Music to no longer be used as torture
December 11, 2008
‘Please don’t stop the music’ sings Rihanna in her 2007 hit, but if musicians have it their way it soon will.
Artists have joined forces to get songs banned from being used as passive torture devices at Guantanamo Bay.
Together with the organization Reprieve project ZerodB has been launched in order to end the practice, reports the Telegraph.
The campaign was introduced on the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights according to Reprieve.
In protest some artists will have a minute of silence during concerts.
“I had no blanket or sheet. If I had, I would probably have tried suicide,” one former prisoner told AP.
He was subjected to around the clock rock music during his stay.
Loud music was first introduced in order “to create fear and disorient detainee(s) and prolong capture shock.”
Its use was authorized by Iraq Lt Gen Ricardo Sanchez in a memo from 2003.
The practice has now been used in places like Iraq, Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.
Many of the detainees are not accustom to rock music and therefore crack, said military spokesman to the press.
Musical meltdown
Bands like Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Eminem, Aerosmith, Limp Bizkit, Drowning Pool, Tupac Shakur and AC/DC have all been used during interrogation say reports.
The practice has upset many of these artists.
“It’s difficult for me to imagine anything more profoundly insulting, demeaning and enraging” wrote Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails in his blog.
His songs are frequently blasted at the prisons.
Others musicians are proud to have their songs used by the US military.
Bands like Drowning Pool encourage using their music to break detainees.
“I take it as an honor to think that perhaps our song could be used to quell another 9/11 attack or something like that.” bassist Stevie Benton told Spin magazine.
Rock music is not the only genre used.
Theme songs to popular TV shows like ‘Barney and Friends’ and ‘Sesame Street’ have been played non-stop.
By 2009 the debate may soon end. President-elect Barack Obama has vowed to close Guantanamo Bay, ending the music once and for all.
Musicians like Reznor hope to see this promise fulfilled.
“Thank GOD this country has appeared to side with reason and we can put the Bush administration’s reign of power, greed, lawlessness and madness behind us.” he says at the end of his blog.
Torture mix-tape
According to various news sources here are the most commonly used songs by the US military.
Enter Sandman - Metallica
Born in the USA - Bruce Springsteen
Bodies - Drowning Pool
Shoot to Thrill - AC/DC
White America - Eminem
I Love You – “Barney and Friends” TV theme song
Sesame Street - TV theme song
CLICK HERE FOR BACKGROUND ON MUSIC TO NO LONGER BE USED AS TORTURE
