sXe hardcore

[ZAust]

just fired off this email to Ap Collins. hopefully i can get a response back.

Assistant Principle Collins:

I am writing this email to express my outrage at your article in the January '04 edition of the El Toro High School Bullhorn. It is ripe with stereotypes, misportrayals, and assumptions.

To begin with, the straight edge movement has nothing to do with the book, and the movie it spawned, entitled Fight Club. In fact, the gang in the book, called Project Mayhem, has nothing in common with the ideals held by those who consider themselves straight edge. The three main characters in Fight Club, Jack, Marla Singer, and Tyler Durden, are all portrayed as using tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and sleeping with several random partners. Jack and Marla even meet each other at a support group for sex addicts. The only possible connection I could see one making between the gang of Fight Club and the straight edge movement would be the idea that both are gangs of aimless vandals, hellbent on destruction and anarchy. Again, this is a total misrepresentation of what straight edge is all about. The straight edge movement is all about personal choice: that choice being the refusal to use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and the avoidance of promiscuous sex.

In the past few years, straight edge has seen an increasing wave of popularity, and at the same time has become more and more despised. Unfortunately, with that wave of popularity, it has come to be seen as the "cool" thing to do. This has led to kids claiming the edge simply to be seen as cool, while they continue to abuse drugs. While this is certainly a growing problem, to say that virtually none of those who claim to be straight edge continue to practice a drug free lifestyle is completely and utterly false. The straight edge scene is as strong now as it ever has been, with the number of kids choosing to make a positive difference in their own lives by living the edge growing each day.

You continue on to claim that the straight edge scene is directly related to that of gang violence and make a connection between straight edge and white supremacy. There a certainly a small number of straight edgers out there that resort to violence when confronted with someone who does not share their beliefs. Called "militant edgers," it is important to stress that these people make up only a small portion of the straight edge population. Calling the straight edge movement violent and racist because of these militant edgers is like calling the white population of the United States violent and racist because of the Ku Klux Klan. Unfortunately, it often the inapproprite actions of the few that soil the name and reputation of the many.

I certainly agree with your idea that it is vital for parents to stay involved in their children's lives. My parents have been steadfast in instilling within me the valuse i carry today. I do thank my parents for the way they have raised me, and without them I would more than likely be a much different person today.

In conclusion, Assistant Principle Collins, I urge you to actually go to a straight edge show. Talk to some of the kids in attendance. Get to really know what straight edge is about, instead of simply reporting biased statements from the District Attorney's office. You will see that straight edge is an enormously positive choice, and those who identify with it love and respect their fellow scenesters. I am proud to call myself straight edge, just as many others are, and I see it as a lifelong commitment to myself and to all others who identify with the edge. I urge you to email me with any questions you may have.

Sincerely Yours,

Zach Austin
Walnut Creek, CA

[[email protected]]

Great E-mail

I myself am straight edge (incase the x's arent a big enough hint). I personally thank you for writing such a greatly articulated e-mail and for not doing what some would have dont like swearing at him and lacing the email with insults. Im hoping to see a reply from him.
Thank you.

[WicKeD_WaYz]

Zaust- I live literally 10 minutes from the highschool in that article. ahaha its so bs though.

[Lopy]

If I were a parent, I'd be VERY suspicious of any "group" that my child was involved in that vocaly claimed to not engage in drinking, taking drugs, or having sex, because they harm your body, but them encourage you to carve an X into your flesh.

From my experience, kids don't follow this kind of stuff, they just say they do to be part of the fad. I still think this is somehting cooked up by the government. Who else would come up with something as retarded as this? Their smarter than you think though, if they orchistratrd this whole thing to make not doing drugs, or having sex cool(this concept still baffels me as to how it caught on), they should be smart enough to know that if they apear to be supporting it, it wont be cool anymore, by acting like they don't like the movement they make it seem even more cool, and attract more attention to it.

Kids wanna be rebellious, and doing drugs and having sex has always been the main way we do that. Everyhthing seems to havce fallen into place so perfectly so that it seems even more rebelious to not do drugs or have sex. So all you sXeers(god, that is so retarded) just think about how much of a tool you are next time you turn down that beer.

[breg]

Maybe I'm just sheltered but I've never seen any edger with an X carved on his or her hand. Most of them that I have seen have the "X" drawn on thier hands with black marker. The "X" comes from the early 80's in DC where the club owners would use that to identify the underage kids.
As far as the thing being a trend, it is for some people. My frined belives in it and made it a lifetime commitment. Maybe because i started drinking and smoking early in life, and now I fell the results for that, i would feel good about my kids if they chose that for themselves.
While yes, there are quiote a few militant edgers, thank god I've yet to meet any, most are just as content to respect you choices as long as you respect thiers.
As far as Straight Edge being a government conspiracy, well unless Ian Mckaye and Dischord records are a well masked government branch, I'll have to call BS on it.

[Ov3rmind]

Even though I'm not sXe, this post pissed me off to no end; so let me break it up:

Originally posted by Lopy
If I were a parent, I'd be VERY suspicious of any "group" that my child was involved in that vocaly claimed to not engage in drinking, taking drugs, or having sex, because they harm your body, but them encourage you to carve an X into your flesh.

