Straight Edge
Entry posted by Vera
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There is a negative correlation between recreational drug use and violent behavior in an individual. I truly despise the straight edge movement. Now, I have nothing against refraining from promiscuous sex, alcohol, and drugs. What I'm against is this pathetic movement that pretends to be superior because they're morally adjusted. Wait, what? Straight edge is a punk movement... punks should be morally adjusted?
I can understand why the straight edge movement started. It was a way to counter the dangerous behaviors that far too many punks were engaging in. But soon enough, it went too far. I'm not going to say that all straight edgers are violent - because that'd be a very false judgement - but a lot of straight edge individuals became very violent, and would hold hostilities to anyone who wasn't straight edge. Why so much violence? It was their anti-drug. Militant straight edgers took pride in being in such a group and it gave them incentive to get kicks from being bullies.
And then they went as far as promoting veganism and the animal rights movement. Need I explain this? As straight edge spread, there's been a rise in hypocrisy among its followers. It's all pretty ironic, really. They're young, rebellious punks, but their hatred for drug users is basically supporting our government's war on drugs. What's the point of a whole movement for straight edge? There is no movement for drug users. The closest to such a thing would be the way many stoners are friendly to eachother and other people. Many straight edgers would love to pick a fight with druggies, but do stoners really look like they'd give two shizzles?
Also, though I don't agree that drugs are needed to make good music, straight edge might be some good evidence. The original punk movements in New York and London had a ton of drugs and sex. The straight edge movement has none of this. Whilst '77 punk bands didn't let their rebelliousness get in the way of artistic success, far too many straight edge bands were and are too hardcore to sound good. There's plenty of exceptions (I.E., the great Henry Rollins), but there's a lot more great non-straight edge bands than the opposite.
I personally do not want to engage in promiscuous sex or excessive drinking. I like a bit of alcohol and reefer from time to time, but I find it unhealthy to go further than that. Still, drug use is a personal choice, and someone who is clean is no better than someone hooked on heroin. I respect anyone who can resist drugs, but not someone who can feel empowered by that. I'm sure plenty of straight edge followers would be smoking funny stuff if there was no movement, because without a unified movement, they'd be hanging out with the punk scene in general, where they'd meet plenty of lewd behaviors.
The three principles of straight edge philosophy make sense, but its existence as a movement is an atrocity that must be stopped.
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