March to have large turnout

Latest reports from the NME indicate the march is gathering support:

My Chemical Romance march 'aiming for 1000 protestors'
NME.com, UK 23 May 2008

Explaining that the march is "100% for My Chemical Romance" rather than emo music in general, Smith said: "The [Daily Mail's] words 'suicide cult' really stand out for me, because it's just so far from the truth. As a fanbase it's such an insult 'cause we fight so hard and so many of us suffer from depression, and we fight everyday to ward it off.

"The way [many teenagers are] fighting it is with My Chemical Romance's help and it's just such an insult to tell us that the last thing we have to hold on to and the last thing that's keeping us alive is killing us, because it's not."

Smith directly attacked the Daily Mail's suggestion that the emo group promotes suicide and self-harm, saying: "My Chemical Romance is my whole life and I take it very seriously, but at the same time the message that we're taking seriously isn't about death and how you should die and killing yourself and all that, it's about how you should love life and experience every moment that you can."

The march, set to begin at Hyde Park's West Pond in central London, takes place on the afternoon of May 31.

In an example of decent reporting the Western Mail talked to a Welsh MCR fan who is clearly not suicidal. Once again fake media reports are linked with bullying as well by somon who would know:

Sophie Brown, 14, from Llandybie, writes from a teenage perspective

ALOT of teenagers want to grow up too quickly these days. It isn’t healthy. You hear so much about pregnancies and underage sex. And then there’s the whole issue of teen suicides.

Recently, a coroner linked the death of Hannah Bond in Kent with her liking for Emo music.

But, in my view, that’s an easy scapegoat. People make their own choices and would not simply do something of that magnitude because a song told them to.

Suicide is a serious decision. It may even be an insult to victims to say their death was due to the music they listened to.

In reports of Hannah’s inquest, Emo was described as a “suicide cult”, followed by a brief description of “what Emo fans look like”. This included black hair, wristbands and black clothes – a description which did not help with bullying problems I have endured.

I spoke to my mother about washing the black out of my hair but she asked if I was doing it because of what people said. We both realised I should stand up for myself and not give in.

Yet it is the idea that self-harm is an important part of the Emo culture which I find most annoying.

Emo culture has come to play a part in music, fashion and – consequently – bullying. But it started off very differently.

In late 20th century America, boys who let their emotions show, who wore their hearts on their sleeves, were “Emo” – short for Emotional Rock.

In the family tree of music, Emo branched off from punk.

And at the turn of the Millennium, Emo began making its way to the UK. It picked up fans slowly until two bands changed everything – My Chemical Romance and Fall Out Boy.

Fans of the former seemed full of raw emotion while Fall Out Boy fans seemed more about bright colours and complicated, heartfelt lyrics.

Emo music is about expressing yourself in many ways and standing up for your beliefs and choices. It is not about cutting yourself to pieces. The media did a lot of harm by saying that.

Wearing black doesn’t make people depressed and being Emo doesn’t mean self-harming, being gay or being suicidal, which is what many people think.

After these reports, many adults turned against Emo bands, as well as social networking sites, which have been unfairly linked with youth suicides lately.

My sister and I used to use the Bebo site but we have had to delete our profiles because my parents believe it plays a part in bullying. They don’t like social networking sites. I disagree. I miss Bebo a lot. It may be addictive, but at the end of the day it’s just like free texting.

Last week, I had a letter about Emo culture published in a London newspaper and since then more people have been interested in what I have to say.

Generally, you only hear how bad it is from adults who don’t understand, or misunderstand, it.

I want to set the record straight. I want to stand up for it and I won’t let people be blinded with what is sometimes published.

When Emo came under attack, My Chemical Romance lyrics were interpreted as promoting suicide and glamorising death. That was wrong.

The song Famous Last Words, from their Black Parade album, features the lyrics, “I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone”.

hese are very uplifting to me. They are about teenage angst, love and being true to yourself.

Fall Out Boy songs aren’t depressing either. Their writer, Pete Wentz, who is often labelled “the King of Emo”, is an inspirational and successful man who has his own record label and clothing line – not all in black.

In school, Emo children are treated as outcasts. I am among those who has most problems. I’m also the only one with black hair.

But I learnt to hold my head high and stand up for myself, and this was largely down to songs by My Chemical Romance. Similarly, Fall Out Boy lyrics made me want to be more creative.

Never in my mind have I considered suicide. To me that would feel like giving in.

Emo music makes people see that life is not a fairytale, and I think that’s a good thing. I don’t want to be blind to the truth anymore. It simply isn’t fair.

