Since the birth of rock music, artists who become famous are often torn down by the moral majority, flinging baseless accusations justifying their protests. The memorable accusations were thrown at classic artists such as Elvis and The Beatles, but possibly the most intense attack on a band was during the 1990's and early 2000's on Marilyn Manson.
Take this scenario as an example: New Jersey, 1997. Rock fans eagerly await their chance to purchase tickets to the legendary Ozzfest. To the fans' shock and surprise, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority cancelled the show. Their reason? Marilyn Manson. The show eventually went ahead, but only after Ozzy Osbourne successfully sued the state over the issue.
Here's another example: some schools located in Florida have documented the threat of student expulsion from school if they are caught in attendance of any live performance by Marilyn Manson.
Not enough? Try this one on for size: Utah and South Carolina are two states that introduced and passed legislation essentially banning Marilyn Manson (and other groups) from playing concerts in their state.
So what is the problem that people have with Manson? In a world with numerous problems affecting society in a noticeably negative way; problems that are easily identified and easily solved, why is a rock artist perceived as such a threat?
The answer is in hearsay, rumor, and myths - mistruths perpetrated and spread by conservative extremists who believe that Manson is immoral corruption, simply because the artist has a different viewpoint from them - which is interesting considering we supposedly live in a democracy in which all different viewpoints are heard and tolerated.
So what are the myths of Manson? Why is he perceived as unwanted evil? Let's take a look...
Myth 1:
Marilyn Manson is a rock star, therefore an unintelligent and unwelcome influence on young people
This myth is a common one across many artists accused of similar designs. Manson, born Brian Werner, is in fact a very articulate and well-spoken individual who's logical and passive arguments clearly display his intelligence. Numerous interviews have highlighted this and given justification for it.
Myth 2:
The image of Marilyn Manson is evidence enough that he is evil
Despite the fact we are taught when we are young that we're not to judge a "book by its cover". Many of Manson's accusers consider themselves Christian, yet seem to ignore the Biblical premise that we should not judge others - "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone"... His image is not evidence enough - the image of a musical artist is as much a part of their expression as the music itself. Manson was fully aware of the judgmental nature though: "People tend to associate anyone who looks and behaves differently with illegal or immoral activity."
Myth 3:
Marilyn Manson is Anti-Christian
While it is true that the second Marilyn Manson album was entitled Antichrist Superstar, the concept of the album delved deeply into aspects of apocalypse, revelation, and observance of society in general. In numerous biographic materials, it has been revealed numerous times that he attended a Christian school during his youth. As he grew, he was eventually turned off from the fundamentalist teaching of the religion, so much so that he perceived it as more focused on teaching fear rather than teaching values. Having said that, there is very little indication that Marilyn Manson is against faith or belief - but more so against the corrupt establishment controlling religion. "I refuse to be forced to believe in other people's interpretations of God," Manson once said. "I don't think anybody should be. No one person can own the copyright to what God means."
Myth 4:
Marilyn Manson is a dedicated Satanist
Prior to his death, Anton LaVey (the so-called "founder" of the Church of Satan) bestowed upon Manson the title of Reverend. In the Church of Satan, a reverend is someone who is revered by the church, not someone who dedicates themselves to the philosophy of preaching the beliefs of the church. In other words, it was a title given to him, not one he had sought out.
Myth 5:
Marilyn Manson exclusively encourages deviant sexual behavior and promotes homosexual orientation
It is absolutely true that Manson uses aspects of sexuality in a visual sense in the shows and the videos, but it is fundamentally a part of the act; or in other words, a visual device used to help tell the story or get the point across. Despite this, Manson himself has stated he does not promote any kind of orientation - this is a matter of sexuality for individuals.
Myth 6:
The profanity and inappropriate language in Marilyn Manson's work is unnecessary
For those who have seen Marilyn Manson be interviewed, it is clear that he very rarely uses profanity in verbal interactions. In the music, however, this is a different story. Many of the concepts Manson has attempted to tackle in his career have required the expression of aggression, or the portrayal of anger - in short, profanity is an effective way of portraying this. Many may disagree, but it really is no different than the explicit language contained in some films - and much less-prominent than some of the explicit content used by other musical artists.
