Page 2 ECHO l Thursday, June 4, 2009

Green Day’s
controversial
new album
By MIRANDA SOMICH AND JESSICA
RHOADS
Pottstown Middle School (8th Grade)

Controversy erupted when teenagers every-

where found out that Green Day’s new album,
“21st Century Breakdown,” was not going to be
released in Wal-Mart, one of the world’s largest
chain stores. So many Green Day fans are disap-
pointed, but there’s obviously other ways to get
a hold of the CD. Just as there’s a right and
wrong side to every argument, there’s two sides
to this argument also. Because of the Parental
Advisory (which we’ll refer to as PA from now
on), Green Day and Wal-Mart are now at a
stalemate.
Green Day’s views protect their artistic free-
dom. After all, it’s their right to market their
music however they like; why should they
change it to accommodate Wal-Mart? Ob-
viously, (see American Idiot), their artistic free-
dom is worth more to them than selling millions
of albums, an admirable trait in an artist. In-
stead of changing their CD to a more, shall we
say, “edited” version (instead of the PA ver-
sion), they decide to stand by what they intend-
ed originally; they chose to stand by their rights.
If Wal-Mart won’t take their CD as is, they can’t
have the CD at all. The case is closed from the
Green Day perspective, and it’s not preventing
any of their fans from getting the CD. If the fans
want it, they’ll find some other way to find it;
other chain stores like Target, Best Buy, FYE,
and even iTunes provides music from the new
CD. Unedited, uncensored. Real.
On the other hand, Wal-Mart stands by pro-
tecting their right to market the products they
see fit, which isn’t wrong. After all, the owners of
Wal-Mart have the right to sell whatever they
please, and if they feel the product is not up to
standard, they won’t sell it. They’re legally al-
lowed to turn away items that they don’t feel fit
the Wal-Mart standard. Asking Green Day to
Theme days
market an edited version is understandable, but By: ALEXANDER MILLER and my eyes were really fuzzy. I was One day, while sitting hanging out,
if Green Day does not want to cooperate with walking down the hallway and I Anthony Nattle, Maxx Bilodeau,
that idea, they won’t market “21st Century I’m sure you’ve all seen a cast of thought there were fire balls flying Dan Kochinsky, Mark Rodgers,
Breakdown.” The PA sticker gives Wal-Mart senior guys walking around with ab- up and down, no lie. I pulled my John Wieland, Ryan Kuhns, and Joe
their reason to refuse to sell the product; howev- normal attire on. One day, I was glasses off the top of my head down Kovach decided to wear crazy outfits
er, if the rating goes down, they will sell it. Wal- walking down the hallway when I saw over my eyes, and I saw this cast of on various “theme days” just for the
Mart’s opinions influence their choice, and just what I thought was a giant girl walk- seniors in orange shirts jumping over fun of it. “We just wanted to do
as Green Day’s views aren’t wrong, neither are ing, when in reality it was a senior the white blocks on the floor. On yet something fun before we graduat-
Wal-Mart’s. dressed in short shorts and other another day, I saw that SAME cast of ed,” stated Joe Kovach. Not only
feminine attire. Another day, I just seniors wearing beach attire. They were these outfits utterly hilarious,
woken up from sleeping in study hall had on sunglasses, safari hats, and they will definitely leave a lasting im-
bathing suits, with towels around pression in our minds! “We like to
their necks! I thought they stand out,” Joe also stated. Each of
were going on a field trip!
Have I been seeing things? See DAYS, Page 4

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And parents, call Vicki O’Day today to reserve
space for a congratulation message for your
graduating senior. Call 610-933-8926, ext.
638, to reserve your space today!