Shelter - When 20 Summers Pass Documentary

When in Rome...Make Your Own Choices

Many people that dislike Straight Edge or SxE people say that we shouldn't push our beliefs on them, that we should not make a statement about what we don't do. I think this is a rather limited and thoughtless way to think. This usually comes about when people talk about music, they feel that SxE bands don't have to talk about not drinking all the time. To me they just don't see their own music for what it is. Just listen to a Dropkick Murphy's album (I love them, so I'm not bashing them, just using them for a demonstration here) or many of today's rap albums and hear the amount of lyrics devoted to drinking and promiscuous sex. But I guess since everyone's doing it then it's okay. When in Rome do as the Romans do, right? Seems to me that when something is right in front of you and it's something you like, you don't notice how often it's slammed down your throat, or how much society tells you that it's okay. It's our choice to be Straight Edge, and when you listen to a SxE band and get annoyed for them saying they're Drug Free, it's your choice to turn it off. The same people that slam SxE are the same people that scream Freedom of Speech when Imus said crap on the radio. If you'd rather listen to people sing about getting drunk or f*cking hos, then that's your business. Me, I'd rather listen to something positive and uplifting, and now I think it's time to listen to some old school Youth of Today.

Different Directions

Let's keep it clear what I need from you is just a little space
Don't understand the goals I've set
Or the choices that I've made
Days fly by in the blink of an eye
And I find that years have past
Can't spend my life chasing expectations you've set

Let's keep it clear what I need from you is just a little space
Don't understand the goals I've set
Or the choices that I've made
Years fly by in the blink of an eye
And I'll find that I've grown old
So much to do and so little time
And I can't live these days for you
That's not the way I want to live

So I'm always going to push it away
You need to give me room to breathe
I want to live, live the life that I know is right for me
I want to live, and I know my mistakes
Are just lessons learned
I want to live, live the life that I know is right for me, drug free
I want to live, can't you see what's right?
If it's not my choice then it's not my life

And I want to live, live my own life

Different Directions - Champion ~ Different Directions: The Last Show

The Last of Champion

So Champion has finally called it quits and leaves us with a an audio visual sampler of better days.
I found a nice review of the disc, on Mammoth Press, by a non-straight edge reviewer that acutally respected the band despite his differences. It's nice to read a review that actually focuses on the music and doesn't say "well i hate straight edge, so i hate this new CD" I only have one or two previous Champion CDs, so I'm sure that I'll get this soon.

SxE Link

Straight Edge (The Best Life Style)

Smoking, the MPAA & the American Lung Association

The MPAA announced that they will give new movies R ratings for showing images of people smoking (however the rating isn't mandatory.) Granted I agree with the American Lung Association that smoking in movies and TV shows is sometimes portrayed as sexy and cool (almost every episode of America's Next Top Model (my girlfriend watches it) shows the models lounging and smoking), but I'm not sure that it warrants an R rating. Definitely no G or PG movie should portray it in a cool way, but what about Cruella Deville, she's certainly not the image of beauty she thinks she is, and the fact that she smokes is a sure indicator of her unatractiveness (pretty much only adults think she's cool.) I think the context and situation should indicate the rating. I don't think an X-Files movie that features the smoking man should automatically be rated R, but if a new Bogart movie was to be shot today any character he would play shouldn't smoke unless it's an R movie. I know that parents are supposed to teach their children right from wrong, but as a country we need to also say that certain things are just not right for anyone.

I would like to know what the rules are for movies that feature alcohol and drunk driving. I'm going to have to do a little research, cause I think that's something that warrants stricter ratings in my opinion when you take into account underage drinking.

Update: I wanted to add something else to this. MOVIE RATINGS ARE NOT CENSORSHIP!!! People can watch any movie they want. Movie ratings only disallow children from viewing certain movies until they are adults and are capable of making decisions for themselves.

UK Show interviewing SxE kids

Straight Edge Fest

The third annual Straight Edge Fest will be on July 7th in Auburn, NY. I wish I could make it but I already made plans for that day that I can't break. I only heard about the Fest last year after it happened and hoped to get a chance to go up this year. I hope everyone that goes has a great time.

SxE Link

WireTap Magazine article from 2003