il 22, 1999, the Denver killings took place. Thirteen students weremurdered in Littleton, Colorado by their teen classmate. Some say that children get theirinspiration to kill from music, films and violent television programs, that have everythingto do except showing sensitivity to human life. In the absence of social values theseyoungsters fall easy as prey to the act of “heroism” depicted in programs, such as Jackassand by certain music stars such as Marilyn Manson, Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails. Suchacts of heroism have become a mean to stand up in society and “be noticed”. Others saythat the entertainment industry is hardly to blame, since the entertainment industry hasbecome the main source for adolescents background in values and morals. It’s hardly thetrigger but the mind behind the finger that pulls it that should carry the blame. In eithercase the music industry has introduced and promoted the idea of violence and should takeresponsibility of their actions. Many believe that political action should be taken to regulate the sales of musiccontaining explicit content. In states such as Washington, the Harmful Material to MinorsBill would create “adults only” sections in music stores. In Louisiana a $1000 fine or 6month prison term could be handed down to violators of a proposed bill that wouldprohibit the sale or distribution of “lyrics harmful to minors”. In New York a bill proposedin March would prohibit the sale of music to minors with lyrics describing suicide,sodomy, rape, incest, bestiality, adultery , murder, violent racism, religious violence,morbid violence or the illegal use of drugs or alcohol. One can argue that such laws wouldbe a serious blow to the first amendment but beyond legal problems are more difficultissues pertaining to the social responsibility of the multi-million dollar recording industryand the increasing violence throughout American history.MTV does no...
