Editing Parents Music Resource Center (section)

=== Supporting witnesses ===
[[Paula Hawkins (politician)|Paula Hawkins]] presented three record covers (''[[Pyromania (album)|Pyromania]]'' by [[Def Leppard]], ''[[WOW (Wendy O. Williams album)|W.O.W.]]'' by [[Wendy O. Williams]], and ''[[W.A.S.P. (album)|W.A.S.P.]]'' by [[W.A.S.P. (band)|W.A.S.P.]]) and the music videos for "[[Hot for Teacher]]" by [[Van Halen]], and "[[We're Not Gonna Take It (Twisted Sister song)|We're Not Gonna Take It]]" by [[Twisted Sister]], commenting: "Much has changed since Elvis' seemingly innocent times. Subtleties, suggestions, and innuendo have given way to overt expressions and descriptions of often violent sexual acts, drug taking, and flirtations with the occult. The record album covers to me are self-explanatory."

Susan Baker testified that "There certainly are many causes for these ills in our society, but it is our contention that the pervasive messages aimed at children which promote and glorify suicide, rape, sadomasochism, and so on, have to be numbered among the contributing factors." Tipper Gore asked record companies to voluntarily "plac[e] a warning label on music products inappropriate for younger children due to explicit sexual or violent lyrics."

National [[Parent–teacher association|PTA]] Vice President for Legislative Activity Millie Waterman related the PTA's role in the debate, and proposed printing the symbol "R" on the cover of recordings containing "explicit sexual language, violence, profanity, the occult and glorification of drugs and alcohol", and providing lyrics for "R"-labeled albums.

In addition, Dr. Joe Stuessy, a music professor at the [[University of Texas at San Antonio]], spoke regarding the power of music to influence behavior. He argued that heavy metal was different from earlier forms of music such as [[jazz]] and [[rock and roll]] because it was "church music" and "had as one of its central elements the element of hatred." Dr. Paul King, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, testified on the deification of heavy metal musicians, and to the presentation of heavy metal as a religion. He also stated that "many" adolescents read deeply into song lyrics.