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Andrew Vactor was facing a $150 fine for playing rap music too loudly on his car stereo in July. But a judge offered to reduce that to $35 if Vactor spent 20 hours listening to classical music by the likes of Bach, Beethoven and Chopin.

Vactor, 24, lasted only about 15 minutes, a probation officer said.

-CNN

Ok, coming from someone who both loves classical music, and was known in the past to blast loud rap music from his '68 VW Bus, this is ridiculous. You couldn't get me to listen to classical music for 20 hours. You couldn't get me to listen to anything for 20 hours, not even my own tunes (and I'm known to indulge in quite a bit of the vanity listens). This is one of those articles targeted toward smug oldsters who can't get enough of the 'Kids Today...' type of fluff stories.

Of course, when you read on:

It wasn't the music, Vactor said, he just needed to be at practice with the rest of the Urbana University basketball team.

"I didn't have the time to deal with that," he said. "I just decided to pay the fine."

If I had the choice of listening to the classical station playing "the hits" and talking about the latest Mostly Mozart festival (how come I only hear about these on the radio btw??) or going to a rehearsal, I'd go do my responsibility.

This isn't about culture or the youth or the decline of western civilization. This is about compulsion. You couldn't compel me to go record hunting (quite possibly my favorite activity) for 20 hours! Fuck, you couldn't compel me to do it for 1 hour. I'll do it on my own. Defiance is individuality. I respect this kid more for leaving after 15 minutes than I would had he stayed for the entire 20 hours. As the sentencing judge, Champaign County Municipal Court Judge Susan Fornof-Lippencott, said herself, "I think a lot of people don't like to be forced to listen to music".

I agree with you Champaign County Municipal Court Judge Susan Fornof-Lippencott. They also wouldn't like being force-fed filet-mignon for 20 hours straight. You're a force for evil and tyranny in the world.

Smiles!