Ich stelle das mal zur Diskussion in den Raum.

PRESSEMITTEILUNG.

Sehr geehrte Kulturinteressierte,

am 08.Mai 2002 setzte die Bundesprüfstelle für jugendgefährdende Schriften auf Antrag des Bayerischen Landesjugendamts den Tonträger "FUTURE OF WAR" der Gruppe ATARI TEENAGE RIOT auf den Index. Im folgenden findet ihr die Stellungnahme des Bandleaders ALEC EMPIRE, sowie die seines Labels DIGITAL HARDCORE RECORDINGS. Bei Rückfragen steht euch jens.nave@cdpromotion.de zur Verfügung.

"Seit dem 8.Mai 2002 ist das Album "FUTURE OF WAR" meiner Band ATARI TEENAGE RIOT auf dem Index in Deutschland. Kurz gesagt heisst das: Es ist verboten, diese Musik oeffentlich zu verkaufen.

Das Album wurde im Fruehjahr 1997 weltweit veroeffentlicht, und hat ca.
500.000 Einheiten verkauft. Seit dem internationale Kuenstler wie z.B. die
Beastie Boys (die das Album auf ihrem Label Grand Royal in den USA
vermarkteten) oder Beck (der sofort nach erstmaligen Hoeren die Band auf
seine lange USA Tour einlud) unsere Musik entdeckten, hat dieses Album
gerade wegen der eindeutigen linken Kritik an dem 'modernen'
High-Tech-Krieg, wie wir ihn ein paar Jahre zuvor im Golf Krieg sehen
konnten, und der Warnung vor einem Deutschland, das aus uebersteigertem Nationalstolz die eigene Auslaenderfeindlichkeit, den Anti-semitismus und den Rassismus strategisch ignoriert und somit die Verbrechen und Gewalttaten der extremen Rechten geschehen laesst, eine hohe Aufmerksamkeit und Anerkennung bekommen.
Die internationalen Medien begruessten das musikalische, eindeutige Signal
aus einem Deutschland, aus dem damals hauptsaechlich Bilder von brennenden Asylantenheimen und Skinheads kamen. Die Emotionalitaet und die Wut, mit der das Album dagegen aufruft, wurde als notwendig empfunden.

Wir sind sehr erschrocken und erzuernt ueber das Verbot des Albums in
Deutschland.
Ich sehe es als Pflicht von Musikern, Kuenstlern, Autoren und Filmemachern
Kritik zu ueben, Visionen zu haben, und ueber Themen zu sprechen, die viele lieber todschweigen wuerden. Ueber die jeweilige kuenstlerische Umsetzung kann immer diskutiert, gestritten und geschmacklich geurteilt werden. Genau darum geht es ja!
Hier geht es um die freie Meinungsaeusserung und um kuenstlerische Freiheit.
Viele in unserer Gesellschaft scheinen vergessen zu haben, wie wichtig diese Grundrechte in unserer Verfassung sind.

Zu denjenigen, die jetzt die 'grosse Marketingkampagne' vermuten, kann ich nur sagen, das Album ist fast 6 Jahre alt, und wir erwarten keine
ploetzliche, verspaetete Top Ten Chart Platzierung (was auch zur Zeit gar
nicht moeglich waere, wir erinnern: Die CD ist auf dem Index.).
Und warum dann trotzdem die Oeffentlichkeit?
Weil genau Gesetze wie diese und Zensurmassnahmen frueher oder spaeter auch die Medien soweit unterlaufen, bis es unmoeglich sein wird eine unabhaengige Berichterstattung zu machen und oeffentlich Kritik zu aeussern. (siehe Italien)

Ob das Album gefaellt oder nicht: Es ist falsch, dass es auf dem Index ist!"

Alec Empire , Berlin 3-11-2002
Und die Plattenfirma:
DHR- Labelstatement von ELLIOT REUBEN.

In light of the concerns raised by the BPJS, we felt that we should point
out some artistic material that provides similar sentiments to the
above-mentioned album by ATR.
In direct response to points raised:

Song 5 "Deutschland Has Gotta Die."
Deutschland does not mean Deutschland per se, but "The State" or "The
Government" as an institution. It would make equal sense coming from an
American saying "USA Has Gotta Die".
The notion of attacking the State as an institution is a revolutionary one -
it has been present in every revolutionary movement from the beginning of
time and is the idea that "what we have now doesn't work and we believe it should be replaced."

