Paul Andrew's blog: "Straight Edge"

A fifteen year old skater in a confrontational and sparring spirit approached an older teenager on the street. The younger one spoke in a scrutinizing manner with a twist of an East Coast dialect, apparently meeting his older peer for the first time. "Are you or aren't you?", the young skater said. "Am I or am not what?", the older teen said, sort of smugly, but puzzled. "Straight Edge!", the young teen answered in a matter-of-factly way. "Well," said the older teen, "I don't drink, and I really don't smoke or smoke pot or anything, but I don't know. I really don't label myself as 'Straight Edge'", he said a little righteously and maturely. "That's way lame!", said the young skater, abruptly ending the inquisition and laughing at himself while walking off. "That," the youngster thought to himself, "is what killed Straight Edge, and at the same time, it's what made it grow into an enormous subculture worldwide: attitude with conservative principles" (Lahickey). Straight Edge is a belief system that stemmed from a group of rebellious adolescents though their already rebellious nature, but with a willingness to want to go one step farther.

What is Straight Edge? The Straight Edge lifestyle was originally defined by Ian MacKaye through his Washington, D.C., hardcore punk band Minor Threat. MacKaye is widely identified as the founder of the Straight Edge movement (Irwin). The term "Straight Edge" was first defined as the title of a Minor Threat song, "Don't smoke, Don't Drink, Don't Fuck."

The history of Straight Edge is well documented in punk music. Punk music originated in the late 1970's by the bands The Ramones and The Sex Pistols. No one is sure who exactly started punk music, but everyone knows it will never die. Punk music was not only a new sound, but it was also a new lifestyle for youth who were tired of following the actions of mainstream society and the traditional ways forced upon them. As rebellion grew in the punk community, alcohol and drugs became commonplace. "At its conception, Straight Edge was a reaction to the self-destruction of punk rockers. Artists like Sid Vicious, bassist of The Sex Pistols, infamously known for his fatal use of drugs and alcohol, stood for everything a straight-edger would be against. Straight Edge provided the hardcore/punk scene with an alternative to the calamitous 'drunk punk'. In essence, it became a counterculture within a counterculture" (Helton).

"In the early 1980s, the term Straight Edge was coined to describe a youth subculture within the punk rock scene, a subculture that chose a lifestyle that abstained from alcohol consumption, tobacco and drug use, as well as promiscuous sex" (Helton). Straight Edge is the ultimate form of rebellion against our mainstream society, which glamorizes the drinking of alcohol, tobacco and drug use, and sexual promiscuity. Many people see Straight Edge as a form of reverse rebellion (Batsell), because the way of life of the mainstream was being challenged. This rebellion against society is what created Straight Edge. Vegetarianism, or the absence of meat in one's diet, and animal rights activism have become closely related to Straight Edge. "Earth Crisis [a hardcore band], for example, has led to the development of vegan [absence of all animal by-products from one's diet and the absence of using products made with or tested on animals] Straight Edge, with its evangelistic vegan lifestyle and strong association with animal rights" (Helton).

"At first, it [Straight Edge] had no name, only a symbol" (McClelland). Straight Edgers commonly apply X's on the back of their hands with a magic maker. Straight Edge youths say they "X-Up" for a show. "X" became a symbol for Straight Edge participation in the 1980s in Washington, D.C. Bouncers at clubs marked the hands of underage concertgoers with an "X" to signify that such persons should not be served alcoholic drinks. Straight Edge youth also marked themselves with X's to signify that they would not drink and were drug free. In recent years, the "X" has even become a major part of the elaborate tattoos sported by many Straight Edge youths (Irwin).

One Straight Edger said, "I love tattoos and I think Straight Edge is like a tattoo in your mindset, so why not get it inscribed on you for life" (Helton). Becoming Straight Edge is thought to be a life long commitment. "True Till Death," singer Bif Naked states. "It's a commitment not to do these things [drugs, alcohol, and promiscuous sex] for the rest of my life. Every passing year I have Straight Edge under my belt, I have more conviction about it" (McClelland).

