XSTRAIGHTEDGEX
The choice to fold to society or to brandish your X above your head.
A personal choice in a lot of hardcore concert go-ers lives is that they will be straightedge. It is hard, in this day and age, to call yourself straightedge as there are many different versions or beliefs on what being a "true" straightedge person means. For the older crowd out there, being 'straightedge' is the equivalent to being a 'square.' Let's look back at some history for a bit:
The year is 1970, the new and rebellious genre of hardcore-punk was emerging from the norm of that day. Ahead of the pack was Ian MacKaye, the orignal member of both the band The Teen Idles and the band Minor Threat . In the early 1970's, during the beginning of The Teen Idles musical career they took a tour over the West coast of America.
One of their first shows was at the Mabuhay Garden Club in San Fransisco. Upon their arrival, equipment in arms, they were almost rejected from the club by the owner because they were all under age of the legal drinking age. Instead, due to MacKaye's fast thinking, the owner drew a large X on each of the band member's hands, symbolizing to the bar tenders that the band was underage. On the rest of their West coast tour, when the rejection from clubs was imminent, MacKaye just brought out the black X and the club owners were happy.
Today, you will see straightedge kids branding large X's drawn on the top of each of their hands, representing their oath for no alcohol or drugs. The simple letter on their hands sets them apart. They are either respected or made fun of.
This little history trip is the ground support for the 'new age' term straightedge. To be straightege places the person into musical circles that are associated with hardcore/emo/punk music. Most of the straightedge bands that publicly announce their decision to be straightedge will be within the hardcore genre of music and will place a capital X before and after their band name.
A local example of this is the band XLIFERUINERX.
To physically be straightedge is to be, in our societies terms, healthy. Bottom line. Ben Dussault of the straightedge/hardcore band Throwdown [www.myspace.com/throwdown] is a prime example of what being straightedge represents. Ben does not consume any 'uppers' such as caffeine, painkillers, alcohol or drugs and does not eat any meat. Some people take it to the next level and will become vegans and will not engage in sexual relations until married or in a very, very close relationship with their partner.
To be straightedge, to stand apart from the norm, to seperate from others, to form a tight-knit group of people who will be there, through the thick and through the thin. To live and believe in trust, loyalty, friendship and love.
Alot of people are made fun of for being straightedge, which has always struck me as weird, for a few reasons. As we all know, alcohol can be used responsibly or it can be abused. Since a lot of kids that attend these hardcore shows are my age [17] and younger they don't just casually drink alcohol, they abuse it, get smashed until it's not safe. What straightedge kids and adults realize is that there are hundreds of ways in which they can have fun and enjoy good times without consuming a mind-numbing, emotion draining, sickness-causing drink. So, they have vowed to never drink alcohol.
To be straightedge also means a person must be proud [within reason] of their decision and to stand by their choice to be straightedge with a passion. They will not fold to peer pressure and they will not give in to drinking or doing drugs.
Until next time,
Jason Matos
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www.jasonmatos.com
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