Back to This Week in Music History: September 30 - October 6

October 3, 1992: Sinead O'Connor Rips the Pope

SNL | Hulton Archive

Earning herself a ticket straight to hell (according to most Catholics), Sinead O'Connor ripped apart a photograph of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live to protest against abortion laws. SNL's parent company NBC ended up being fined $2.5 million dollars by the Federal Communications Commission for that incident because forgiveness and reconciliation are meaningless concepts to religions.

Also, on this day 1967 folk singer Woody Guthrie died after suffering from Huntington's Chorea disease. Guthrie's basically patient zero for protester folkies and has inspired the likes of Bob Dylan, Wilco and Tom Morello. Guthrie's most famous song is hard-luck American anthem "This Land Is Your Land"