W.W.C.D? What Would Choke Do?

For anyone that has ever questioned their EDGE, It's time to look to a higher power!

Straight Edge is a  philosophical offshoot of the punk movement,It was a reaction to the  self-destruction that characterised punk.The basic ideals of the philosophy centres around the issue of self-control. The goal is to regain as much personal control over your own life as possible. Straight Edge (sXe for short) is the only youth counter-culture to actively discourage drug use, alcohol use, and casual sex. Straight edge is a lifestyle centred around personal development and well being, while encouraging fun and togetherness. sXe is not just about being into contemporary punk music acts and being against drugs. It goes deeper than this. The movement wishes to attract people away from dependancy lifestyles centred around drug habits (legal or illegal) and unhealthy  and exploitative eating and general living habits common in modern cultures. sXe is not dogmatic, there are no hard rules, these are for you to decide. There are many slight variations on sXe. Some people choose to include total sexual abstinance, a vegatarian diet or a "vegan" lifestlye, often refered to as "Hard Line" which means the person uses no animal products or by-products for food, clothing or otherwise.

WHAT IS STRAIGHT EDGE?

In the early 1980s it was a  common practice at all-ages punk shows was to mark minors with an "X" on their hands so they couldn't buy alcohol. As the straight-edge philosophy grew more popular, Kids who were old enough to purchase and drink alcohol in a club but didn't drink for ideological reasons started to mark themselves with the X in a show of solidarity. It is from these early roots that the "X" has become a symbol for the Straight Edge movement. Today the "X" can be found on tons of merchandise some purposly created as sXe items and others just for astetics. One of the most popular "X" items is the wrist watch created by the Swatch company in 1987. Origionally created during the craze of Malcom X merdchandise, the "X Swatch" has become the ultimate Straight Edge ID tag.

WHATS WITH ALL THE X'S?

There are lots of sXe bands that are part of the subculture that is Straight Edge. These bands often represent a sXe lifestyle and sing its virtues in song. The Movement was started in Washington, DC by the band MINOR THREAT. They are widely credited with coining the phrase "Straight Edge" and were the first group to preach its virtues in song when they wrote the lyrics "I dont drink, dont smoke, dont fuck, but at least I can fucking think" (from "Out Of Step") and "I've got Straight Edge" (from "Straight Edge"), the song that became an anthem for the movement. From DC the sXe movent rapidly spread through CT, NY and most of New England and spawned tons of amazing bands. Most notably of these bands were YOUTH OF TODAY, BOLD, GORILLA BISCUITS, PROJECT X, DYS, & SLAPSHOT. The sXe spirit has been carried on by newer bands as time has passed and the music in allot of cases has gotten heavier and angrier. Some of the new wave of banner carriers include EARTH CRISIS, GOOD CLEAN FUN, TEN YARD FIGHT, PATH OF RESISTANCE, MONSTER X and literally thousands of other bands.      There are also a few more prominant displays of sXe in music and pop culture which in most cases go un-noticed. Igor the drummer from SEPULTURA is sXe and it has often been thought that Zach from RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE (formerly from spiritual sXe group INSIDE OUT) has maintained his Edge. The band CIV had a short stint on MTV with there single "Can't wait one minute more" was fronted by the singer of origional sXe hardcore band GORILLA BISCUITS coinidently named CIV. It seems to be an odd coincidence that most sXe kids are drawn to the pop culture apeal of the STAR WARS series. Many Straight Edgers have marked them selves with tattoos proclaiming their EDGE and included STAR WARS characters in them. A very obscure, possibly sXe referance pops up in the STAR WARS collection of short stories "Tales of the Bounty Hunters" when character BOBA FETT says "I do not partake in pleasures of the mind or flesh". Im sure there are hundreds of other obvious and obscure referances to the sXe movement in pop culture.

STRAIGHT EDGE IN MUSIC & POP CULTURE?

Straight Edge has often been portrayed as a violent movement by the mainstream media. The majority of people who have chosen a sXe lifestyle have done so for their own personal reasons and many choose to keep their Edge to themselves. Unfortunantly as with most things there are always a few people to create a negative feel to a good thing. Numerous TV news shows have done stories on Straight Edge that focused on sXe groups that act violently towards people who do not choose to live posion free. The majority of the Straight Edge community denounce these actions, as they should. Straight Edge formed partially due to people alienating the youth and those that choose to remain drug free. Due to this acting violently on those who choose not to live Straight Edge is an even more unsensable act.

IS STRAIGHT EDGE A VIOLENT MOVEMENT?