Camilo

State Radio is a band from Boston that mixes reggae, rock, punk and more somber, low-key numbers together. They are known for outstanding stage presence and frequent crowd participation. The band "road tests" their music, meaning they play new songs on their tours before finally recording a final version. As of September 2007, they only have two albums out, Us Against the Crown and Year of the Crow. Their song "Camilo" is one of their most well known and famous songs. If the listener looks deep into the song, they can truly understand what it is about.

"Camilo," is ultimately about a man and war. In October of 2003, Sergeant Camilo Mejia, returned home from Iraq and tried to be a conscientious objector, however he was rejected. A conscientious objector is someone who refuses to participate in military service on the basis of religious or moral principles. Sergeant Mejia was considered AWOL. The first verse explains the life of one man ending. "His eyes shut tight bracing for the blow. Resigning his life to the metal held, in another man's hand," explains how this man knew he was going to die and all he could do was shut his eyes and wait. The chorus is about the Sergeant Camilo, or the narrator not wanting to go back to Iraq, and not wanting to be punished for it. It is explained in the lyrics, "And from another land's war torn corners, to a prison cell in my own. Punish me for not taking your orders, but don't lock me up for not leavin' my home." Camilo does not want to go and fight in this war again. In March of 2004 he turned himself in to military authorities and received nine months in prison. He is telling the government they are locking him up only for the reason that he was rejected to being a conscientious objector and not because he didn't want to leave his family. "Doorbells are ringing with boxes of bones," explains to the listener that unfortunately people die when they go into war and then it is the soldiers responsibility to go to the decease's family and give them the bad news. The lyrics, "You tried to recreate normandy, But you made up the reason to fight ," indicates that this narrator is telling the government they are only in a war because of a made up reason to fight and they will not create a normal lifestyle again. There is a metaphor shown in the line, "And now red oil is spillin' down on the street." The red oil is a metaphor for blood spilling down the streets. In the lines, "Or is blood money just money to you? Is blood money just money to you," is repeated for emphasis. State Radio chose to do this because there is an important meaning behind it. Interpreted, Camilo is asking the government if losing lives of many citizens is worth the money they would get. At the end of the song, State Radio sings, "Camilo, Camilo, leave him alone, Camilo." The point of view is changed to the band's opinion telling the U.S military to leave the Sergeant alone.

George W. Bush once said, “I just want you to know that when we talk about war, we’re really talking about peace." In Camilo Mejia's eyes, they war is not going to bring peace back. Sergeant Camilo Mejia, a brave man in many's eyes(1), is considered a hero for not doing something just because "they" wanted him too. He was brave enough to stick up for what he believed in and brave enough to except the consiquences.(2) For his decision and beliefs, he had to pay a price. To this day there are more than 23, 000 US soldiers wounded and over 655,000 dead.