Daily Mail - Legacy of Distortion Part I

Giving the Mail recent statement claims they are unbiased and gives fair coverage over all. I decided to look back over the years to see if the Mail's tendency to distort the truth noticeable in two recent articles was noticeable elsewhere. It is interesting to note that the Mail did give good coverage to the Sophie Lancaster case highlighting the prejudice of the attackers to some extent. It is odd they should then follow up that with their articles on Emo.

This even seems more odd when you see this article from their sister paper on My Chemical Romance:

Mail on Sunday March 25, 2007 Sunday

Who said Romance was dead? BYLINE: TIM DE LISLE

For years, the generation gap has been narrowing.

Students listen to the gently rousing sound of Snow Patrol and so do their parents. Girls and their mothers read the same celebrity rags and sing along to Scissor Sisters. But now a band from New Jersey threaten to reopen the great divide.

My Chemical Romance are loud, dark, heavily made-up and suddenly popular.

They have even been accused of leading a cult of self-harm, although the evidence is slight. The subject of self-harm does crop up in chatrooms populated by the band's fans but they can hardly be blamed for that and their response has been clear enough: 'We do not encourage self-harm.' They frighten some parents, but others are here with their children, and some older people are even here of their own accord. Behind me, two men are reminiscing about a gig by The Damned in 1976.

My Chemical Romance are not so much objectionable as puzzlingly hard to place not quite punk, not quite emo, not quite metal. At last summer's Reading Festival they were pelted with bottles by fans of the veteran death-metal band Slayer. This delighted My Chemical Romance, who pride themselves on being outsiders.

This is bizzare. Note De Lisle who clearly has some idea of what is talking about points out that:

1 - De Lisle notes MCR do not advocate self-harm in anyway and says: "the evidence is slight". NOTE in 2007 the evidence "cult of self-harm" is slight but in 2008 it is suddnly definate.
2 - It points out the band may or may not be Emo.... as a lot of MCR fans claim. So if there is doubt about their status as a emo band in 2007 why in 2008 are they suddenly definitely Emo leaders of a suicide cult?

Not so long ago of course it was not Emos who were the problem:

Young 'Goths' are a suicide risk: Report reveals darker side of teenage culture

BYLINE: JENNY HOPE

Daily Mail (London)April 14, 2006 Friday

TEENAGE 'Goths' who like to dress in black and listen to morbid rock music are more likely to attempt suicide, it was revealed yesterday. A study of Scots youngsters found those attracted to the dramatic black makeup and pasty, white faces of the Goths often showed a deep melancholic streak. They had alarmingly high levels of mental health problems and were more likely to harm themselves or attempt to take their own lives than members of any other youth subculture... Lead researcher Robert Young said: 'Although only fairly small numbers of young people identify themselves as Goths, their rates of self-harm and attempted suicide are very high.

'One common suggestion is that they may be copying their icons or peers but our study found that more reported self-harm before becoming a Goth, rather than after which suggests that youngsters with a tendency to selfharm are attracted to the subculture.'... Goths acquired a violent reputation after songs and art by the group's rock hero Marilyn Manson were linked to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in Colorado, in which 13 were shot dead, and also to the murder of 14-year-old Jodi Jones in Dalkeith, Midlothian, in 2003.

Covering the infamous study on suicidal tendencies we have mentioned before the article does at strive to give a balanced view and I think it is fair reporting whatever we think of the study. But it include references to earlier cases which will come to shortly.

The Suicide of Carina Stephenson

This suicide attracted much media attention because the girl was in a reality TV programme. But was her love of Marilyn Manson involved perhaps according to these Mail stories?

I was devastated that our lovely, funny girl decided to die in such a lonely way. You may feel close to your children, but there are always things you'll never know

BYLINE: ANGELLA JOHNSON
Mail on Sunday (London)

September 11, 2005
SECTION: FB_04; Pg. 28
Carina had a taste for Goth music which typically glorifies death and mutilation. One favourite was Marilyn Manson, whose songs have been implicated in other teenage suicides.

Liz said: 'I had no idea of the kind of grim messages she was brainwashing herself with through her headphones. I think she just got locked into a web of misery. Instead of sharing her pain with people around her, she sought out likeminded and vulnerable teenagers.

There is other coverage:

DAILY MAIL (London)

May 30, 2005

Last month Mail writer David Jones interviewed a close-knit family just back from the latest reality TV experiment. Then came shocking news: their bright 17-year-old daughter had taken her own life. Was reality TV implicated?...

Or perhaps her depression was connected to her fascination with 'goths', a dark subculture which attracts melancholic, introspective youths. A friend revealed yesterday that even before Carina announced that she thought she was gay, she had been bullied and teased for being a 'tomboy' and her love of gothic clothing.

And more:

Carina from The Colony killed herself after bullies taunted her for being a lesbian
Mail on Sunday (London) May 29, 2005

BYLINE: ANGELLA JOHNSON SECTION: FB_04; Pg. 36; Pg. 37

A policeman found her body hanging from a tree two days later, in a wood a few hundred yards away from the family's Pounds 400,000 self-built home in Branton, near Doncaster. She left two suicide notes. One clue to her state of mind may come from Laura Howden, 15, who had befriended Carina at Armthorpe Comprehensive School near Doncaster.

She told The Mail on Sunday that even before Carina revealed she thought she was gay, she had been bullied and teased for being a tomboy and her love of 'Goth'-style clothing. 'I used to go into dinner at school with her and because she was often on her own I kept her company during breaks,' said Laura. 'She was not really interested in boys. She concentrated on her schoolwork and kept everything to herself. She was taunted at school that she was a lesbian. Other girls would call her "lesbo" or "gay girl" and she got really upset about it.

'At one point she spent a lot of time off because of the bullying while it was being sorted out. But despite what had happened at school the news of her death still came as a shock. She was someone you could really get along with. I never thought she would do that.'

So this seems to be another case bullicide interconnected to homophobia and anti-goth prejudice. Even raising the Manson connection seems irrelevant. Interesting to note that Manson and MCR had a falling out a few years ago. They have one thing in common the Daily Mail hates both of them

EMO/MCR March - "Annoymous" vs MCR

It seems to have been successful with lots of coverage and portrayed a positive view of MCR fans successfully.

Ok much of the general media coverage of was not in depth but youtube has provided some real gems. The most amazing thing is that some peopl who may have been from Anonymous the internet group that was behind the hoax videos actually turned up to the protest. (They are in the Guy Fawkes/ V masks) They turned out surprise to be a bunch of geeks... and were heavily outnumbered and they lost the argument as you see here. Wow this looks lots of fun!! Teenage girls versus geeks what did you think would happen?

