The world today scares me.
I'm not talking about nuclear war, abortion or apartheid. I'm not paranoid about Mid-east tensions, the IRA, or even Bush and Quayle vs. Dukakis and Bentsen.
None of this can compare to insensitive clods who impose their morals on me against my will.
The so-called "religious right" is after my mind. And I don't like their attitude.
The worst thing someone can do is get me on a tangent on which I have a strong opinion. And when some group tries to shove its philosophies down my throat with a Ginsu, I fight back.
The group that chose to "save me from false prophets" is called "Freedom Village USA." It sent me a pamphlet to fill me in on false cults, teachings, religious doctrine and theologies. In particular, it wanted to save me from the evils of Satanic Rock.
Yeah, Dream on, guys.
Satan, according to these watchdogs, is busy helping musicians such as Pat Benatar, Jackson Browne, John Denver, Kris Kristofferson, Tina Turner and Stevie Wonder write lyrics which are dooming them to hell. (To be fair, they also mention some not-so-saccharinated bands, such as Motley Crue, AC/DC and Twisted Sister.)
When I began to read the 12-page list of rockers, I thought it was a joke. I mean, yes, I suppose Black Sabbath gets its kicks out of mimicking an occult ritual. But it sickens me that so many people are willing to be led by "moral" groups who use words taken merely at face value, and nothing more.
Many of the "evils" mentioned have to do with beliefs not popular with the Catholic Church - views on the occult, homosexuality, oral sex, masturbation, drugs, etc. However, there are some topics on which Freedom Village is doing nothing more than trying to set up a smoke screen.
FREEDOM VILLAGE'S SAMPLE #1: Benatar's album Crimes of Passion includes the song "Hell is for Children." That's not what I want to teach my children.
GABA RESPONSE #1: If you listen to the lyrics, "Hell is for Children" is a song about the horrors of child abuse.
FREEDOM VILLAGE SAMPLE #2: Billy Joel's song, "Only The Good Die Young" remorses over Catholic girls staying virgins so long. He adds, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than die with the saints, the sinners have much more fun."
GABA RESPONSE #2: Joel's "sinners/saints" line is a view on what society has dictated is moral and correct. It's strange "society" cannot define what is immoral or indecent without using terms that might be seen as such.
FREEDOM VILLAGE SAMPLE #3: Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall" says, "We don't need no education ... hey, teacher, leave us kids alone."
GABA RESPONSE #3: The anti-establishment theme stems from the civil rights movement and the Vietnam "dove" response to Washington in the 1960s. The leaders ain't always right.
FREEDOM VILLAGE SAMPLE #4: Ozzy Osbourne has an album called The Ultimate Sin. He was compelled to see The Exorcist 26 times.
GABA RESPONSE #4: The "Ultimate Sin" is, I understand, a nuclear holocaust. And The Exorcist had lots of great special effects.
I wish I had the ability to present all of the things these so-called "moralists" are imposing on you and me. Groups such as these - including the Tipper Gore-led PMRC, which (if you recall) held hearings on rock lyrics and album cover designs - are just out to make a name using red-scare tactics.
I asked this two weeks ago; I'll ask it again. Who is responsible here? The bands? The record companies? The radio music directors?
Or is it the parents who should tell their children what values are- what is good or bad?
Using rock music as an excuse for their children's "demise in moral integrity" is the most blatant cop-out I've ever seen.
This article originally appeared in Central Michigan Life.
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