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Jun 12

Question: Where are the freedom loving punk rockers?

Posted on Saturday, June 12, 2010 in Theories

“My father told me “Son it’s futile to resist. You can topple the ideology but not the armies they enlist.” I questioned the intentions of the boy scouts chanting “WAR!” “Well, that’s the sound of freedom, son”, he said (free to say no more). But wait a minute “dad”, did you actually say freedom? Well, if you’re dumb enough to vote, you’re fucking dumb enough to believe them. Because if this country is so goddamned free, then I can burn your fucking flag wherever I damn well please.” – Propagandhi

Answer: Most punks are freedom loving. It just depends on your definition of freedom. If you mean the racist, classist, sexist, homophobic society we currently have – you probably won’t find many punks who agree with you. Some punks are apathetic and apolitical. My flavor of punk – anarcho/peace/crust punk are typically very political and care about freedom a lot. We want equality and freedom from oppression for humans and some of us for all beings. We want you to have the freedom to be you and me to have the freedom to be me.

However, most people want their version of freedom. Freedom to be how they want you to be and not true freedom. That isn’t true freedom. True freedom is allowing everyone the right to decide for themselves even if you disagree.

For example, I am straightedge. I have never done drugs nor will I ever. It is a personal choice. It isn’t my right to decide how others should live. Thus, I am for the legalization of marijuana. More harmful substances are legal like alcohol so it doesn’t make sense why marijuana isn’t. It would make the substance, reasonably price, and put an end to crimes. Plus, it will stimulate the economy with the tax money it’d bring and end some horrible drug trafficking. Sure, there might be more stoners, but it’s people’s choice. I don’t think zoning out on pot is any different than being a vegetable watching television.

I am for freedom to do as you please as long as you don’t hurt anyone else or infringe on the freedom of others. For example, hateful ideologies that promote violence against groups of people such as the KKK and Nazis shouldn’t have their freedom to believe what they do because they violate other people’s freedom. I can’t justify giving them their freedom if they won’t give me mine. Fascism, in whatever form it takes, must be stopped. Fascism doesn’t allow for “freedom” to exist. Make sense?

My form of freedom is equality for all beings. That doesn’t mean I think dogs should have the right to vote. I do think they should have the right to life though. Last night, I freaked out because I accidentally stepped on a snail. I really felt like a murderer. It isn’t my right to take the life of another living creature as long as that creature isn’t doing any harm to me. My family didn’t understand what the big deal was. It was just a snail; it was nighttime, and they didn’t have a light on. My stepmother even had a “talk” with me about how a snail is a lower life form who’s emotional experience is limited to eat, poop, and mate. I couldn’t even begin to explain to her how that’s specist. That life is life. That all life is precious and should be respected. That unnecessary taking of life should be avoided to put an end to violence. That specism, sexism, classism, racism, and all other forms of hierarchical oppression are connected. That human liberation is dependent on animal liberation. That it is all connected and must all be stopped for peace to exist. For freedom.

Feb 8

My Rebellion: A Look at Society.

Posted on Monday, February 8, 2010 in Theories

I once thought this place was a paradise – home of the free. I must have had rose colored glasses on or something. The opposite is true. Our government is a corporation whose only purpose is profit. The humans who live in this domain, mere commerce property of said corporation. Not that they even begin to care, being brainwashed with reality television that blurs the line between fiction and reality. Most of them are so crazy from their conditioning – from public education teaching conformity, unquestioning obedience to authority, and materialism that there’s nothing worth redeeming to be found in these people. Selfish and lazy – fighting over crumbs while enforcing the system.

The sometimes is a rare soul who dares to think but that is about as far as their actions go. I call them “liberals” and I say they are useless. Utterly and complete trash. They spend their time complaining about the problems in society – knowing that we’re heading for a crash, but do nothing but watch. These people are spectators of life – allowing life to happen to them as if there was some unnatural force controlling their fate. They are too afraid to take the next step in realization: that we, humans, create the world we live in. That we have a choice: we can say “No.”

That’s where I fit in the picture. I have said, “No.” to the machine. Fate, fortune, or luck has afforded me the privilege of not having to beg for my supper. Some people aren’t lucky enough to have the option but most that do are too blinded by this desire to obtained man-made bullshit that they fall into line.