Myth 7:
Marilyn Manson's music embraces the encouragement of suicide or death wish Death is a constant subject in all art forms, and it is no different with Marilyn Manson. However, Manson's focal point on death tends to circulate more around how it is perceived by mass society via modern media trends, as highlighted by the Columbine massacre, which we will examine shortly. In response, Manson passed the blame to mass media, in which he said, "Is adult entertainment killing our children? Or is killing our children entertaining our adults?"
Myth 8:
Marilyn Manson is a negative influence on children
Anything can be misinterpreted. The visual of a tortured, dying man on a crucifix (especially as portrayed on film in recent years) could easily be perceived as society's fascination with torture, gore, and violence - and yet it is the symbol used of one of the biggest religions in the world. The unfortunate aspect of this myth is that it's the initial image that is judged. Manson also focuses on exploring American society's fascination with violence, and how it somehow interrelates with their religious and political beliefs. This was evident on his Guns, God, and Government Tour, which used the image of guns arranged in a cross-like formation - a symbol used to highlight this exploration, yet was used by critics to justify their myths. In response, Marilyn Manson once said that, "I never said to be like me; I say be yourself and make a difference."
Myth 9:
The Columbine Massacre was Marilyn Manson's fault
Following the tragedy in Columbine, there were numerous media accusations that the killers Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris were influenced by the music of Marilyn Manson. The concept took full swing in the media and society in general, and all of a sudden the death of the victims was placed on the shoulders of an artist, instead of the killers themselves. Later, evidence was revealed that neither of the boys were fans of Manson. Michael Moore once asked Manson what he would say to the killers if he had a chance to talk to them before the tragedy. "I wouldn't say a single word to them," Manson had said. "I would listen to what they have to say, and that's what no one did".
Myth 10:
Marilyn Manson kills animals, rapes people and uses drugs on stage.
This myth is a direct quote from a piece of literature released by a particular fundamentalist religious group. The accusation is nonsense - there is no evidence to suggest any of these events have ever occurred.
Myth 11:
According to Pat Robertson, Marilyn Manson "incites people to murder, to rape."
As with Myth 10, there is no evidence to suggest any of these events have ever occurred.
Why have all these myths been perpetrated against an artist? In short, Manson is an easy target for radical critics. They use his image, without any basis of facts, to justify the propaganda they preach. Essentially, it's an issue of control.
But ultimately, these people are the losers. The accusations do nothing but attract more people to Manson's work, and gather him more publicity and popularity. Despite the fact that Manson is very capable of responsibly defending his position in a calm manner, he certainly uses these accusations against him for his benefit.
At the end of the day, art still wins over irrational behavior.
Since the birth of rock music, artists who become famous are often torn down by the moral majority, flinging baseless accusations justifying their protests. The memorable accusations were thrown at classic artists such as Elvis and The Beatles, but possibly the most intense attack on a band was during the 1990's and early 2000's on 
Not enough? Try this one on for size: Utah and South Carolina are two states that introduced and passed legislation essentially banning Marilyn Manson (and other groups) from playing concerts in their state.
This myth is a common one across many artists accused of similar designs. 
Despite the fact we are taught when we are young that we're 
While it is true that the second Marilyn Manson album was entitled Antichrist Superstar, the concept of the album delved deeply into aspects of 
Prior to his death, 
It is absolutely true that Manson uses aspects of 
For those who have seen 
Anything can be misinterpreted. The visual of a tortured, dying man on a crucifix (especially as portrayed on film in recent years) could easily be perceived as society's fascination with torture, gore, and violence - and yet it is the 
Following the 
This myth is a direct quote from a piece of literature released by a particular 
As with Myth 10, there is no evidence to suggest any of these events have ever occurred.