At the end of day various b-tards (frequenters of an online forum 4chan) have long found it amusing to spam commemoration message boards for suicides usually celebrating the death. This is not only in poor taste but may influence others to kill themselves. While many anon symphasiers don't care simply looking for lulz others think it is wrong. Of course Anonymous is an anarchistic mess so it is not surprising they cannot agree about things. [Since writing this I discovered that the faction attacking the march are mainly in fact from PartyVan this "is a sub of Ebaums, the enemy of the chans." You can found out more about anon internal poltics here and about the mass trolling on MCR websites. No wonder tempers flared.]

There are signs the so called pro-suicide comments picked up by the media on such boards are not by real emos or MCR fans but are by various b-tards trolling. And as we know academic studies have demonstrated that media sensationalism is definitely linked to suicide clusters so anonymous have played their part in building up problems like the Bridgend suicide cluster which if you remember was blammed on the Internet. Which is doubly ironic of course as some of Anonymous accusations against Scientology focus on their links with strange deaths and suicides.

Anyway be any conventional standards if you compare all this confusion with the stance by MCR fans and the band who all agree suicide is wrong and have put out consistently anti-suicide message then "Anonymous" come out looking bad. But that is not an issue really :)

Besides all the fun of the march there is a dark question. This is a serious issue. Has this march trivialised it or not? There has been some good coverage but at the end of the day the Daily Mail stands firm.

Sarah Sands, the emo's old enemy from 2006 appeared in The Independent trotting out the usual nonsense a few days ago:

How to turn an emo into a fitness fanatic

A couple of years ago, I wrote about the dreariness of emos. I thought song titles such as "Dead!" or "Cancer!" were not very life-enhancing. US band Adam and Andrew have a witty take: "When I get depressed I cut my wrists in every direction/ Hearing songs about getting dumped gives me an erection." The emos, forceful, even if they look as if they live in coffins, have railed against anti-emoism, and yesterday they went on a march.

Emo culture is self-dramatising and self-pitying. If we tell them they are wonderful, they will give up white skins and dark clothes and take up hockey.

Sarah Sands: It's a great plot: two novelists under one roof
Independent

This issue is far too important to be left to die. I hope the activism of MCR and emos takes firm roots.

Another good video of the day here from AudiojunkiesTV discusses the groups present:

A Sing along to MCR not really a dangerous cult I think.

"Emo" March - First Coverage - Daily Mail responds

Emo runs high as fans defend band against Daily Mail
guardian.co.uk, UK

Fans of My Chemical Romance came from all over the country but the atmosphere was more carnival fairground than protest. Photograph: Anna Gordon

There are few things that would drag a typical teenager out of bed early on a Saturday morning, but defending the honour of a beloved band from tabloid attacks is probably one of them.

Around 100 My Chemical Romance fans had already gathered at Marble Arch, in central London, by 10.30 this morning - not bad given that organisers had given the protest a 12-hour window, of 10am to 10pm, and that there was a last minute change of venue.

The fans were objecting to Daily Mail reports describing My Chemical Romance as a "suicide cult band" and linking the recent suicide of a Peckham schoolgirl, Hannah Bond, 13, to the fact that she had started following the band two weeks before her death.

It is a good article but it looks like the size of the march if not the dedication of those involved was not up to expectations. Impressive to se people coming so far. The very harmless nature of those involved underlines the Mail's stupidity.

The Mail's official response looks bland:

EMO: The Daily Mail Responds - Xfm The Daily Mail have finally made a statement:

"

The Daily Mail’s coverage of the “Emo” movement has been balanced,
restrained and above all, in the public interest.

Genuine concerns were raised at the inquest earlier this month on 13
year old Emo follower Hannah Bond who had been self-harming and then
tragically killed herself.

The Coroner found " the Emo overtones concerning death and associating
it with glamour very disturbing."

Her mother had told the inquest that Hannah had been obsessed with My
Chemical Romance whose hit number one on their last album was called The
Black Parade.

Mrs Bond told the court ;"In Emo it is a very glamorous death to hang
yourself. The band she was into, the music she was into-the whole thing
is based on the black parade which is all about dying. "She called Emo a
fashion and I thought it was normal. I didn't know about the cuts." Her
father said he had seen cuts on her wrists and his daughter had told him
they “ were an Emo initiation.”

In common with other newspapers we ran an accurate news story recording
the Coroner's remarks and the parents' comments. We also published two
other articles, one of which explained the background to the Hannah
tragedy in calm and un-sensational language.

The other was a first person opinion piece by a well-known writer,
written from the perspective of a mother concerned for her children.

We have also run two prominent page lead letters from an Emo music fan
and from a fan of My Chemical Romance defending their point of view. Our
music critic admires the music of the band and publicised the band’s UK
tour last year.

Since this protest was announced a great deal of misinformation has
appeared on the internet, much of which confuses what the Daily Mail has
actually published with the comments of web site readers and “blogs”
over which we have no control and which have stirred up emotions.

We note it has been pointed out by others that all this provides
wonderful publicity for Warners and their impending release of My
Chemical Romance's latest album.

The Daily Mail is a broad church and is always ready to listen to the
views of readers. We do, however, suggest those who want to protest or
comment read everything we have published and act on fact not rumour."

The fact is the Daily Mail published articles which were prejudiced and unbalanced. Remember too the band and their company have done nothing to exploit the situation for publicity this was all down to the fans.

There was also a good earlier article interviewing the organizer:

Exclusive: Emo March Organiser And More Stars Speak Out - Xfm

More here:
Black Parade of teen angst
Irish Independent, Ireland

March against the Mail today

The march/gathering has moved location looks like the police would not accept it being direcly outside the Mail. See here.

The publicity surrounding the march has resulted in a few articles. The BBC has looked into the problem:

Rock cult or nice kids that do their homework?
BBC News, UK -29 May 2008

As she knuckles down to prepare for her A-level exams, Kate Ashford, 17, from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, offers a less sinister explanation for the appeal of MCR.

The theatrical angst and drama of emo is, she suggests, no more than an outlet for a generation creaking under the weight of social expectation.

"Being a teenager has got to be so much more difficult these days," Kate says. "There's a lot more exams and pressure to get into university.

"Listening to a band like MCR is a cathartic thing. And I suppose emo style is meant to be about standing out, looking different - even if all the other emo kids are dressed the same as you."

Matthew Hirons, a 22-year-old web developer from Stourport-on-Severn, is even more phlegmatic. He suggests that the critics take the music far more seriously than the fans.

"People say emo is all about depression and suicide," he says. "But I'm a happy person. I've got a girlfriend and a good job. I just like the music and the fashion.

"I think anyone over 25 will find it hard to understand what it's all about. Even I'm a bit past it for an emo, to be honest."

The Times article is far better however with a wideranging article on the problems of emos in South America. But why no mention of emo attacks in the UK?

Emo kids are under attack.
Times Online, UK - 29 May 2008

Coincidentally, Mexico is one country that has recently experienced a wave of antiemo attacks. The emo cult is growing throughout Latin America, and its followers are regularly subjected to abuse, prejudice and even violent attack. They are seen as homosexual, antisocial poseurs, weird and fanatical. In March antiemo attacks swept through Mexico.