I have never met or seen any person EVER who has carved an X into their flesh. As a matter of fact, I have never even heard of it until that article. As with much of the article, I'm 99.99% sure it's BS created to scare parents into keeping kids away from Straight Edge.

From my experience, kids don't follow this kind of stuff, they just say they do to be part of the fad.

Some do some don't.

I still think this is somehting cooked up by the government. Who else would come up with something as retarded as this? Their smarter than you think though, if they orchistratrd this whole thing to make not doing drugs, or having sex cool(this concept still baffels me as to how it caught on), they should be smart enough to know that if they apear to be supporting it, it wont be cool anymore, by acting like they don't like the movement they make it seem even more cool, and attract more attention to it.

I think this is an area where you really don't understand the age group at all. Do you really think ALL teenagers drink and do drugs? Do you think ALL of them like it? Believe it or not, there are a great deal of teenagers who abstain from it all together on their own will. Understanding how Straight Edge came about is in part a "cause and effect" event. Straight Edge emerged from a community of hardcore bands in the East. You must also understand that the music genre of hardcore was very much an evolution of punk rock in the early eighties. A lot of people at that point were fed up with the excess drugs, excess drinking, and excess sex. This was a way to escape that incredibly destructive lifestyle for many people. And for a lot of people who started to listen to hardcore in the early eighties, it was a huge positive change for the better in their lives (or possibly even save some people's lives).

Kids wanna be rebellious, and doing drugs and having sex has always been the main way we do that.

Once again, do you really think ALL kids do drugs, drink, and have sex? Stop generalizing so much.

Everyhthing seems to havce fallen into place so perfectly so that it seems even more rebelious to not do drugs or have sex.

I really don't see how it makes it seem more rebellious.

all you sXeers(god, that is so retarded) just think about how much of a tool you are next time you turn down that beer.

Yeah, because if you don't turn down that beer than that makes you cool. Listen, it's their choice if they don't want to consume potentially harmful substances.

[ZAust]

Originally posted by Lopy
If I were a parent, I'd be VERY suspicious of any "group" that my child was involved in that vocaly claimed to not engage in drinking, taking drugs, or having sex, because they harm your body, but them encourage you to carve an X into your flesh.

From my experience, kids don't follow this kind of stuff, they just say they do to be part of the fad. I still think this is somehting cooked up by the government. Who else would come up with something as retarded as this? Their smarter than you think though, if they orchistratrd this whole thing to make not doing drugs, or having sex cool(this concept still baffels me as to how it caught on), they should be smart enough to know that if they apear to be supporting it, it wont be cool anymore, by acting like they don't like the movement they make it seem even more cool, and attract more attention to it.

Kids wanna be rebellious, and doing drugs and having sex has always been the main way we do that. Everyhthing seems to havce fallen into place so perfectly so that it seems even more rebelious to not do drugs or have sex. So all you sXeers(god, that is so retarded) just think about how much of a tool you are next time you turn down that beer.

dude, are you this guys nephew or something? you are totally buying into his propaganda. i have never seen, let alone heard of someone actually carving an x into their skin. to be honest, its kinda absurd. just get the tats instead . how is it so hard to believe that kids would choose to make a positive choice for themselves? do you think that maybe they dont buy into all the crap that is spewed by todays popular media? that they see past how its "cool" to get wasted every night? for me, proclaiming the edge has and always will be a personal choice. in a sense, it is a sort of rebellion. it is a rebellion against the expectations of modern society to give into the temptations. and if being a tool is wrong, then damnit i dont want to be right.

[xXHavokXx]

ive seen sXe crews rolling at a Pantera show. I dont know why. Its pantera, what the hell do you think is gonna happen.

[breg]

I think Ov3rmind hit it on the head.

[WicKeD_WaYz]

personally when I carve x's into my skin I like to use a hacksaw.


what do you guys use?

[dansim]

isnt this that snowboarding game?

[argnot]

Man this has got to be the stupidest post ever. I feel slightly retarded for reading it. People just need to let people do what they wanna do as long as no one gets hurt......I say ride the horse before you buy it and pack the bowl before you light it I think I need a beer.

[Lopy]

Originally posted by ZAust

in a sense, it is a sort of rebellion. it is a rebellion against the expectations of modern society to give into the temptations. and if being a tool is wrong, then damnit i dont want to be right.

lol, I can't beleave you said that. you stright edgers are retarded.

And realy, I never said it was cool to drink, I just expressed my disbeleif as to why this stright edge thing is cool, And regarding sex, ALMOST every teenaged boy would take sex if it was offerd, even you straight edgers, most people just don't have the opertunity.

I also love how you all think it's so cool to add X to words. Your all such a joke.

[chizle97]

Kind of funny the guy who started the straight edge movement (the drummer from minor threat) is now not straight edge. lol
also althought im not one of them i have no problem with sXe's its the Hate Edgers I cant stand. Thos are the violent SOB's

[Wolfen]

I was called a straight edge in high school because people knew I didn't do any of that stuff. Then the same year I was called stoner because I had red eyes (due to allergies, yeah, that's it ) I didn't even know there was a whole "movement" behind it, that's crazy. This world is all about bandwagons.

BTW, I've always seen straight edge as XXX, I've never seen the sXe.