What in the world?

#1 Postby **janswizard** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 4:17 pm

Maybe I'm not "cool" or "with it". I've approached middle age and am looking forward to my retirement years. I grew up in the 50's, 60's and 70's when "anything goes" later became "everything went". But I can't help worrying about what is happening with our youth today. Ok, call me square. But someone please explain why any rock band would go to these extremes.

New Law Passed to Block Concert Suicide

Monday , September 29, 2003

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The St. Petersburg (search) city council passed a law Monday designed to scuttle a rock group's plans to feature an onstage suicide.

The hard-rock band Hell on Earth (search) had said that a suicide by a terminally ill person would take place during a concert Saturday to raise awareness of right-to-die issues.

In response, the city council met Monday morning to unanimously approve an emergency ordinance making it illegal to conduct a suicide for commercial or entertainment purposes, and to host, promote and sell tickets for such an event.

"While I still think it's a publicity stunt, we still couldn't sit idly by and let somebody lose their life," council member Bill Foster said.

Tampa-based Hell of Earth, known for such outrageous onstage stunts as chocolate syrup wrestling and grinding up live rats in a blender, created the furor by announcing the suicide would happen Saturday at the Palace Theater (search) in downtown St. Petersburg.

But the theater's owner, David Hundley, promptly canceled the band's show, and another venue also turned away the event.

Band leader Billy Tourtelot has vowed that the concert and suicide will still take place at an undisclosed location in the city, broadcast live on the band's Web site.

"This show is far more than a typical Hell On Earth performance," Tourtelot said in an e-mail last week. "This is about standing up for what you believe in, and I am a strong supporter of physician-assisted suicide."

A message left for Tourtelot was not immediately returned Monday.

A Florida law already makes assisting in a suicide manslaughter, a second-degree felony.

Hell on Earth is playing clubs in support of its independently produced album, "All Things Disturbingly Sassy."

#2 Postby **vbhoutex** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 9:22 pm

Naw Janis you are not "old fashioned" or "crazy" or "uncool" or anything like that. You are sane and "normal"(at least as normal as anyone can be that grew up during that time(I grduated high school in 1969)). This crap that this band is planning us UNCOOL AND SICK!!! It matters not whether you agree with physician assisted suicide. It is a SICK PUBLICITY STUNT and nothing else IMO. If they succeed in doing it I hope they are all arrested and charged with manslaughter and put in jail. That should make it reall easy for them to tour!!!

azsnowman · #3 Postby **azsnowman** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:47 pm

Jan.....in a brief word, "The world has gone to HADES" in a handbasket! Ya know, I live a very sheltered life way up here, just like I posted in my thread about cross dressers, I'm not exposed to the world as most folks are, I see VERY little crime, violence etc, etc....stuff like this makes me SOOO thankful that I do indeed live like I do!

Dennis

#4 Postby **coriolis** » Mon Sep 29, 2003 11:15 pm

I grew up in the 70's and yes, it was pretty much "anything goes" - at least I thought.
I believe that much of the extremes we see today is the natural result of the anything goes attitude of the 60's and 70's. Our culture had rules for good reasons. When the rules started to break down, what should we expect?

#5 Postby **janswizard** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 1:49 am

Well, as it happens, I DO agree with physician-assisted suicide. However, I also believe everyone should be allowed to die with grace and dignity. This stunt erases any dignity whatsoever and the members of this band should be locked up just for principals!

Even the part about putting live rats in blenders sickens me - where are the animal activists. And to think that people actually pay to go to their concerts and support them via record sales. This is a real sad commentary on our future as a whole.

#6 Postby **wx247** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 6:21 am

This planned stunt is indeed very sick! :grr:

It doesn't matter when you grew up, IMHO, it is simply a matter of morals. Whether you agree with physican assisted suicide or not... what this group was planning to do is unacceptable. :o :grr:

opera ghost · #7 Postby **opera ghost** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:30 am

As a- raised in the 80's/90's inner city seen it all got the teeshirt- sort of gall it's not our youth- it'ss the freaks. Trust me thsi is NOT represenitive ofthe vast majority of our youth- inner city.... country... sheltered... or out there.

Amanzi · #8 Postby **Amanzi** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 10:11 am

wx247 wrote:This planned stunt is indeed very sick! It doesn't matter when you grew up, IMHO, it is simply a matter of morals. Whether you agree with physican assisted suicide or not... what this group was planning to do is unacceptable. :o

I agree with you whole heartedly!!!

stormy · #9 Postby **stormy** » Tue Sep 30, 2003 9:49 pm

this group must really be sick in the head. i just asked my daughter if she has ever heard of this group and she said no (she is 15). thank god. i was raised in the 60's and 70's and we did alot of things, but it was just free love and that kind of stuff. i just cant understand. it does not comput. i homeschool and i hope to instill good morals to my 2 girls. i hope they find this undisclose area, where this might happen and these guys r locked up. just my opinion.

zoeyann · #10 Postby **zoeyann** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 3:45 pm

I can not believe anyone would pay money to see something as tragic as that, and consider it a fun night out. If these people were any kind of decent they would use the money fro9m the show and donate the procedes to research that would help terminally ill patients instead of finding it easier to do away with them. DEATH IS NOT COOL BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION!

BEER980 · #11 Postby **BEER980** » Wed Oct 01, 2003 10:02 pm

Well I heard the interview on the radio with the lead singer. This person sought out the band and not the other way around. This person is terminally ill and will commit suicide in the very near future. Wheather on stage or in their home it will happen. Billy Tourtelot has met with thos person many times and understands where this person is coming from. He talked about some different ways that this person might die. The individual seems to have done plenty of research on this subject. After listening to the interview I do not think it's publicity stunt other then bringing the right to die issue up.

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