonight to accept the award is Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine. Tom..."

TOM: - "When I moved to California in 1986, I put an ad in the local paper that read - 'Wanted - Musicians into Radical Politics, Run DMC and Ronnie James Deal' - I didnt get a lot of responses to that ad but a few years later a band called Rage Against the Machine formed that had a very simple credo and that was to 'tell the truth as we see it regardless of the consequences' so I want to accept this award tonight on behalf of some of the real heros that we've met along the way - people who have had the courage to fight for justice, dignity and freedom regardless of the consequences - people like the Garment Workers Union, the Zapatistas, the Anti-Nazi League, The United Farmworkers, the Defence Committees for Leonard Peltier and Mumia Abu Jamal, the Janitors Union in Los Angeles who is on strike right now and a lot of student groups across the country who have really made tremendous contributions - people who remind us that no matter how high the Dow Jones average goes, a lot of Americans get left behind. And for our own efforts over the last couple of years the biggest police organisation in the country has tried to shut us up. The Fraternal Order of Police has called for a boycott of Rage Against the Machine. This police organisation is trying to tell you what music is acceptable for you to listen to, what concerts are acceptable for you to go to and what ideas are acceptable for you to be exposed to. But the reason why they called for a boycott of Rage is not because they are afraid of us but because they are afraid of you - because the more you know - especially you up there - because the more you know - the more dangerous you are! But I think that you know a lot already, because despite the boycott, our shows sold out, our record went to #1 and we won a shitload of California Music Awards tonight.

So thank you very much for making their boycott a complete failure and thank you very much for telling the Pro Censorship forces in no uncertain terms - FUCK YOU I WONT DO WHAT YOU TELL ME!

Change doesnt come from the wisdom of Presidents and it doesnt come from the decisions of the Courts - it comes from people like You who are willing to stand up for whats right and it comes from people like You who are willing to stand up for the truth regardless of the consequences - so on behalf of Timmy, Brad and Zack - Thank You Very Much!"