On March 7 a mob of 800 in the city of Queretaro went looking for emos to beat up. On March 15, a silent march against the attacks, organised by a gay rights group, was staged in the same city.

In Chile there are reports of skin-heads attacking emo kids. In São Paulo, Brazil, emo teenagers report regular attacks, especially in the city’s poorer Eastern suburbs. In Lima, Peru, a gang of anarchist punks recently attacked emos, kidnapping one who was kicked and punched before he was rescued.

For South American emos, the appeal is more about identity, means of expression, and style. Especially for those in the continent’s enormous urban sprawls, where the increasing economic boom means that families have internet and cable television but where there are few outlets for increasingly sophisticated teenage youth.

This is clear in the shabby, nondescript Galeria Brasil in Lima, situated on the edge of the city’s drab, grimy, suburban sprawl. It’s one of Peru’s most famous destinations for rock fans. But this grubby concrete mall, with its CD and T-shirt shops, looks like a Hackney tower block. Teenagers idle out their afternoons playing out-of-date video games for 25p an hour. Looking around, it’s easy to see why a cult about teenage identity and isolation might spread so quickly.

Jimmy Carrillo, a Peruvian TV reporter, profiled emos recently. “The emo movement is very strong here in Lima,” he says. “It’s a new movement. It’s very colourful, weird, very estranged from other movements.” Emo is gaining ground in poorer, transitional barrios such as Villa El Salvador and Los Olivos, where people are open to the influence of American rock and MTV. But the prejudice against the perceived homosexuality of emos runs deep. “This is a very macho country. So homosexuality is taboo,” Carrillo says. Anarcho punks particularly hate them. “They hate homosexuals. And they look at the emos as people who stole ideas and music. It’s a double punch.”

Junior Medina, 20, is a singer in Lima’s hottest emo band Ediana. “We are called gays, queers, pussies, faggots,” he says. “The lyrics are one cause, because they are romantic, about heartbreak.” Their followers are accused of being poseurs. “Emos are more concerned about the way they look,” Medina says, fiddling with his floppy fringe.

Yet Latin American emos are fighting back. In March Medina took part in a studio debate for the Peruvian TV chat show Enemigos Intimos, in which emos were heavily satirised. “That was fake,” he says. Realising some of the other emo participants were imposters, he waited until 1am, and filmed two of the vacant emo teenagers – actually channel employees – leaving work. Medina posted the video on YouTube. The national newspaper El Comercio ran an exposé and the show’s producers were forced to apologise.

“Emo isn’t emotional, it’s just queer,” is a popular saying among fashionable youth in Brazil’s most style-conscious city, São Paulo. When the cult hit the city in 2006, homemade “comedy” videos appeared on YouTube showing how to lynch an emo.

The assumption among many Brazilians is that emos are gay, unsociable, and self-centred – none of which goes down well in this conservative, sociable country. Victor Sousa, 20, is a former emo and he encountered plenty of prejudice, he says. “The homosexual prejudice is unfair. People say that, but it isn’t true for everyone.”

Typical of emo’s critics is Ligia Terceira, 30, a salesperson in Shopping Tatuapé, a vast, hectic mall in Zona Leste, São Paulo, where many emos gather and where many are attacked. “Many of them look like homosexuals,” he says. “It seems they don’t like people. They exclude themselves from society. They have closed minds; they’re radical and fanatical.”

Expert study shows how accusations of being "emo" are tied to being bullied

Survey finds as many as half of children are victims of peer abuse ...
Akron Beacon Journal, OH

A survey by the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry discovered that as many as half of all children are bullied at some time during their school years, and at least 10 percent are bullied on a regular basis.

Amanda Brace and Rachel Vitale, who developed a program last year to prevent cyber-bullying, said kids often learn such adverse behavior from their mothers. They watch how she interacts with her friends. But, of course, there's also that middle-school culture that can lend itself to relational aggression.

''There is a lot of independence seeking at this age,'' explained Brace. ''There have always been mean girls, but I think it's just coming to a head now.''

A Stark County 13-year-old shared her story about being falsely identified as ''emo.'' Loosely defined, people who consider themselves emo often wear black clothes, tight jeans, huge bangs and black eye makeup. Hardcore emos are depressed and may even cut themselves. An abbreviation for ''emotive hardcore,'' emo also is a certain genre of music.

''I am often bullied for being different. My hair is cut differently on each side and I like to wear black,'' the teen explained. ''Anyone who calls me that is too busy being a bully to realize that I am almost always happy.''

Sometimes, the name-calling gets carried away. A seventh-grader from Summit County said she was physically pushed around after being accused of being both a lesbian and emo.

''They would write things on my locker, shove me into the walls, and block my locker so I would be late for class,'' explained the young teen. ''They also slapped me in the face one time.''

Both girls are part of the Beacon Journal's Kid's Group, a team of 12- to 18-year-olds who are helping us define and tell stories affecting teens. Because they are victims, we elected not to identify them.

March against the Mail - other band back My Chemical Romance

My Chemical Romance's official statement:

We have recently learned of the suicide and tragic loss of Hannah Bond. We’d like to send our condolences to her family during this time of mourning. Our hearts and thoughts are with them.

My Chemical Romance are and always have been vocally anti-violence and anti-suicide. As a band, we have always made it one of our missions through our actions to provide comfort, support, and solace to our fans. The message and theme of our album “The Black Parade” is hope and courage. Our lyrics are about finding the strength to keep living through pain and hard times. The last song on our album states: “I am not afraid to keep on living” - a sentiment that embodies the band’s position on hardships we all face as human beings. If you or anyone that you know have feelings of depression or suicide, we urge you to find your way and your voice to deal with these feelings positively.

My Chemical Romance speak about 'emo' suicide

Following this a variety of other bands have backed them:

Exclusive: Stars Hit Back At Emo Scapegoating

Ahead of this Saturday's (May 31) protest march, Elbow's Guy Garvey, Kate Nash and The Pigeon Detectives have come out in support of emo and all forms of music after the genre was scapegoated in the pages of the tabloids.

NME are doing good reports on this including one on the story we highlighted:

My Chemical Romance march hit by 'internet terrorists'

The Mail's pitiful journalism is lambasted in this US article:
The Big Hurt: Pied-pipers lead innocent teens to emo cult Valhalla!
The Phoenix, MA

Goths/emos arrested for school dress code violation

Another chapter in long tradition of school dress code protests in the USA. Arresting people for a dress code violation seems harsh to say the least. That can't be right surely.

School fashion protest leads to arrests
The Columbian, WA - 26 May 2008

In the past two weeks, four eighth-grade boys have been arrested and charged with misdemeanors for leading protests against the school’s dress code. About 20 more students have been suspended.

Parents of those students are wondering whether this tough-love approach has gone too far — the dress code, after all, was implemented to curb bad behavior.

Amy Proffer, whose son, Joey, was among those arrested, said she was upset that the principal allowed police to question her 14-year-old son without calling her.

“I was concerned that the officer was taking a statement from my child,” Proffer said. “They told me that they have a right to question him without a parent because he’s over the age of 12.”

The dress code, dubbed “Mac attire,” was implemented at the start of the school year after a parent vote of approval. Proffer voted against it.

Principal Rich Reeves referred reporter calls to Vancouver Public Schools spokeswoman Kris Sork, who said the district stands by Reeves’ decision to call the police.

“I don’t dare talk about the specific case,” Sork said, citing educational privacy laws. “It was investigated by Mike Stromme (director of secondary education), who found that it was all absolutely appropriate.”

Events unfold

The frustration over Mac attire took root the afternoon before the lunch protest, at a Fort Vancouver High School track meet.

According to student and police accounts, several eighth-graders were playing in the grass, turning somersaults and using crass language when an assistant principal from their school approached. She told them to knock it off.

The next morning, one of the boys received a letter saying he wouldn’t be allowed to partake in any more after-school functions through the end of the school year.

That boy, Sam Ruble, said he nearly started crying. He’s a wiry boy with long side bangs and a flair for the dramatic. Sam, 14, said that he was upset because his alternative rock band had been planning to perform after school next month.

The next day at lunch, the boys fumed. They were angry at administrators about their punishment, and that gave way to conversations about the dress code, which they said crimps their style.

By the end of the lunch period, a decision had been made: They would protest the dress code.

“What made us angry at first was barely a protestable issue,” Sam said. “But we realized that many people understand the dress code cause, and we decided that we were long overdue for a dress code protest.”

They wanted to show off their “randomness,” student Desirea Allen said later. They wanted to draw on their jeans and wear the colors of their choice. They acknowledge that they’ve been able to show off their personalities in spite of the dress code, which allows them to dye their hair any color and write on their shoes.

They believed they would be allowed to protest: Desirea, 13, had checked her student handbook, which states students may express themselves so long as it’s “not disruptive to other individuals or to the educational process.”

Their ranks grew to about 20 students.

Most involved call their style “emo” or “goth,” a look that tends toward black jeans and thick eyeliner.... read more

In our view: School's uniform test is worthwhie
The Columbian, WA - 6 hours ago
For a learning environment, Mac Attire beats baggy-pants, the “emo” or “goth” look, exposed midriffs and visible underwear that some students prefer. ...

Hoax videos have own website!!

The complex intrigue surrounding the hoax march videos is remarkable. They have even put up an an entire duplicate website to host their videos mimicking the official one almost exactly.

Make sure you only use the official site www.whatthefrank.co.uk or the youtube official site www.youtube.com/whattheffrank .

Who is going to such lengths to discredit a harmless and fully legal protest march?

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

Conspiracy against the March - Anti-Emo propaganda sinks to new depths

Someone is clearly very worried by the idea of a march on the Daily Mail refuting allegations of suicide connected to Emos and MCR. A very worrying development is the posting of fake videos on youtube which suggest that the march is actually going to be an act of mass suicide. These are clearly quite cleverly constructed and use music from MCR and imagery from the March website. They are designed by someone in an attempt to support the Daily Mail's point of view about Emos and MCR and undermine the protest by saying the march will result in suicide. The most successful video MCRsuicidecult has over 19,381 views far more popular than any of the real videos supporting the march.

Are these videos designed merely as a joke? Why spend so much effort on them then? They use similar language to each other suggesting they are created as part of an organised effort. There at least 6 different videos advocating this "mass suicide" lie all on accounts created in the last few days. It is a deliberate campaign to undermine and attack the march.

You can see one here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-60SpwyogY&feature=related

Who would benefit most if the march was undermined?

It seems unlikely that even the Daily Mail itself would stoop to such a level. But if a story does appear from them suggesting the march will be a mass suicide attempt then it is perhaps possible they may be connected to this.

The most likely culprits however are the many people online who are simply intolerant and prejudiced against emos or MCR and who wish to perpetuate the lie connecting them to suicide and self harm. The best way to fight this is by supporting a real video backing the march.

Like this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3d81_cxoyE&feature=related

Mental Nurse on Emo and self harm - Daily Mail screws up a vulnerable teen's therapy

Found an interesting blog on the recent anti-emo stuff in the Mail by a mental nurse at http://www.mentalnurse.org.uk. He/she works in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services sommwhere:

I think I’ve give a real-world clinical example, dealing with a self-harming emo kid.

A quick caveat before I do. Teenage self-harming is not an “emo thing”. We see plenty of cutters in CAMHS, and the bulk of them are not emos. Chavs cut themselves too. In fact, some kids cut themselves despite not being part of any fashion clique at all. It’s almost as if self-harm were a mental health issue rather than a fashion trend. Strange, that.

Anyway, let’s bring in our emo. He’s 15 years old, and in honour of My Chemical Romance, we’ll call him Gerard. read more here More on Emo

The most worrying thing about this is that in the blog Dr Cretin takes his ideas on emo from the press reports.

Dr Cretin is…shall we say…a little old-fashioned. Therefore I had a feeling things weren’t go to go well when Gerard turned up to the appointment wearing eyeliner.

Dr Cretin looks at him disapprovingly. “So….this emo cult that you’re involved in. Is that why you started cutting yourself?”

Emo cult? Oh Christ, please don’t tell me Dr Cretin read that bloody Daily Mail article...

By this point Gerard looks like he’s about to cry. Which is unsurprising, since he’s just been told his personal identity is a cult and he should get rid of all his friends.

Once again proof that the Daily Mail screws with peoples lives. The nurse seems to think (with good reason) that the kids interest in bands is in fact a positive thing. "I’ve explored in sessions what Gerard feels he gets out of being an emo. His answers: a sense of identity, a feeling of mutual understanding with others, being accepted and valued in a way that he isn’t by the bullies at school who push his head down the toilet."

And once again we note the kid has been bullied in school as well.

The original comments on the Mail emo article are classic in pointing out its absurdity but they also note:

Funnily enough, we haven’t any seen that many emos come into CAMHS lately (though we’ve got a few goths). We actually see a lot more chavs than any other subculture.

So according to an inexact survey it is chavs, not emos that self harm more at the moment. But as they also point out it might be that social services intervene in "chav" cases more often.

Basically the point is stupid sterotypes about mental conditions cause more harm than anything else. And where do they come from ? Media nonsense is one source.

March on the Mail - Lies about Emo Death Cult lead to protest

MCR fans are planning a May on May 31st in London against that bastion of prejudice the Daily Mail after their recent campaign of lies. Respect is due to all those planning this excellent idea.

Find out more about the march here at www.whatthefrank.co.uk. It seems very well organised if you are in London why not support them:

This protest is being held in order to raise awareness on My Chemical Romance’s acutely anti-suicide message and the serious issue of depression, especially in teenagers.

We hope to show that My Chemical Romance is not a ‘suicide cult’ - as the Daily Mail has called them in a recent article - but simply a rock band that wants to save people’s lives. Depression is a serious thing and careless journalism runs the risk of trivializing it; especially as far as teenage depression is concerned. My Chemical Romance have always tried to ward their fans away from depression and aid them in seeking help, even going as far as to call suicide hotline numbers from the stage. Whereas, badly researched journalism is in danger of promoting irresponsible stereotyping and taking away from depression as a serious medical illness.

It has been covered in The Guardian and the Independent which has a long and detailed article:

EMO: Welcome to the Black Parade

A Kent coroner's comments over the suicide of 13-year-old Hannah Bond, in which he expressed concern over the dead girl's passion for emo music, spawned a glut of lurid headlines earlier this month. But it was the Daily Mail that decided to delve deeper into the craze – prompting one of the unlikeliest protests London has seen for some time.

Next Saturday, fans of MCR will descend on the Mail's Kensington headquarters in west London to vent their rage at what they claim is "badly researched journalism in danger of promoting irresponsible stereotyping". It is a remarkably polite and measured response for a group supposedly in thrall to a mind-bending cult.

According to one of the organisers, Anni Smith, 16, from Hampshire, festering anger that has been simmering below the surface for some time has finally spilt over. Some 300 people have already logged on to the protest site, www.whatthefrank.co.uk, expressing their desire to take part.

She believes the numbers determined to march eventually on the Mail HQ could be much higher and today organisers will meet representatives of the Metropolitan Police to discuss tactics for the demonstration and a possible transfer to nearby Hyde Park to avoid any trouble. Ms Smith, who has seen MCR four times, said that far from being advocates of mass suicide, the band are passionate opponents of self harm – as evidenced in the lyrics to their most famous song with its defiant message "to carry on". "I love their passion and the way they believe in what they do," she said. "They are amazing people. They want everyone to be OK, healthy and happy. A lot of people are affected by depression and a lot of MCR fans are too. This article was careless and badly researched journalism which really surprised us. They are the complete opposite of a suicide cult.

"The band has always been adamant that if you have problems you should get help and not give in."

The backlash has been growing apace. Internet chatrooms are clogged with comments from fans furious at what they say is breathtaking ignorance being displayed from across the generation divide by a people happier crooning along to Jim Morrison's "Soft Parade" than the later, darker assembly.

"Society constantly looks for something to point a finger at when things don't go right," wrote one fan to the NME this week. "It's time to face facts that being a young person today is tough."

According to Conor McNicholas, the magazine's editor, the furore has generated the NME's biggest postbag this year. "The reaction of the right-wing press is fairly moronic, knee-jerk stuff," he said. "Genuine music fans who know the way these things work are not afraid of speaking out and saying this is wrong.

"They sell papers on the basis of fear and the more frightened parents are the more sales there are for the Daily Mail. They are setting parents against their children which might sell papers but is incredibly destructive of family relations in the long term. If you want to alienate young people the best way to make them feel disaffected is to take away the music and culture they love."

It even led to a leading article:

Leading article: Reasons to be cheerful
Independent, UK - 22 May 2008

The list of popular music trends that have scandalised the curtain-twitching classes would take more space than we have here to chronicle.

Suffice to say that, from Elvis to the Beastie Boys, from the Beatles to the Sex Pistols, there has rarely been a time when "polite society" has not found something in youth culture to demonise. The latest target of the wagging finger of reproach is "emo": a style of music that places heavy emphasis on what one might describe as the more sombre aspects of human existence.

One Middle England newspaper has even labelled the emo scene a "cult" and linked it to the suicide of a 13-year-old girl who was deeply into the American emo band My Chemical Romance.

In an admirably well-organised counter-attack, hundreds of emos are planning to protest outside the newspaper's offices, presumably dressed in their characteristic black garb.

We understand the frustration of emos at being slurred in this fashion. But we would also offer some consolation. First, being attacked like this is a back-handed compliment: most good music gets the moral outrage treatment at some point.

Second, it won't be long before the reactionaries turn their attention to demonising some other aspect of our culture.

And, eventually, they'll no doubt even be complaining that "the youth of today" are so much worse behaved than those polite emos of yesteryear.

It's advice they're unlikely to heed, but emos should try to remember that it's not all doom and gloom.

Short article in Guardian

Maligned emo fans to march on Daily Mail
guardian.co.uk, UK - 22 May 2008

Good as these articles are they miss the main point that this march is no joke. Telling lies about subcultures leads to suffering and violence. As pointed out on this blog constantly the Mail's propaganda over Hannah Bond's death is likely to result in violence - obviously there is the example of Mexico but this problem was in the States before that see here for one example.

See the previous reports on the media lies which led to this march here:

Hannah Bond - Why no Emo is safe from the Daily Mail's Cult of Lies
Hannah Bond - Press/Coroner blame another suicide on Emo

Her are posts to the original lies from 2006.
New Emo Goth Danger?
More media lies about goths and emos

And remember exactly these sort of reports about emo have led to stupid ideas across the world from Russia government panics to Malta.

There is also a petition you can sign HERE against media distoration with other 1000 signatures.

I only hope this will stop the media telling lies.

At an MCR concert Gerard Way expresses himself strongly on the issue I think this was at Reading festival (2007?). He has being saying similar stuff since the first mail article accusing them of being involved in a death cult back in 2006:

Fuck the Daily Mail!

Hannah Bond - Why no Emo is safe from the Daily Mail's sinister cult of lies against Emo

The Mail's sickening campaign of hatred continues started in 2006 (See More media lies about goths and emos) they will not be satisfied until a large proportion of normal teenagers who happen to like particular music are seen as suicidal freaks and outcasts. They are encouraging the sort of vile propaganda which may end up creating the scenes of anti-emo violence we have seen in Mexico. If this was being said about a religion, race or sexuality the Mail would be vilified. Hannah's death is a tragedy trying to pin it on the music she listened to is just plain stupid. This builds on earlir reports covered here Hannah Bond - Press/Coroner blame another suicide. Typically the Mail has continued its vendetta.

If anything is an unreasoning cult it is the Daily Mail's cult of lies. There are almost too many distortions in this article to catalogue correctly. To name just a few a number of MCR fans and the band themselves have long said they are not really emos. How can there be a cult if the members don't even agree who is in it? Not to mention the album the Black Parade is nothing to do with suicide.

Why no child is safe from the sinister cult of emo
Daily Mail, UK -4 hours ago

No different, in fact, to the Goth subculture that first emerged in Britain during the early 1980s.
There is, though, growing concern that there is a deeply unhealthy undertone to the emo movement.

Some time before her death, Hannah's parents, who live in Kent, noticed scarring on the inside of her wrists. When they questioned her about it, honest and open as ever, she told them she'd inflicted the wounds herself and that it was part of an emo "initiation ceremony".
Only after her death would they discover how she had secretly chatted online to emo followers all over the world, talking about death and of the "black parade" — a place where emos believe they go after they die.
A check of Hannah's home page on social networking site Bebo revealed her pseudonym, Living Disaster, and that she'd decorated it with a picture of an emo girl with bloody wrists. Another picture showed a child's exercise book scrawled with the words: "Dear Diary, today I give up."...

To be honest emo websites are not really that different from goth/black metal websites in decoration. So people have gloomy stuff on their websites. What does it matter? The vast majority of people with morbid websites do not commit suicide. Churches are full of morbid imagery as well so are horror films watched by millions of people. The fact is the girl died after having an argument with her parents... you could blame them instead just as unfairly. At the end of day she was mentally unstable as are many teenagers who kill themselves. Most teenagers who kill themselves are not emos or any other particular group there is no easy answer to why they do it but treating them sensibly and not as outcasts certainly might help.

Nor does the claim that there is a " "black parade" — a place where emos believe they go after they die" have any basis in reality at all. It is a complete lie as it is not a term in use by anyone till now.

When they talk to an actual teenage emo in the article her words are damning:

Levi insists that her mother is worrying unnecessarily.

"I think many of the concerns around emos aren't true," she says.

"To me, emos skateboard a lot, dress in darker colours and listen to alternative rock music.

"It's also true they probably think about feelings more than other people.

"I do get teased for being an emo because some people at school think it's just about suicide and self-harm.

"But I think you would have to be depressed already to self-harm — and I'm not depressed.

"I like going out dressed in emo clothes because it causes a stir. There aren't many emos where I live, so people look at you.

"It makes you feel individual."...

So the Daily Mail discovers that lies about self harm lead to bullying which has recently led to one suicide and loads of attacks. See the Dominic's tragic fate: Emo Bullied to DEATH!

The closing words of the article are just looking for the biggest stir:

The 200 friends and family who attended Hannah's funeral will no doubt echo that.
But not everyone seems to have learned the lesson.
In a tribute book set up at Hannah's school, one pupil left the following message: "I hope you enjoy the black parade."

Naive, misguided or just plain stupid.

But then, that's always been the trouble with some teenagers. And the danger of emo.

The danger of the Daily Mail more like. How many more 12 year old alternative kids have to suffer being attacked by a gang like this case or even be killed like Sophie Lancaster? Lies lead to violence.

Emo Bullied to DEATH!

The fall out from Hannah's suicide is goes on (See Press/Coroner blame another suicide on Emo) but some voices have denounced the media coverage:

Bad Journalism Alert: Emo is the New Terrorism Strange Glue Music, UK 9 May 2008

MCR made their response to the allegations:

KERRANG NEWS - Gerard hits back at Right Wing british media.

My Chemical Romance played the final show of their Black Parade world tour this past Friday (May 9) at legendary New York venue Madison Square Garden.

Closing their set with a rip-roaring rendition of hit single Helena, lead singer Gerard Way used the final moments of their performance to hit out against the right-wing British media who claim the band's music inspired a teenage girl to commit suicide.

Way repeated the line "If we never play another show ever again keep yourself alive" over and over again until he and guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, bassist Mikey Way and drummer Bob Bryar left the stage.

But what has not been noticed by the national media is that there was another Emo teenager who committed suicide whose verdict was reported only a few days later than Hannah's case. This did not make national headlines perhaps because it seems he didn't kill himself because Emo music was "depressing" but more likely because he was bullied to death just like in The Tragic Suicide of Nicola Raphael or Tempest Smith. Perhaps Emos do kill themselves more than others (and remember there is absolutely no proof they do so) it will be nothing to do with the music the listen to but more likely because of the prejudice they face due to not just stupid thugs but media lies.

Bullied student drowned himself
Dorset Echo, UK 10 May 2008

A TEENAGE art student drowned himself after suffering years of bullying at school, an inquest was told.

Dominic Maynard's last words to his parents in an answerphone message were 'I told you it would come to this' before the message cut off and Dominic wasn't seen alive again.

Coroner Sheriff Payne recorded a suicide verdict at Bournemouth, Poole and East Dorset Coroner's Court.

A postmortem examination showed Dominic, 19, died of drowning.

The inquest was told that Dominic, described as 'sensitive' and 'emotional', walked out of his family home in Bridport on November 17 after an argument with his mother Penny over spending time with his brother's ex-girlfriend - Weymouth College student Stephanie Lam.

Mrs Maynard said that she was worried that Dominic could upset his younger brother Toby, so she told them both to leave.

The inquest was told that Dominic and Miss Lam then left in his Renault Clio and drove to Weymouth. Miss Lam told Mr Payne that Dominic asked her to take his car back to his parents 'so they would have something to remember me by' before he dropped her at home.

She said: "It was just so out of the blue. He had never mentioned anything as dark as that before. I was a bit puzzled but we just laughed it off."

DCI Jeremy Noyce said Dominic travelled to Bournemouth and was last seen on CCTV stepping on to the beach shortly before midnight. Mrs Maynard woke up to find he had missed his midnight curfew but had left a message on her answerphone.

She said: "He said I expect you don't want to hear from me' and I was really shocked.

"He said thank you for being a good mum and to thank Rachel and Toby for being a good brother and sister and then he went on to thank other friends."

His mother said that the family moved to Bridport in 2002 when Dominic joined Sir John Colfox School and it was there that he had such a bad time' after being bullied by two boys.

She said: "I did talk to him about moving to another school but it would mean taking his first year of GCSEs again so he said he would stay and put up with it."

Throughout this period his older sister Rachel dropped him off at school and he spent breaks with his form tutor and then Rachel would pick him up after school.

Mrs Maynard said: "After the first initial incident he stayed at home for three weeks because it wasn't safe for him to go to school."

After leaving school Dominic started an art course at Weymouth College where he made new friends and gained confidence until one of the bullies joined the college and started the verbal bullying again.

Mrs Maynard said: "He began to suffer sleepless nights. I think that had a bigger effect than anyone realised."

Mrs Maynard told how just three weeks before her son's disappearance she was upset by a picture that Dominic had drawn and put up in his room of a hanging man with the words one day you will find me swinging lifeless from this tree.' The court heard how Dominic liked the emotionally-charged punk music known as emo and these depressive lyrics were used on another painting displayed in his room. Mrs Maynard added: "Emo music is all to do with death."

Mr Payne said: "I have to take the view that he did put himself into the water, that he was feeling unhappy at that time and he was saying goodbye to his family.

"It is always a regrettable verdict, particularly when it is such a young life with so much ahead."

More on this below

Youth died after girlfriend row
BBC News, UK - 9 May 2008

Hannah Bond - Press/Coroner blame another suicide on Emo

Once again a Coroner and other media sources have blamed a form of music for teenage depression and suicide without any firm evidence. Leading to headlines like these:

Popular schoolgirl dies in 'emo sucide cult'
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - 7 May 2008

Roger Sykes, the coroner who recorded a verdict of suicide, found aspects of the youth movement, which began in America, “very disturbing”.

He said: “A girl of 13 years old has taken her own life for no reason that by anyone could be found to be justifiable.

“It is a terrible and tragic explanation to what happened. It is not glamorous, just simply a tragic loss of such a young life.”

Maidstone Coroners’ Court heard that Hannah, of East Peckham, Kent, had lived a double life, outwardly a bright fun-loving family-orientated schoolgirl, but inwardly a devotee of “emo” which stands for emotional.

She had secretly chatted to “emo” followers online all over the world, talking about death and the glamorisation of hanging and speaking about “the black parade” - a place where “emos” believe they go after they die.

She had even scratched her wrists in a form of self-harm often seen as a form of initiation into the popular fashion and lifestyle fad followed by young people who dress in black like their older “Goth” crowd.

On her page on Bebo, the online networking site, she told friends with names like Sam Suicide, that she was obsessed with the American band My Chemical Romance, who hit number one with their last album The Black Parade.

In a tribute book dedicated to Hannah at her school, one of her friends wrote, “I hope you enjoy the black parade”, and it emerged another “emo” girl at Hannah’s school, Mascalls Secondary School in Paddock Wood, Kent, had tried to kill herself a year ago.

Her mother Heather, a housewife, told the court how she originally thought “emo” was a harmless youth movement.

She said: “She called emo a fashion and I thought it was normal. I didn’t know about the cuts. She used to wear Emo bracelets so her wrists were concealed.

“Hannah was just a normal girl. She had loads of friends. She could be a bit moody but I thought it was just because she was a teenager. In the months before she had become obsessed with the internet.

“But there were no signs this was going to happen. She had everything to live for.”

Her father Raymond, a martial arts instructor who broke down as he gave evidence, said he had noticed the marks on her wrist.

He said: “We discussed it when I noticed the marks. When I was younger I was a punk and we used to do tattoos and things, but I wasn’t angry with her because she promised me she would never do it again.

“Although she was in touch with emos all over the world, particularly in America, she was still in touch with the same girl she always was.

“The night before she died she came into my room and gave me a kiss on the cheek and said 'I love you dad.’”

Vanessa Everett, her headteacher, told the inquest that none of her teachers felt she had any issues.

“She was a popular and bright girl who had achieved merits day in and day out right up until the day of her death,” she said.

She said they had been aware of “superficial self-harm” among younger students who had joined the emo clan, but said it was difficult to determine those intent on harming themselves and those using it as “a fashion statement.”

What is 'emo'?

Emo, which stands for "emotional, is a youth movement based around dark music, dark clothing and a dark view of the world.

It was pioneered in America and emo followers adhere to a host of cult-like conventions to demonstrate dedication to this new wave of pop music and lifestyle.

The emo brand of music sounds much like indie or rock, but it takes its unique name from the emotional lyrics and melancholy themes.

One of the forerunners of this genre is the band My Chemical Romance from New Jersey, America.

While most fans simply enjoy the music and dress, others take their fascination to a sinister level.

They indulge in self-harming and become obsessed with death and suicide.

The Daily Mail happy as this "backs" the lies it told back in 2006 shouts:

Girl, 13, hangs herself after becoming obesssed with 'suicide cult ...
Daily Mail, UK - 7 May 2008

Suicide CULT !!! This is nonsense of the worst order.

The Sun reveals that:

Her headteacher Vanessa Everett told the inquest other emo pupils had self-harmed. She said it was "probable" Hannah was motivated by the failed suicide of another girl pupil who was also an emo fan... On the night Hannah died she argued with her mum after she was barred from staying at a friend’s.
Suicide of Hannah, the secret 'emo'
The Sun, UK - 7 May 2008

So perhaps it was something connected with that argument rather than emo. Mind you the Sun also says she was a Secret Emo which doesn't seem to be true.

In the recent wave of teen suicides in Bridgend only one person involved had any interest in alternative music. Why did the other people there kill themselves exactly? Another one died the same day Hannah's verdict was announced. Perhaps listening to chart music causes suicide, or having normal hair styles? In all those cases the suicide was sudden and out of character.

In fact is far more likely that Hannah and her friend responded to the media's sensationalised reporting of the teenage suicides in Bridgend and killed herself because of that. Unlike blaming emo which as has been pointed out here has never had any study showing there was any increase in suicide or self harm connected to it there are a large numbers of academic studies which link increases in teenage suicides to how the press report them. Why do the press not report these FACTS rather than talking about unsubstantiated and unproven allegations?

And remember these ideas linking Emos to self harm and suicide are frequently used to justify attacks on Emos as in Mexico.

Meanwhile in an example of decent reporting The Times actually looks at the wider context. Why can't the rest of the media be similarly responsible?

All this darkness and introspection can seem alarming to parents who drop in and see what looks like a glorification of unhappiness, but most online emo hangouts reveal little that’s different from run-of-the-mill teen angst. In a feature published previously in The Times, Andy Greenwald found that emo bands and their fans were unexpectedly clean living. “I could not have picked a duller genre in terms of spending time on tour buses and not being able to get a beer,” he said. “These guys don’t drink or smoke or do drugs. They like comics and video games and art. And the kids ‘hang out’ in MySpace. If you live in the suburbs and don’t have a car, here is this place where life goes on 24/7 and you are plugged into a community immediately, and you have the freedom online to have a second, heroic version of yourself.”

When a young person commits suicide, there is of course an understandable urge to find someone or something to blame, but today’s emo forums don’t differ all that much from non-emo forums. One discussion group at EmoCorner.com does include the alarming topic heading of “Cutting… is it worth it?”, referring to the habit of self-harm which some have associated with emo culture, but the resounding reply from the online community is: “Don’t do it. Seek help” – but expressed a little more robustly.

Much more common are questions about being a better emo. Discussions centre around the clothes to wear, the mannerisms to adopt and the music to love or hate – even, rather touchingly, whether it’s OK for straight emo boys to kiss each other (the answer seems to be yes). Plenty more words are spent rubbishing bands deemed to have jeopardised their credibility, but emo groups generally seem to be far more accommodating and peaceable than the rival teen tribes that line up against them, crashing online forums to attack their dress sense and taste in music.

Even in their more emotionally charged moments, the emo forums seem to have more to do with adolescent self-dramatisation than anything more sinister. In any case, most psychologists suggest that expressing feelings of angst or depression is healthier than bottling them up.

Emo culture is, if anything, a celebration of the unbottling of angst. It may not be all that appealing to an outsider, but it is probably not too different from many adolescents’ playground conversations. Ultimately, reactions to the emo web culture will probably depend on the preconceptions of the observer: those who find young people frightening and incomprehensible will find it frightening and incomprehensible, while others will see nothing more or less remarkable than a group of like-minded teenagers trying out an identity as they struggle their way into adulthood.

