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I don't know about you but a good deal of my conservative roots extends from growing up in a very macho environment. Although I am not a Pantera fan at a basic human level, part of my competitive psych is to beat whomever my opponent is. Whether that is football, pickup basketball, weightlifting, whatever.

I also have an MBA and have made a good living in the software industry for the last 5-6 years. Please don't take one sentence and pick it apart, I am well-educated and can argue economic reasons for being conservative. However I am just saying at my most basic thought level kicking butt in anything I do is a part of it, and metal helps play into that. I am still more of a Zeppelin, Pink Floyd guy, but hey.

Also my 7 and 10 year old sons have been taking classical piano since they were 5. However when I need to fire them up for a baseball game, its Bawitaba by Kid Rock, not mozart.

Thank you for the first thoughtful reply that I have received. I don't take enjoyment in anyones death, especially when someone is shot by a lunatic. And I certainly do not hate DimeBag, I don't even know the guy and really have no feeling about him one way or the other. I do agree with the article, in that there is a difference between great art and a Lucite encased turd, and that we as a society have some obligation to pass along some aesthetic sense to our children, the same way that we try to pass along moral values. And while I'm sure that DimeBag was respected in his community, I'm sure that Osama Bin Ladin is respected in his community too. I'm sure that rappers who preach cop killing are respected in their various communities also (hell, I'll bet their dogs even like them). What I don't understand is what all of that has to do with an objective look at the type of music they produce. Are they skilled at what they do? I'm sure they are. Osama Bin Ladin is skilled at what he does too. Again, what has that got to do with anything? On the whole, I don't believe that this man's music has makes a positive contribution to our society in the same way that the great classics do. Is it being "elitist" to make a statement like that? I don't think so. I think it is just being objective. Again, I really don't have any more feeling about DimeBag one way or the other than I have about a lawyer for the ACLU. I'm sure the lawyer is skilled and respected by his community and loved by his dog. I'm trying to take an objective look at their actions and effect that they have on our society. And while I am sure that DimeBag would get your children fired up for a game, cocaine would do the same thing. Does that make cocaine a good thing? P.S. I too have a degree in engineering, and I too have done the software thing for many years.