Is CM Punk good for Straight Edge?

Is CM Punk giving Straight Edge a bad name? Straight Edge gets a lot of bad press already because of hardline edgers that have formed gangs and fight people that smoke or drink. Young Straight Edge kids act beyond proud by proclaiming their edge following via obnoxious attitudes and raucous behavior. And now with CM Punks Straight Edge Society his fans are chanting that they are better than everyone else because they are Straight Edge.

To me Straight Edge is a personal choice. If someone else isn't Straight Edge I am not bothered or offended or upset in any way. I simply choose not to drink or smoke. But to others it has become a banner to wave in peoples faces. It is now a new way to offend people.

I was originally happy when I heard about CM Punk the Straight Edge wrestler. I figured it would be a possible positive way to introduce the philosophy to many new people that otherwise would live in what is commonly a non-edge lifestyle. But his arrogance (yes I understand it's an act, wrestling is fake and is entertainment) has spread to his followers.

How long will their interest last? Do they even understand the philosophy behind Straight Edge? Do they know the history and the culture of its origins? Not that one needs to know who Ian MacKaye is or even listen to hardcore, but I think it's important to understand what Straight Edge came from, to understand its origin as a rebellion against the typical drunken and drugged punk lifestyle.

If you're SxE and you became it because of CM Punk, please comment here and let me know.

Feel free to also comment on twitter, You can find me as @phreekk and you should tagyour Edge tweets with #StraightEdge or #SxE

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.