Metal Grandmother

About Chuck Philips’ Aug. 7 article, “ ‘My Heart Aches,’ Mothers in Judas Priest Trial Tell of Their Five-Year Ordeal”: How chilling that these women blame music for their own failure to “do it” (go to therapy themselves).

I worked for five years with disturbed teen-agers. Some of the Christians with whom I worked were so upset by this music that as an open-minded, 60-year-old grandma, I got earphones to try to form my own opinion. Some of the lyrics were quite philosophical and poetic. The music to me offered a release--a joyous celebration and outlet. I began to go to concerts.

This music offers an outlet for kids filled with hypocritical dogma from parents who are cruel, narrow and ignorant.

We had 70 kids where I worked. Their parents never tried to change themselves; instead they blamed anything that they could to get off the hook themselves.

R. CRAFTS

Venice