rights, economic injustice, environmental disasters, forced displacement, homophobia, and modern warfare. Political corruption is another subject commonly found in their lyrics, and as a result, Rise Against is often labeled as a "political band". Some journalists have stated that the band has specifically targeted the Republican administrations of George W. Bush and Donald Trump, while promoting anarchist ideologies. As the band's primary lyricist, McIlrath is wary of the political label. "In this sort of current climate of music, we stand out simply because I think there are bands that are avoiding the question. So, it makes us sort of an anomaly and I think that's where we get the tag 'protest music' or 'political punk rock'". He also noted how the band's lyrics discuss these topics in general terms, instead of delving into the specifics. In a 2006 interview, McIlrath said: "I think that a lot of the problems we deal with today in the world are the ones that have been plaguing society for centuries and probably will be here a hundred years from now...There's a bigger picture than just the Bush administration and specific problems of 2006, and I want people to relate to that, even if they're listening to [our music] 10 years from now." Principe noted the band does not attempt to preach their beliefs, but instead encourage listeners to become involved, and learn about pertinent issues affecting society. Not all Rise Against songs discuss controversial topics. More personal stories about broken relationships and forgiveness are common lyrical themes, as is the concept of self-reflection. The Unraveling is an early example of this style of songwriting, as the majority of the album's songs focus on friendships and memories. It was not until Revolutions per Minute that McIlrath began to integrate social issues into their music. Despite the grim subject matter, Rise Against songs are often hopeful in nature, a decision the band conscientiously made from the very beginning. Will Rausch of PopMatters wrote: "Unlike typical emo rants filled with despondency and arm chair philosophy, [Rise Against] songs deal with the reality that life sucks, but we must move on." Videography Rise Against will often produce an accompanying music video for a single. These videos typically either tell a narrative or feature documentary-like footage. This documentary style of filming can be seen in the music videos for "Ready to Fall", "Re-Education (Through Labor)", "Ballad of Hollis Brown",