Back in September, we wrote about how a Catholic fundamentalist group was trying to shut down WSOU, the radio station of New Jersey’s Seton Hall University and one of American metal’s most important allies. For metal fans across the United State’s east coast, WSOU was a place where bands who mainstream rock stations never cared about were able to reach millions of listeners. Now, these Bible-bashers have taken to the streets, protesting WSOU for doing nothing more than bringing metal to the masses.
As reported by Loudwire, the charge is led by a group with the brilliant moniker Shut Down WSOU, who claim that “under the leadership of the former Archbishop of Newark, homosexual predator Theodore McCarrick,” WSOU has become an entity that attacks the Catholic faith. It’s interesting that this group doesn’t mention that McCarrick was a child molester who was part of the church’s scandalous cover-up. But hey, guess it’s Opeth who are the problem, right?
“Seton Hall’s radio station continues to regularly air satanic and violently anti-Christian material,” continues the site’s screed. “Seton Hall has bred a perniciously evil subculture at the station that is overtly hostile to Christ, one the university, its Board of Trustees and the Board’s Chair, Cardinal Joseph Tobin have been unwilling to remove.”
The page then goes on to include a link to images, lyrics, and recording which the group considers harmful — seemingly in ignorance of the fact that they’re hosting the very art they’re trying to get WSOU shut down for. One band vigorously pursued are horror punk pioneers The Misfits, who are considered by many to be one of New Jersey’s greatest contributions to rock music.
You can watch a news report about the protests below. You can listen to WSOU via their website, and feel free to donate to the station while you’re there!
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Words by Chris Krovatin