I am an anomaly. I want freedom from oppression and hierarchies. I want peace and equality. Sometimes I think I am the only one. Just by looking at the world – it is the way it is because people have made it this way. Now, they think some savior is going to come and fix this mess. Believing faerie tales and living life by a book. Things have been largely this way for the last ten thousand years and look where it’s gotten us. If this fucked up world isn’t proof enough that religion isn’t working, I don’t know what is.

I haven’t met anyone like me; someone else who wants to dedicate their life to changing the world. Just because I don’t work doesn’t mean I do nothing. I have been afforded the luxury to rebel so I am. I organize and form groups to try to promote peace, equality, and freedom. I haven’t had much luck so far. No one seems to think such a vision can be real but it is.

Peace is here if you want it. You need to only look to yourself. Most people can’t though. They are monsters. I’m a monster too being brought up in this capitalistic society but at least I know it. The others can’t admit imperfection. They model their lives off magazines and buy, buy, buy. Because of their greed we as a human race are going to die, die, die. What good is money when there’s nothing left to buy?

Jan 28

Punk 101: Anarcho-Punk

Posted on Thursday, January 28, 2010 in Punk Rock 101

I consider myself to be an anarcho-punk. Anarcho-punk is punk that promotes anarchism. The band Crass was the first anarcho-punk band. Many anarcho-punks support peace, equality, freedom from oppression, and hierarchies. I found a cool website dedicate to anarcho-punk and you can download some music from there.

http://www.anarcho-punk.net/

Enjoy!

Dec 6

Treat Me For Who I Am and Not How I Look

Posted on Sunday, December 6, 2009 in Theories

Looks can be deceiving and you can’t judge a person by their looks. For example, who’s more threatening: a blue haired mohawked, tattoo studded jacket wearing punk rocker or a person wearing nondescript clothing and generic hair? I would say the person who’s wearing the nondescript clothing and generic hair is a greater threat than the blue haired mohawked, tattooed studded jacket wearing punk. Why? Think about it: If the blue mohawked person robbed you – they would be easy to spot and find as they are unique looking and standing out from the crowd. They might look like a threat being so loud but in reality they are harmless because if you are up to no good – you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. The generic hair and nondescript clothing person could rob you and if you tried to describe them to the cops – they just look like everyone else. There are a few exceptions when people who are loud are also violent and crazy but *usually* they are as law abiding as anyone. They dress differently to make a statement and express individuality. The punk rocker might appear to be a threat but they are really not to you as an individual.

People treat me funny because I am tattooed, pierced, and mohawked. All it is really is their fear of the unknown showing. Think about it: if I was really a danger I wouldn’t go around advertising the fact. There are a few exceptions to the rules but most of the time when someone advertises being a radical, they aren’t up to anything illegal. They might have different ideas than the mainstream and philosophies and be a threat to the status quo but they aren’t breaking any laws.

Laws are there to give people the illusion they are “safe”. Think about it: if there was a law to enforce identification cards (like they are planning in the UK) only the law abiding citizens will do it. The criminals don’t care about the law and won’t follow it or get fake IDs. It’s to give the masses, the sheep, the appearance of order in the chaos we exist in. The criminals will be criminals and do illegal things while the masses fall into line. The ID card is a stupid idea and very 1984ish because it only applies to who will follow the law to begin with.

More laws equal less freedom. Sure, common courtesy laws like not stealing or killing are nice to have to protect me from your average idiot. I am an anarchist and sometimes I am grateful for the police to protect me from stupid people. For instance, the police helped me out when I was punched in the face for being a “homosexual.” In an ideal, anarchical society, the person would behave like an anarchist and respect his fellow human beings – however, the assaulter was moronic, angry and fucked up so I need the police to protect me from people like that.

However, I am against police brutality and abuse of power. There is a difference in keeping people safe from the idiots of the world and harassing someone because they have a studded vest. One time, I was in the wrong place at the wrong time eating pizza on the steps of Search and Destroy in NYC and the police treated me like I was a criminal when all I was doing was eating pizza. It was pretty scary – they patted me down and violated my rights all because they have nothing else to do. There’s also the cops who give out traffic tickets for being a few miles over the speed limit to make their quota. Things like that are an abuse of power – laws are there to keep you safe from other human’s stupidity not be a money making tool.

That is not the case in our capitalistic society. The law system and prison system are money making tools. It’s really messed up.

The question is: How will this change?  The answer: Is with you.  If the people were to stop profiling and treat people for who they are and not what they look like we would have a stronger, happier society.