PMRC & METAL CENSORSHIP "WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT!"

PMRC & METAL CENSORSHIP "WE'RE NOT GONNA TAKE IT!"

When Tipper Gore and her group of Washington wives created a furor last year by holding Senate hearings on the “evil” effects of rock lyrics and demanding that rock records be rated, their primary target was heavy metal music. Dee Snider, a big headbanger kingpin, even showed up at the hearing to speak and condemn what the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) was trying to do. But it wasn’t Just the Twisted Sister who was angered, since music personalities as diverse as Frank Zappa, John Denver and Donnie Osmond also voiced their complaints. But, of course, it was the metal fans and readers of METAL who spoke the loudest—and many of their opinions are printed in this section.

HAS BRAINS!

By now I’m sure you’ve heard of the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center). Well, I feel what they are trying to do is leading to censorship, and we can’t let that happen. America was discovered because certain groups of people in England were denied the right to believe in the religion of their choice. They came to America to be free. The Constitution was written so that all citizens of America sould have equal rights. The PMRC is trying to take away these rights. They are saying the music we are listening to is destroying our lives and making us mindless and violent. What do they think we are, brainless individuals who are completely incapable of making decisions on our own? I am not brainless, and I am offended that the PMRC regards us that way. We cannot let them put ratings, warnings, or wrappers on albums. There is no group that can unbiasedly rate them. Every time you buy an album with a warning label on it, you are being insulted because somebody in our government believes what you are listening to is morally wrong. Nobody can tell you what is wrong or right. That is a value judgment and only individuals can make value judgment, and then only for themselves. I have to agree that the PMRC has the right to inform parents about what their children are listening to. Unfortunately, they are presenting a one-sided image. There is a lot of good in today’s music, but people will only see what they want to see, and everything the PMRC see is bad.

Anyway, it is a parents responsibility to know what their children are listening to and the choice shoufd be made between the parent and the child until the child is responsible enough to make his or her own decisions. Also, every song means something different to each person. That’s part of being an individual. Each person has their own likes and dislikes and to judge someone else because of what they like or dislike is wrong. This is what the PMRC is doing to us. We have to show the PMRC that we are not the mindless fools they think we are. We must join together and stop them. I have written up a petition and I am asking you for your help. If you would like a petition to fill out, please write to me. We must unify in order to stop the PMRC. We need nationwide support. The more support we have the better we will be. If we can gain enough support, we can start an organization against the PMRC. If you don’t want your music censored, you must do something!! Please write to me.

I will answer all letters, even if it is just for information. Your support is greatly needed!!! Thanks.

Linda Meess

120 Ocean Avenue

Massapequa, NY 11758

METAL MOM!

Today I sat down and read my son’s METAL magazine. Although my son purchases your magazine once a month, I don’t always read it. Perhaps, I’ll read it more often, at least your Chainmail section. As a parent of a 15-year-old, I feel I need to respond to Lisa Meess’s letter.

I would like to commend her for her awareness. If parents gave their teens more credit to think things through themselves, they would realize this young lady is right. As a parent, I shudder to think about the kind of world people like Tipper Gore are trying to create. What kind of world are parents like her setting up for teens of today? My parents and their generation created the social security system, the income tax system, and the “birth” of a federal giant. They gave birth to passing laws that rob the citizen of their rights, freedom and property. Tipper Gore and her PMRC want to set up censorship and the rating system because it’s easier to let someone else think for them and our kids. They want to rob others of their rights to make up their minds and think for themselves because she and her fellow PMRC members lack that ability. In my opinion, they also lack faith in their children and in their own abilities as parents.

Marie Lutz Anderson

Phoenix, AZ

NON-METAL MOM & POP

Parents think they know best. My name is Cathy, and my mother and father think they can tell me what to do. I buy the METAL magazine often. I read the Chainmail to my parents, and they tell me that they should rate the records and take off MTV. They say there is no need to have dirty words or curse words in the song. I tell them if they don’t want to hear it, then don’t listen to it. I’m a very big fan of Motley Crue. My mom makes me go to this church. They said to me if you listen to rock ’n’ roll, you are going to hell. I said f— off, bitches. All I do in my house is stay in my bedroom and listen to Crue, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath and other metal groups. I’m getting pretty tired of these f—’ parents that are trying to take metal away from us. Listen to this. I was in my living room watching “Smoking In The Boys’ Room” by Motley Crue on MTV, and my dad comes and turns it off. So I said I wish I didn’t have parents so he starts yelling at me and almost knocks my f—’ teeth out. There’s one question that’s been on my mind. What can we do about this problem us metal fans have? Please write me back. I love you Vince, forever.

