The Russian government is in the process of drafting a law to make emo and goth music illegal, says the Moscow Times.

"State Duma deputies, Public Chamber members and social conservatives have hammered out legislation aimed at heading off the spread of emo culture, which they describe as a 'dangerous teen trend.'

"The Duma last month held a parliamentary hearing on a raft of proposed amendments contained in a document called 'Government Strategy in the Sphere of Spiritual and Ethical Education,'" a copy of which was obtained by The Moscow Times.

Among other measures, the proposed legislation apparently calls for heavy regulation of emo web sites and for banning young people dressed like emos from entering schools and government buildings.

According to the bill, The "negative ideology" of emo culture may push young people toward depression and social withdrawal, and the movement carries a significant risk of suicide, especially for young girls."

The Times says "The bill also outlines what it calls a 'spiritual and ethical crisis' facing Russian youth, including the high rate of alcohol abuse, teen abortions and 'negative youth movements.'

Meanwhile, the  Moscow News reports that "Dozens of black-clad emo music fans" protested the proposed legislation Saturday in the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk. Interestingly, none of the protestors in the accompanying photo appear to be wearing black.

Yikes. I think Pete's Wentz's hair looks just as dumb as the next person does but this is pretty scary. 

Not least because of the (as Idolator puts it) 'I know it when I see it definition' of emo – and any fashion movement really – a shaved head does not a skinhead make. Just ask Britney Spears.

The Times says the bill defines emos as "from 12 to 16 years old and wear black and pink clothing. They have black hair with long bangs that 'cover half the face,' black fingernails, black belts peppered with studs and pins, and ear and eyebrow piercings."

Do they have to be wearing it all at once? Do they ever wear green? What if you just turned 17? And it gets weirder from there.

The point of the bill is apparently that, by 2020, Moscow will have someone to rule its government. Huh? Is EVERY RUSSIAN between the ages of 12 and 16 Emo? So, they're, like, the only hope or something?

Alexander Grishunin, an adviser to Public Chamber member Yevgeny Yuryev, one of the bill's three coordinators, said, "This is the first step in the public discourse."

Further, this is not the first time emo has come under Russian fire. In November, the Novgorod regional education department issued a letter to all schools in the region with a description of emo culture, saying the "dream of every [emo] is to die in a warm bath from the blood of cutting their wrists." EVERY ONE? Did they all say that? And could any of them be faking? You know, for attention, like normal teenagers?

"Emo ideology encourages and justifies drug use and sexual relations among minors, according to the bill, which also lumps emos and goths together with skinheads."

Well, they obviously understand exactly what they're doing. What could possibly go wrong?