‘Emo’ music is far from a black suicide cult
ic Wales, United Kingdom - May 21, 2008

Attack on 14 year old left her feeling suicidal

This is exactly why something must be done now. This girl's life has been turned into a living hell.

Attack has left me feeling suicidal
Glasgow Daily Record, UK

Apr 14 2008 Joan Burnie

Q - I AM a 14-year-old girl. I have a lot of problems in my life but most of them are based around one thing.

More than a year ago, I was attacked by a group of girls a few years older than me.

They only did it because I dress as a goth and have long red hair.

Before this happened my life was more or less perfect. Everything was going right.

But I have been extremely afraid to leave the house since. In fact, I don't leave my house unless I really have to or go to school.

I have also lost my best friend of nine years because I won't go out. I know it's my fault but after I got attacked, I was shattered and my confidence went down the drain.

I have also been depressed and thought about suicide. I still think about it but I would be too scared. My attitude has also changed towards my family.

I hate my father. I know it doesn't sound like much but the worst of it is losing my best friend. I am nothing without her.

The thing that would help me build my confidence back up most is probably a little help from my so-called "best friend", although she tries to bring me down all the time.

She slags me off for things she used to do herself. She's a real hypocrite. I am always left out of things. Worse, one minute we are all good friends, then she treats me badly.

Also, when my mother asked why I never go out I told her, then a few weeks later she asked again, so I gave her the same answer.

But this time she told me I was talking nonsense. I don't know what to do with my life and I am really scared. I don't see the point in me being here any more.

A I'M sorry about the attack. It must have been a terrifying experience. I'm not surprised it's had such a devastating affect.

I don't myself understand why Goths, who are about as mild a group of people as you could get, invite this level of hostility, especially from other teenagers.

It's a huge pity you didn't report it at the time. Even if they hadn't caught the culprits, you'd have been directed towards victim support. It's not too late.

Contact them on www.victimsupport.com. You haven't said why you hate your dad, so it's hard to tell you what to do about it and I'm sorry your mum has chosen to disbelieveyou were assaulted.

As for your friend, have you tried to explain why you're frightened to leave the house? If not, give her a chance to understand.

I think you also tell your guidance teacher about the assault, as well as the bullying.

Finally, next time you have these suicidal thoughts visit www.samaritans.org.uk and contact Breathing Space's helpline on 0800838587 between 6pm and 2am.

It's time you got the support you desperately need.

This reminds me of the suicide of another glasgow goth girl bullied to death Nichola Raphael in 2001.

Meanwhile in Wrexham guess what another skate park has been vandalised. Exactly the same sort of problem as seen in earlier cases of skate park vandalism that we have noted here before.

Yobs trash £250000 Flintshire skatepark
Wrexham Leader, UK - 8 Apr 2008

Youths in North Wales tried for goth attacks

Teenagers dealt with over assaults - North Wales News - News - Daily Post North Wales

Nov 7 2007 by Aaron Boland, Daily Post

SIX teenagers appeared in court yesterday for their roles in a series of assaults in Colwyn Bay.

A youth court at Llandudno heard how the darkly-clothed “Goths” – boys and girls aged 14 and 15 – were walking along Abergele Road at Old Colwyn last April when four “hoodies” approached. A boy was kicked and punched and a friend also hit.

Prosecutor Nita Dowell said five days later a man living in Lawson Road, Colwyn Bay, had been threatened with violence by a group of boys as he returned home.

The same month one of the defendants, a boy of 16, had been involved in a disturbance in Station Road, Colwyn Bay, where a man was punched. There was further trouble in Greenfield Road when a group of youths including him and a second defendant allegedly hurled bricks towards a man.

The 16-year-old was also involved in an assault near the skate park in Eirias Park when a youngster was set upon. He received a twelve-month referral order and must pay £100 compensation to this victim, and £60 costs. He admitted four counts of threatening behaviour and a fifth of common assault.

In May a youth was hit with a stick and bitten by an assailant near the skate park after five youths approached him. Two boys of 15 admitted assault causing actual bodily harm although they were not the main aggressors.

One of them also admitted two counts of threatening behaviour. They received referral orders and must pay £60 costs. The second boy was ordered to pay £100 compensation. Two others, aged 15, who admitted threatening behaviour, received referral orders and must pay £60 costs.

Another 15-year-old boy, who pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour, receiving a stolen fire extinguisher and criminal damage, was bailed for reports with a community-based penalty indicated.

Interesting case in that it seems to follow a pattern to the other attacks on subcultural groups. Putting aside the "chav"/hoodie sterotype aside we seem to have a pattern of people who are already involved in a range of criminal behaviour and skate parks are a favoured target area for them. Two of the suspects in the Sophie case were refused bail because of their background for example.