Following the most recent school shooting in the States, and one of many shootings in the last few months, US media has been quick to point the finger at a time-tested scapegoat: the shooter’s favorite band.
It’s always a lot easier to soothe the worried masses by putting a face to the evil that inspires someone to do awful things, much easier than suggesting society as a whole is to blame. In this particular instance, Berlin industrial metal outfit Rammstein has been blamed. The ‘angry’ and ‘scary’ music of the band is said to have motivated one 15-year-old Bobby Gladden to open fire at his high school.
Of course there is no direct correlation, other than an image posted on Gladdan’s Facebook page of Rammstein frontman Till Lindemann, which was enough for newspapers and websites to launch the witch hunt. Gladdan also submitted a status prior to the shooting: “First day of school, last day of my life. Fuck The World” according to NY Daily News.
It was a matter of hours later that the troubled teen took a gun to his Perry Hall High School and opened fire. He only managed to get two shots off before being grappled by a very brave school councilor. Only one student was injured and is currently in hospital being treated for a gun shot wound to the back.
This may bring back memories of the Columbine School shootings, which of course was not the fault of the gun laws, the socio-economic climate of the region, or the parents, or the shooters themselves, but 100% totally Marilyn Manson’s bad.
