Brady Clapp
Ms. Griffin
English 9, Period 1
May 9, 2013
Is Music Killing Our Kids?
"In Center point, a small Texas town, a young man took his life while listening to the music of AC/DC. He was not the first” according to Carma H. Shoemaker. Some people believe that music causes kids to fall into a deep depression or might encourage suicide. Some people even say that some “Rock” artists encourage kids to take their lives. In 2004 there were over 5000 lawsuits against multiple rock artists because of the suicides of young teenagers that enjoyed their music. Examples include Ozzy Osborne’s "Suicide Solution," Papa Roach" Last Resort," and Blue Oyster Cult's "Don't Fear the Reaper”. Ozzy was cleared of wrongdoing after parents of suicide victims complained about him in court. These are some of the most popular songs that imply suicide. These songs will also show up on the top 750 songs listen to by teens. But let’s face it, even if he were found liable, there would be no winner in that situation. In other words they are saying that the music that emotionally touches our kids is causing their decision making to be altered in a negative way. Although people don’t really know if that is what is happening to our kids when they listen to the music that they enjoy. For years, music has been blamed for inappropriate behavior in teens, including teen suicides and drug use but that’s not the cause kids are responsible/smart enough to not have music so greatly affect their lives.
Although, the multiple counts of kids that have taken their own life that could be considered evidence towards people believing that music truly affects kids so much that they believed that it was ok to take their life. Yet not once do people think about if that kid was already on the path of depression and never was helped. Even though they listened to music that could suggest suicide within the lyrics or even possibly the title that music could have been that little push to commit suicide but not quite the reason. Which multiple accounts of parents with kids that have killed themselves that claim that the musicians that created the music are responsible for the death of their children are now almost completely worthless now that judges look back to the facts of the mental health/ depression of child before his/her death. Even though the music was a little push and it’s still an upsetting subject and is hard for others to look at as the teen being depressed as the reason instead of an easier subject like blaming the music that their kid listen to. To even prove against the relationships in-between suicides and music they passed a law saying that the artist cannot be found guilty unless the background information about their mental status said that they were already depressed.
Some people think that we should be censoring kid’s music on the internet and trying to keep them from even being exposed to the music at all leaving kids unaware of the temptations of these songs. Even though that sounds like a good thing