The Botox Frankenstein Archival Interview Series>#5 Dirk Dirksen, 1989

Editor's Note: In 1986, almost immediately after charges of "selling pornographic material to a minor" were lodged against then lead singer Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys, Dirk Dirksen a friend of Biafra's knew something had to be done, so he and a few others started the No More Censorship Defense Fund. In 1987, Biafra was cleared of the charges, yet they felt the need to carry on what they started. Speaking with Dirksen in December, 1989, I found out what NMCDF was up to at that point. During my conversation with Dirksen, I found him as an in-depth individual and quite mind-boggling to say the least! Interview copyright 1989/2005 ©

CB-Charles Bernstein
DD-Dirk Dirksen

CB: How did No More Censorship start up?

DD: Well, once the charges were brought up against Biafra and the naming of the four other individuals as co-defendants, it became apparent that the folks that were being charged, that they didn't have the money to defend themselves and we felt that a miscarriage of justice would occur if they didn't have proper representation, therefore a number of us who had been associated either as producers, artists or such with the music scene, felt it necessary to give a hand to those people and that's how it came about. It started on June 3, 1986.

CB: Was the original intent of NMC begun, as a sort of watchdog group...

DD: ...to assist the five defendants, mounting the defense. Since that time, because of the fact of the tremendous amount of questions and mail we have received, on first amendment issues around the country, we've just basically have kept going as a voluntary organization that disseminates and tracks of concern to the first amendment.

CB: Who does NMC serve in terms of artists, smaller bands, etc?

DD: Somebody phones or writes, whether it's a high school student doing a term paper, a state archive or college archive saying, do you have any information on this or that trial, this or that first amendment issue that went on in Minneapolis for instance, wherever. Then we check our archives and send them the material they request. We've taped appearances by spokespersons on both sides on either side of the issue, so there's audio/video documentation availiable.There's a certain amount of advocacy on saying this is what the first amendment says, stand up for those rights.

CB: Do you also monitor groups, such as Back In Control (A United States organization that allegedly brainwashes the minds of young children, particularly teenagers)?

DD: Monitor, I guess could be the word, we're more of a clearinghouse, because we're treating that more of actions that would hinder a person's access to information or a and obviously we have a strong conviction that the founding fathers got it correct when they wrote the first amendment and therefore, as a democracy in its second 200 years of operation should stick to that. Anything that interferes with that is something that we all should be aware of, that even though we may not agree with the individuals' particular thought pattern, that if we want to hold our own thought patterns to be free from prosecution, then we've got to protect the other guys, even though it may be totally ad horn to our own viewpoint. Much of the rap music, much of the rock music, in opera or country & western music, I find offensive, but I don't want to see it cut out. I just don't buy it, I just don't surround myself.

CB: If somebody came to NMC for help, how would the process begin?

DD: Well, by virtue of the fact, hi I'm so and so, I've just been busted over this particular statute or I've had this happen to me at my school or I've had this happen to me at my record label or I've had this happen to me when I went to buy this particular record or this piece of artwork, then we would try to figure out either what the intent of the statute was when it was written by trying to hook that person up with a civil liberties or first amendment attorney in that area who might be able to suggest who might be a good legal resource in their own particular area, whether that is referring them to a chapter of the ACLU in their state or their city, we would try to find similar prosecutions to their case that might give them leads as to how to defend themselves, law libraries to give them access to, where other first amendment archives are in their area, so they could educate themselves to it. In other words, we don't have financial resources because it's all volunteers.

How would you definitively define censorship?

DD: Censorship is the denial or oppression of someone's right to express themselves in whatever way they want to, verbally, visually. Now, censorship can occur like government agencies with the force of law put behind it, that's the most common or the one we fear the most because it is the individual faced by the majesty in power of the state. But censorship can occur on a one-to-one basis, where somebody by might says, "I'll put you in the mud if you say that." That's censorship.

CB: How can people educate themselves on censorship?

DD: By keeping their ears and eyes open to as many thoughts as possible. Now if someone is advocating the abuse of others, whether that is women, other men, children...anyone that advocates that in their songs, that's someone who is vile and you should reject them. If on the other hand, they're using metaphors, it's if they misuse the metaphor, then the message is lost. If you are a sincere person and want to improve the world, if you start throwing too many metaphors into a piece of work, it may come back to haunt you and destroy. But let history be the judge, let the individual be the judge. Let's not go putting stamps or stickers on because they become ridiculous. It was proven in the Biafra case.

For information, write to: Alternative Tentacles Legal Defense Fund, P.O. Box 419092 San Francisco, CA 94141

For information on Dirk Dirksen: http://www.outspokenideas.com