The Target is Rock

In the article “The Target Is Rock” by Chuck Philips (Feb. 11), Ramona Ripston, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, said that: “Rock ‘n’ roll is an art form just like literature. Nobody would dare suggest labeling classic books which deal with controversial subjects.”

The fact of the matter is that the literary world has reached a level of success in the area of censorship; it has fought long, pitched battles against government agencies which opposed the dissemination of so-called obscene materials. Let us not forget the battles fought in publishing James Joyce’s “Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man,” or William S. Burroughs’ “Naked Lunch.” These works were attacked and went through litigation before publication in their respective eras--now both are considered “classics.”

The record industry must begin its own march against the dark hand of censorship. The heavy-metal and rap artists of the ‘90s are faced with new conservative opposition to their music. They must find the happy median between iconoclasm and a sense of community.

JOSH MOSCOV

Santa Monica