Aaron Grech June 8th, 2020 - 12:04 PM
System of a Down drummer John Dolmayan recently praised US president Donald Trump as the “greatest friend to minorities,” which were at odds with the views of the band’s frontman Serj Tankian, who called for the president’s resignation, while lambasting Trump’s decision to take a trip to a bunker amid social unrest in the nation’s capital.
Dolmayan has now discussed his recent comments in a new Instagram video, where he explained his conservative views, while explaining the band’s inner dynamics regarding politics. While he and Tankian are on completely different sides of the political spectrum, Dolmayan has called their political discussions civil, in a surprise departure from the band’s turmoils which the drummer has been very outspoken about as of late. He also expressed respect for the frontman’s opinions despite these disagreements.
“We have differing opinions in System Of A Down,” Dolmayan explained. “That shouldn’t be a shock to anybody, because you have four individuals — we’re not always like-minded and don’t always agree on everything. But you’d be surprised at how civil our conversations are, especially between me and Serj, who seem to have the most diverging opinions on things.”
Domayan addressed how some fans were disappointed by his outspoken conservative views, but also expresses appreciation for some of the dialogue he has had from people with different opinions. He also credited his age as part of the reason for his views, along with some of his inherent values.
“Look, guys, a lot of you are very young, and as you gain experience in life, you will have different ways of looking at things and different perspectives, and it won’t mean as much to you to fit into certain boxes that people set for you,” he elaborated. “And I guess in a lot of ways that’s what’s happened to me, although I’ve always tended to think more conservatively.”
He further explained that he was worried about how these changes will effect the middle class, and also urged his audience to be skeptical of policies that are advocated by famous people. He also urged people to reflect on their own experiences, to try to understand the position others are coming from.
“People shouldn’t sit there and allow their moral superiority in their heads — because you really aren’t morally superior to anyone, although you may think you are; you really aren’t. Especially if you don’t know the other person — you don’t know every aspect of their life, their motivations for things,” Dolmayan stated.
The artist also explained his thoughts on defunding the police, which has gained traction from local governments in Los Angeles and New York City. According to Consequence of Sound, Dolmayan called the practice “probably the stupidest thing (he’s) heard.”
Dolmayan and Tankian recently teamed up for a cover of David Bowie’s “Starman” earlier this year.
Check out his full Instagram post below:
Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat
