Marilyn Manson Causes Stir In Michigan Town
If a group of parents have their way, Marilyn
Manson fans in a suburb of Flint, Mich., may have to stop
wearing black clothes to school.
Parents of kids who attend the Grand Blanc Middle School in
Grand Blanc, Mich., a conservative Midwest town of approximately
8,000 people, sent a letter to the local school board requesting
they ban a group of students from dressing like shock rocker
Marilyn Manson. These parents claim the “gang” of Manson followers
have been intimidating other students by cornering them at school
and saying things like they want to drink their blood, or they want
to sacrifice them.
Superintendent Dr. Gary P. Lipe said the school
would only intervene if they had proof the group was in fact
harassing other students. Lipe said, however, that if the students
were simply wearing clothes depicting the man who has been dubbed
the “AntiChrist Superstar” for his Devil worshipping antics and
lyrics, that’s their First Amendment right.
The kids wearing the Manson garb have been told they have the
right to express themselves as long as it doesn’t endanger the
other students. “The parents [who wrote the letter] wanted to make
sure their kids’ rights were being protected and that the other
kids [the Manson followers] were being responsible,” Lipe said.
“It’s been a week since we got the letter from the parents,”
Lipe said. “We’ve had no problems since then and it doesn’t look
like we will.” Lipe said that no school officials had been
approached with complaints, but if they had, action would’ve been
taken.
Lipe spoke with one parent whose child dressed in all black like
Manson. The father not only understood what the music represented,
but also took his son to see Manson in concert. “The dad didn’t
care for all the profanity but he showed support for his kid.” Some
of the students also approached the school’s officials to let them
know they liked dressing in all black because it was a way to show
their individuality.
“I heard an interview the other day with Marilyn Manson on
public radio,” Lipe said. “He talked about getting beat up when he
was a kid because he dressed differently. There’s definitely an
element these kids bring on themselves, but that’s the risk you
take.”