Many people don't take Straight Edge as seriously as it needs to be taken and many people "lose the edge" as it's called. When people break the "edge" it is considered a disgrace and a term has been coined in making fun of people that stop being Straight Edge: "Straight Edge Until 21!" (Irwin). The Straight Edge movement has also developed a bad name in today's popular culture with help from the mainstream media. "Consequently, all of these media reports were widely criticized by those within the Straight Edge movement as biased, distorted, and wrong" (Helton). In some places Straight Edge has erroneously become known as a dangerous and violent movement. That is in reaction to the fact that a few edgers are militantly intolerant of non-believers. Andrew Moench, a nineteen year old from Salt Lake City, Utah, was charged with murdering a fifteen year old youth who, police allege, did not respect Moench's Straight Edge point of view. "I've got to die some time," Moench told the network television show 20/20. "I might as well be dying standing up for what I believe in. If it resorts to violence, yeah, then I don't have a problem with that" (McClelland).

Personally, I have been a follower of the Straight Edge lifestyle since I was in high school. At that time I pledged and vowed to myself, to my parents, to my family, to my friends, and to my religious leaders that I would never indulge myself in drugs, alcohol, smoking, or promiscuous sex. I was sure of it. As I matured and got older I was constantly put under fire for my beliefs and endured peer pressure to break my vows and follow the path of any young adult and try drugs, alcohol, smoking, and sex. Under my strong will and determination to stay "straight," I never succumbed to these temptations and stayed on the path of Straight Edge. During this time, however, I had begun to lose touch with most of my friends for not participating in the same activities as them. Many of my former friends' teenage years were spent in an intoxicated state of bare consciousness. I watched with sadness as many of their lives headed downhill. I had tried with complete effort and determination to change their mindsets and help them to turn their lives around and, although not forcing my Straight Edge lifestyle on them, insisted that they stop consuming alcohol, drugs, and tobacco. But instead of listening to my advice, they turned their backs on me, shunned, and ridiculed me. As a result, I moved on with my life without them and ultimately achieved personal successes after graduating from high school. I graduated from college, attended two different universities and earned two undergraduate degrees. Meanwhile, most of my "friends" failed to graduate high school. They had hit rock bottom. I have since never seen or heard from any of them to this day.

The vast amount of drug use, alcohol consumption, and pre-marital sex has grown exponentially over the last decade and a half. Many people in today's world just drift along through life not making an impact on anything or anyone. The moral fabric of our society has deteriorated to the point where less than 33% of people attend their respective religious services every week. Sadly, many people do not know nor have a predetermined plan for what they want out of life and don't have a "straight" mindset.

Straight Edge is my own personal guide to maintaining a "clean," moral and "straight" life. Many people see Straight Edge as a label, just another way for people to stereotype those who do not conform to society's norms, but I personally view the movement as a life long goal to which to aspire. Straight Edge is not something a person just becomes one day. It takes much strength, willpower, courage, determination, commitment, and a lifetime to achieve. Straight Edge is something that, along with my strong faith in Roman Catholicism, I can positively look upon to give me the strength and courage to stand up for myself and what I believe is just and right for my own life.

REFERENCES
Batsell, Jake. "Straight Edge: Kids Who Look Wild, Live Clean." Knight-Ridder Newspapers, July 21, 1996.

Helton, Jesse J. and William J. Staudenmeir, Jr. "Re-imagining Being 'Straight' in Straight Edge." Contemporary Drug Problems, Summer 2002.

Irwin, Darrell D. "The Straight Edge Subculture: Examining the Youths' Drug-Free Way." Journal of Drug Issues, Spring 1999.

Lahickey, Beth, editor. All Ages: Reflections on Straight Edge. Los Angeles, California: Revelation Books, 1998.

McClelland, Susan. "Straight, But With an Edge: A Philosophy Born of Punk Rock Has Some Young Adults Choosing to Live Without Sex, Booze and Drugs." Maclean's, May 17, 1999.