Punk Goes to the Movies

This Friday American Hardcore opens here in NY at the Angelika. It looks to be a great movie. I can't wait to see it. Unforunately I'm not sure I'll be able to see on friday, but once it goes to more theatres around the city at least it should be easy to catch. I definately am interested to see what amount of the film involves Straight Edge. I don't want it to be a passing phrase that's barely uttered and whispered. It seems that the stigma behind SxE has made it into something it's not. But we'll just have to wait and see.

Also coming out soon is the film Punk's Not Dead that will take on the more recent punk scene as opposed to a historical documentary view. This will be a film I am very interested to see since I didn't grow up in the hardcore scene or the early punk scene, being born during the start of punk I didn't quite experience it, so I have a more current interest. Hopefully it will be worth the wait, since no release date has been set yet.

Punker than Punk

Being Straight Edge is punker than punk. It's more than a commitment to yourself, it's a statement against the machine, it's a big FU to the system that drives our society. The media (Left or Right, however you see it) and the government continue to push alchohol and cigarettes on the public like drug dealers. They put out commercials and ads selling these drugs. The Government is filled with lobbyists and lawyers that care more about the money they get from these industries than they do about the people that this government was founded upon and for.

Punks and Hippies and Yuppies have more in common than they realize. They all conform to Big Business and the Government's ties and bonds with the Alchohol and Tobacco Industries. Everytime you drink, everytime you smoke, you feed the machine, you give money to the people you say you hate.

Being SxE is so much more than being clean, it's a way to boycott, it's a way to fight and be PUNK.

Why Punks are better people

Not exactly better in all ways, but I feel like they are more real than most people. One example is respect, now you'll say Punks aren't nice. However the point I'm getting at is not about being nice but showing respect, respect for themselves, people, the planet, animals, everything. Punks make choices in their lives that effect themselves and others in ways many people ignore and disrespect.

Choices such as becoming Straight Edge or Vegan and respecting your body. Choices like being part of PETA and Food Not Bombs that respect animals and the less fortunate. Choices like supporting Iraq Veterans Against the War (started by an ex-marine and working class punk, and my best friend Mike Hoffman)that respect our military and the world around us.

Even simple yet telling displays of respect are seen in the mosh pit. I've been kicked in the head and punched while moshing. But everytime it happened the other guy would apologize, cause it wasn't meant on purpose, shit happens in the pit. When you get knocked down in the pit, more often than not you don't even hit the ground, four people around you will scoop you back up on to your feet in seconds. That's respect.

Now to the reason I wrote this post about respect. I was in the subway this morning like most mornings, and everyone is rushing. This large guy is coming towards me and I try to make room where I can and he SLAMS his shoulder right into me like a linebacker. WTF! I turn and say "sorry" even though it wasn't my fault, cause that's just the right thing to do. He didn't even turn or utter a word. Now that is the perfect display of disrespect. That's why Punks are better people.