Cathy Rick

Hampton, VA

HEADBANGIN’ MOM!

What is all this crap about labeling records? We can listen to whatever we want. I’m a 16-year-old rocker who listens to nothing but heavy metal. My mother who is 39, is just as much of a head banger as I am. I just read an article in the newspaper. The headline said “Two rock stars mock, assail officials’ wives,” with two pictures above it, Zappa and the infamous Dee Snider. Dee said, “The only sado-masochism, bondage and rape in our songs is in the minds of the Senators’ wives.” He defended his music, saying he is a Christian who does not smoke, drink, or use drugs and his music reflects his personal beliefs. Trust me, he told me so himself. Yes, I’ve been lucky enough to talk to Dee and he is a very intelligent person. He thinks all this is bulls—. I’m sure many of us agree with him. If we pull together, we can show them our true feelings. Rock ’n’ roll is a way of life, and I’m living it. You were rebellious once, you listened to rock, and you lived it. So do we. So we’re gonna keep rock alive.

Vicki La Rosa

Jacksonville, AR

PMRC SLEEP WITH SENATORS!

I have been really annoyed by the whole PMRC thing. At first I laughed at it, but it seems to be snowballing. If I try to stand in their shoes (what a dreadful prospect), I see little reason for the whole fuss. Sure there are some “bad things” (like those jerks W.A.S.P.), but the good greatly outweighs these bad things. As Martin Birch, producer of that nasty, devil worshipping band, Iron Maiden said, “You can find more sex in magazines like Playboy and Penthouse than in the whole genre of heavy metal.” Maybe the PMRC should concentrate on removing these magazines from the shelves. Or even better, they should be more concerned with saving the world from nuclear destruction than telling us to listen to Frank Sinatra. The people (and that’s putting it nicely) of the PMRC are obviously obsessed with their ill-gotten power (i.e., sleeping with senators), so I would like to remind them that today’s youth is tomorrow’s adult (i.e., vote). If they continue as they are, their precious political careers won’t last much longer.

Chris Shaw

Mamaroneck, NY

HANGING

SEPARATELY!

You know I am so f—’ sick and tired of people putting down other people for one reason or another. One person will say Crue sucks and the other person will say shut up or I’ll rip off your head and s— down your neck. I mean, what the hell is this? Battle of the poser metal bands? Right now happens to be the worst time to be arguing over such ridiculous stuff. Now is the time when we should be sticking together like glue with all these groups out there trying to do us in. By the way, Tipper Gore, if you happen to read this, you can go and crawl back underneath the slimy rock where you came from anytime now. I don’t know what you’re complaining about, you could be the next drummer for W.A.S.P. with your name and looks, bitch! Have I made my point? I thought so. All I’m saying to all you rock ’n’ rollers is to quit putting down your own people for your own sake, we just can’t afford it. Sure there are different types of metal, but is that so hard to live with? Hell, everyone should be glad that there’s any metal at all because there’s a bunch of jerks out there trying to do away with it. So just try and be happy with the hardworking bands that are out there trying to keep rock ’n’ roll alive. I’ll tell you what, if and when this whole PMRC thing blows over, you can all complain, OK? Until then, keep your big mouths shut!

Danielle Devine

Peerskill, NY

LACK OF METAL = DEATH!

I think it’s a bunch of bull that the PMRC wants to rate records!!! Now what’s that I hear? They want to rate concerts?!! God, pretty soon they will be taking the albums off the record charts and out of the stores. What will all of those great artists like Crue, Ratt, Kiss, W.A.S.P., Twisted Sister (etc.) do?! What will us kids—especially heavy metal fans like me—do?! I think the PMRC is trying to get back at the artists because some of the lyrics are gross, but that’s their style. I mean, it’s just as bad as sitting in front of the TV and watching the news. There’s sex, drugs and violence. I also think that the PMRC is trying to get the artists for something that isn’t their fault. It’s actually the parent’s fault. Half of the teenage suicides and teenage drunk drivers are caused by the parents because they don’t spend time with, listen to or try and help their kids. The kids that end up dying probably didn’t have anybody to turn to, so they listen to rock ’n’ roll, mostly heavy metal. Therefore, parents blame the artists that the kids like for inspiring their kids to kill themselves or that bring back memories of the past, so they kill themselves so they don’t have to live with those memories. All I’m trying to say is if the PMRC wants to help these kinds of kids, they are going about it all wrong. I hope they realize what they are doing, because kids these days need rock ’n’ roll. What will this world be without it?!

Tiffeny Nichols

Arvada, CO