Sinead O’Connor talks ripping up picture of Pope on SNL, Pussy Riot sentence (videos)

Sinead O’Connor is just as well-known for her outspokenness today as she was 25 years ago when she appeared on Saturday Night Live (SNL) and ripped up a picture of Pope John Paul II after singing an a cappella version of Bob Marley’s War. In a new interview, O’Connor discusses the inspiration for the act that many would describe as her career-defining moment. O’Connor also released an open letter to Putin regarding the sentences of three Pussy Riot members who were charged with hooliganism after performing a flash-mob, type performance at Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral. Just as O’Connor spoke out in 1985 for the child, victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church, O’Connor is speaking out for the two children who face years of separation from their mothers for their act of free speech.

Regarding the inspiration for tearing up the photo of the Pope, O’Connor spoke with Hot Press on September 20, 2012 and said she came up with the idea after seeing Bob Geldof, lead singer for the Irish, rock-punk band “Boomtown Rats,” tear up a photo of Grease stars John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. O’Connor told the publication, “When the Boomtown Rats went to No. 1 in England with Rat Trap, Geldof went on Top of The Pops and ripped up a photo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John, who had been No. 1 for weeks and weeks before (with ‘Summer Nights’ from the Grease soundtrack, which topped the UK charts for seven weeks in 1978).

“And I thought, ‘Yeah, fuck! What if someone ripped up a picture of the Pope?’ Half of me was just like, ‘Jesus, I’d love to just see what’d happen’.”

What did happen was numerous complaints from shocked and stunned viewers, a lifelong ban from SNL handed down by Lorne Michaels and controversy regarding her music that would last decades. The stunt also helped bring attention to the newly revealed allegations of widespread sexual abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic Church. O’Connor continues to use her public platform to highlight matters close to her heart. This time, it isn’t the Catholic Church or the Pope she’s targeting, but another influential leader: Vladimir Putin.

O’Connor has always been outspoken. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that she is open about her personal life, feelings, and displays her sometimes-raunchy sense of humor on social media networking sites like Twitter. Her fans get her. In fact, they love her and accept her for who she is. Her openness is also what makes her approachable and down-to-earth, while at the same time, a target for insensitive media interested in selling stories. While some might find her actions bizarre, others find them quite understandable. O’Connor has one of the strongest voices in this generation.

Whether singing, writing, or tweeting O’Connor aims to be heard, accepted, and simply is going to be who she is, regardless of what others think.

That’s why no one should be surprised that O’Connor would write an open letter to Putin requesting he think about the future of the two young children who stand to lose their mother’s due to a sentence that many worldwide feels is simply too harsh. O’Connor released her open letter to multiple media organizations, including Examiner.com. You may read her open letter here: Sinead O'Connor sends open letter to Vladimir Putin on PussyRiot sentence

Speaking straight to Putin’s heart as a mother yearning for her own children, O’Connor stated, “Russia is a place so soft in my heart I would be bereft not to be able to go there. So instead of recording the song I thought of writing a gentler one. but there’s too much to say and make it rhyme in 3 minutes. So I’m writing this open letter to you, from a mother, to a mother's son and a father.

"Your mother suffered the loss of two children. That must still be a great grief in your family's and your own heart. Sometimes for men, the only way to live with loss and grief is bury it. And when something brings it up we can run in all manner of ways.

"The more sensitive are the more hardened we make our hearts. One can't be a poppy in a tsunami. One must become a football.

Baby darling, please forgive me addressing you in such fashion, but I see all people as sons and daughters of mothers... and in my middle age I feel like I want to mother people. So I address affectionately where my human weakness doesn't mess it up...

Two small children... Gara and Philya... are now carrying the loss of their mother, which is equal to the agony your parents suffered over the loss of their children if you think about it.

Thank God she had you. And thank God your own beautiful children have you.”

An appeal (constitution reevaluation) hearing is scheduled for October 1, 2012. Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has called for the women’s release.

Though Medvedev stated he was sick over the act, he felt that they had served enough time and at this point, additional prison time would be counterproductive.

Medvedev stated, “I am sick over what they did, of their public appeal and the hysteria that surrounds them. Putin described the girl’s actions as a “witches’ Sabbath,” revealing how upsetting many found the protest.

 Still, many, like O’Connor have called for Putin to show mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.

In the conclusion of her letter, O’Connor urged Putin, “Show the world what a real man is... as you can. No president has ever been brave enough to say the word "love" or "forgive". You never hear any politician say "love". Nor even the Priests half the time.

“Please say it sir. Even just to yourself. Say 'forgive". And let these children have their mums at home on house arrest immediately while the other legal issues are pending.

“Don't let these children suffer what your mother suffered. Loss is loss. Loss of a mother can never be gotten back.

I know you have a heart.

Sinead.”