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Teenage fans march to defend US band

Thursday, 12 June 2008

A GROUP of Northside teenagers are organising a protest march to rebel against media coverage of their favourite band.
The Hartstown teens are staunchly defending My Chemical Romance (MCR), who were was recently dubbed a ‘suicide cult’ by an English tabloid newspaper.
The young teenagers are furious over media coverage of the suicide of an English 13-year-old MCR fan.
But according to Eiblin Malone, the media’s association between MCR and suicide are “ridiculous”.
“Something of the magnitude of suicide cannot simply be triggered by music,” she told Northside People.
“There has to be other pretty significant reasons and factors which would cause someone to feel so isolated.”
She added: “I find the band and their songs really uplifting. MCR have some very positive messages for their fans about life and how to get through the hard times.”

The bubbly 17-year-old called on the public to think “outside the box”.
“A lot of people tend to put kids and the types of music they listen to into certain categories,” the fifth year student explained.
“Teenagers are branded because of the way they dress and act when really people are far more complex than that.
“I wear black but that doesn’t mean I’m depressed. In fact, I’m often told that I’m a really happy, chirpy person to be around.”
Some English media outlets have described the US group as a “suicide cult band” after a London student hung herself two weeks after she started listening to the music of MCR.
One piece, which sparked a recent demonstration by fans in London, described MCR as one of the main ‘suicide cult’ groups to form part of the ‘emo’ phenomenon.
The ‘emo’ trend, it said, was “characterised by depression, self-injury and suicide”.
But MCR fan Jessica Lawlor (19) said teenagers like her are very much misunderstood.
“I admit I wear a lot of black,” she explained. “I’m not a colourful person clothes wise but I have a very bright personality.
“The problem is that people are so quick to judge and brand you. For example, if you’re not wearing the latest most fashionable clothes you are seen as different.”
The hard-core fan described remarks made about MCR as far from the truth.
“In no way does the band promote suicide,” she insisted.
“If anything they give teenagers comfort when they are going through rough times.”
The Hartstown local added: “They are the perfect role models if anything. And they shouldn’t be associated with just teenagers as their fan base varies in age from 10 to 30-year-olds.”
The march will kick off from St Stephen’s Green at 1pm on Saturday, June 14.
“This march, which another friend Sarah Devine helped to organise, is about much more than MCR,” Jessica said.
“It’s about suicide awareness and highlighting the unfair labels attached to teenagers.
“We have even invited the Samaritans who we hope will be there on the day collecting money for their charity.”

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