Emo on the web: exploring a subculture
Times Online, UK - 8 May 2008

Likewise NME reports that EMO fans (who remember number in the hundreds of thousands) deny the nonsense.

1. Emo fans defend their music against suicide claims | News | NME.COM
   Emo fans have contacted NME.COM to defend their music against claims it inspired 13 year-old Hannah Bond to commit suicide.
   http://www.nme.com/news/my-chemical-romance/36480

Punk news tells it like it is:
Emo blamed in suicide of 13-year old
Punknews.org

Gangs in Australian schools

This article really shows how subcutural clashes are causing trouble in Australia.

Gang culture rife in schools

Article from:

By Paul Weston

April 27, 2008 12:00am

SECONDARY students are dividing themselves up in Queensland school grounds into groups called Plastics, Gangstas, Goths and Emos, pupils say.

Anyone who refuses to join are labelled nerds – or, worse, become nothings or rank outsiders to be bullied or, in extreme cases, bashed and have their home invaded.

An 18-year-old former Gold Coast secondary school student, who has survived two bashings and a home invasion, told The Sunday Mail last week that the school gang culture was on the rise and a direct import from American campuses.

The former student, parents of bullying victims and psychologists pinpointed several reasons for the bully/bash revolution. They included:

• The negative influence of some American films and rap music.

• The internet, which provides plenty of opportunity for cyberspace bullying.

• The failure of working parents to police some sort of moral code for their children.

"The Americanisation in our schools is really bad," the 18-year-old former student leader said.

"Kids even talk in American accents, use their phrases. I've got a friend who has arrived from overseas and she has never seen anything like it. At school, everyone is broken up into different groups like you see in those US movies like American Pie. There's Plastics, the Gangstas, Emos and Goths."

The groups are large and easy to identify from their fashion accessories and their arrogant attitudes, but only one – the Gangstas – presents a violent threat.

"The Plastics pack on the make-up. Their hair is really hacked at, they work on it so much," the former student said.

"They change their uniforms to make their shirts tighter and their dresses shorter. The guys love them, but they're called Plastics because they're so false."

The female schoolgirl obsession with good looks surfaced last week at St Patrick's College in Mackay, where students had ranked themselves from 1 to 21 – they write the number on their wrists – as part of Club 21 or Big 21.

Gothics are identified by their dark clothing and heavy-metal taste in music, and Emos (from "emotion") by being sensitive, introverted types obsessed with depressing rock bands.

But it is the group stealing the US gangsta-style culture, with its love of violent rap music, which students fear the most.

A gang of suburban teenagers armed with bats, machetes and a sword stormed a school assembly at Sydney's Merrylands High School early this month injuring 18 students and a teacher.

Queensland students told The Sunday Mail they were aware of similar gang members carrying pocket knives around secondary schools in southeast Queensland. "They all have baggy clothing, they're all bling, they have the hats with the stiff shades worn backwards and the pants around their knees showing their undies," the 18-year-old said.

"They carry boom boxes (sound systems) around the school. The Gangstas are the ones you worry about. They need to be so cruel all the time."

A parent who has a 16-year-old son at a southeast Queensland school, and an older daughter who recently graduated, has kept a diary of dozens of assaults on her children since 2003.

The concerned mother, who asked not be named for fear of reprisals against her children, described the gangs as "organised groups of thugs".

Some of them had been gang members since primary school as 10-year-olds, following the "career" of their drug-addicted parents by robbing homes before bashing students at secondary school, she said.

"There were six or seven of these students in Year 8 who surrounded my daughter. They punched and kicked her, rammed her into a brick wall. They picked her up and dumped her head-first into a garbage bin. She ended up with renal bleeding," the distressed mother said.

Police from the Juvenile Aid Bureau later cautioned the most violent bully but the other girls, including the ringleader who organised the bashing, escaped without punishment.

It took the school six months to get enough evidence to expel the female gang leader.

"These gang members single out the kids who are good kids, kids who don't want to smoke or drink," the mother said.

She recalls making many complaints to Education Queensland and school administrators, but after disciplinary action the gang would choose a more indirect form of bullying: "It becomes more covert and indirect. The student is usually defamed. This is through verbal abuse in the playground or through the internet."

The parent took notes of conversations. An education bureaucrat told her: "Your kids have to learn to swim in the mainstream. Society has changed. Get over it."

But the impact on her son, a Year 12 student with a promising sporting future, has been devastating and he recently took several weeks off school after receiving threatening emails.

When he considered returning to school this term, he sat down, in tears, and wrote a letter to his parents:

"I don't want to go back to (school name) because I have no friends.

"I get bullied by (group) and teased by (group). When they come out from the office seeing the principal . . . it's all back to bullying again.

"What do I need to happen for me to feel OK about (the school)? The two groups gone, that's what I need."

The concerned mother's diary also includes many entries recording that her children have woken up early in the morning after nightmares about being bullied at school.

She said many gang members roamed the streets as late as 10pm on school nights and appeared to have no parental supervision.

She believes a key reason for the violence in schools is that many of these non-academic children were forced to remain at school.

In previous decades, they would have left by Year 10 for a trade.

"These kids are like magnesium. These kids – they're white light. They're in your face immediately," she said.

"And they're sneaky. They make out they're OK when they go to your place, and then they go up to our local park and club the plover population to death."

Dr Marilyn Campbell, lecturer and psychologist with the School of Learning at the Queensland University of Technology, agrees there is a problem created by having the less academic children stay at school longer.

"I'd agree, and in some ways . . . we are keeping children as children longer," Dr Campbell said.

"We're prolonging their adolescence. You no longer go to work (full-time) at 12 years of age."

Dr Campbell makes two critical points in the gang debate, which provide some balance about the role of schools and parents in reducing the amount of bullying.

She explains that gangs of teenagers are not a new phenomenon, but the lack of parental supervision and advent of the internet and bullying in cyberspace is.

"The Mods, the Rockers and the Beatniks (in the 1950s) had a huge American influence. So I don't think it's an incredibly new phenomenon," she said.

"Young people have a seamless online and offline life (now). Bullying happens in both worlds.

"Any violence is a worry, whether it is imported or home-grown. But if you look at the five groups (including the nerds), only one-fifth of them identifies more with a violent culture and I would say only one-fifth of that group would practice violence."

Part of the solution would be to provide schools with more resources to handle troublemakers, and steer those bored students earlier into apprenticeships and trades.

But working parents could not expect schools, which have their children from 9am to 3pm, to be responsible for teaching them a moral code when their focus was on preparing their class for maths and English exams.

"High schools don't teach violence, but TV and the internet and their parents do.

"Schools aren't the ones to raise children. Parents are supposed to raise them," Dr Campbell said.