"You say you'll change the constitution
Well you know
we all want to change your head
You tell me it's the institution
Well you know
You better free your mind instead"

This is from The Beatles "Revolution" - about freeing your mind from
traditional notions of politics. This is only a very mild example - this
sentiment has been in music for centuries, from the rebel songs of rural
England in the 17th Century to Bob Dylan to The Sex Pistols. The language
may change, but the thought is the same. Indeed, "The Internationale" must rank as one of the most widely-sung songs in The World:

"Arise! ye criminals of want.
For Reason in revolt now thunders,
And ends at last the age of cant.
Now away with all superstitions.
Servile masses, arise! arise!
We'll change forthwith the old conditions,
And spurn the dust to win the prize.
Then comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale

Unites the human race.
We peasants, artisans, and others
Enrolled among the sons of toil,
Let's claim the earth henceforth for brothers,
Drive the indolent from the soil!
On our flesh too long has fed the raven;
We've too long been the vulture's prey.
But now farewell the spirit craven:
The dawn brings in a brighter day.
Then comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale
Unites the human race.
No saviour from on high delivers;
No trust have we in prince or peer.
Our own right hand the chains must shiver:
Chains of hatred, greed, and fear.
Ere the thieves will out with their booty
And to all give a happier lot,
Each at his forge must do his duty
And strike the iron while it's hot!
Then comrades, come rally,
And the last fight let us face.
The Internationale
Unites the human race.

Song 8 "You Can't Hold Us Back"
Reference is made in the original accusation in particular to the attack on
politicians : "Fuckin' politicians... it's the end of your era." It's mystifying why something like that should be singled out for attention - attacks on politicians are so common:

"Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don't stand in the doorway
Don't block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There's a battle outside
And it is ragin'.
It'll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin'"

So said Bob Dylan. Again, the notion of attacking the status quo, and again
it's the politicians who receive the complaints.

I can only surmise that part of the problem is the use of the profanity
"[censored]." Whilst I can understand the need to keep language like this from primary school children, it is neither a German word nor something that is our responsibility.
It is also worth noting that this word is no longer anywhere as profane as
it once was. The lyrics of the Bob Dylan song seem mild by today's
standards, but at the time they were highly inflammatory - don't forget that
there was a riot at his first electric show!

Song 9 "Heatwave"
In particular I believe exception has been taken to the notion of :
"We use violence to beat this society."
However, this song is not specifically about Germany, but about fascist
governments or governments that are perceived to act in a fascist manner.
From the point of view of many youths across the World, their governments act in such a way.
Again, if you accept that revolution is a legitimate movement in history
(which it most surely is), then you have to accept that a revolution against
any government will be violent. How can one fight an army with flowers?
It should also be noted that Censorship is one of the tools of such a
government - what message does this to send to those that are already
disaffected?
The number of references are multifarious - The Sex Pistols, The Clash, Jimi
Hendrix, the Doors, The Beastie Boys, etc ad infinitum. "We Shall
Overcome" - is this a song that should be hidden away? Once again, The
Internationale has similar sentiments.

Song 10 "Redefine The Enemy"
Firstly it must again be pointed out that "Germanization" is in the song
purely because the artists are German. It is about globalisation - the idea
that you can take the culture of one country and impose it upon the rest of
The World.
This is a massively popular theme in contemporary politics - it's in
everything from Naomi Klein's book "No Logo" to Radiohead's album "Kid A."
With regards to the picture, it is a very small part of the overall booklet,
and is the kind of image that is common in many Manga comics, which are
widely available. Television is also full of similar images, and it seems
nonsensical to pick out this one tiny example for attention.

In summary, let us look at the lyrics of Paul Robeson : "Born to be Free,"
written around the time of the Second World War:
"You can wreck my name, vilify me, stretch me on the rack
But I won't bow down to any man, be he white or be he black
Take away my passport, refuse to let me travel
But I will not get down on my knees,
You're never gonna make me grovel
There's a lot more to democracy than havin' a vote
I'm the equal here of any man, free my people, let them go
These chains around my body are never gonna hold me
And I refuse to be a slave in my own country
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free

You can call me a traitor but I love my country
And I will not sell out it because of your hypocrisy
I refuse to hide behind the Fifth, I've no fear of honesty
You always know exactly where I am, so why don't you just
Come on over here and get me
You can tap my phone but there's one thing you will never hear
'Cause the drumbeat of freedom wasn't meant for your slaves' ears
I'll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends
The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free

I stand here struggling for the rights of my people to be full citizens in
this country and they are not!

Close your halls to stop me singin'
Close your minds to stop me speakin'
Close your kitchens to stop me eatin'
Close your hotels to stop me sleepin'
But I'll never turn my back on my comrades and my friends
The poor and the dispossessed, the women and the men
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free

These chains around my body are never gonna hold me
And I refuse to be a slave in my own country
The great are only great 'cause we're down on our knees
Rise up, my brothers and sisters, we were born to be free
Born to be free

I am born and bred in this America of ours. I want to love it, but we must
have the courage
to shout at the top of our voices about our injustices, and we must lay the
blame right where
it has belonged for over three hundred years of slavery and misery - right
here on our own doorstep.

My father was a slave, and my people died to build this country, and I'm
going to stay here and have a part of it just like you! And no
fascist-minded people will drive me from it--is that clear?

This violently independent song is from a different era, but even today it
still seems powerful. This man lived in exile from America for his beliefs -
is that something we wish to return to?

We will happily provide more evidence if required - it is certainly in
plentiful supply.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this representation,"

ELLIOT REUBEN
On Behalf Of DHR Ltd.