i had a stay in the hospital about 3 years ago for a pretty serious disease, and after surgery i was doped up on morphine for a few days. my fever was like 104, so acetominophen was pretty much necessary. i took various pain killers for the entire month i was in there, too, but after a few days on morphine i couldn't even think straight, so i asked for them to not give me any more. i was teaching, and my kids would come into visit me and i scared them (from looking like i was half-dead). it was weird, and something i'll always remember, though.

my bottom line: people do what they need to do in situations that they encounter. sometimes there are many choices; sometimes few.

Right Here XXX

Maybe the Cleveland scene was different, but the vast majority of straightedge kids I've evern known were prone to violence. They generally had a good time beating up people who were smoking or intoxicated. I guess they felt that the best way to make people stop these things was to teach them with blows.

I've seen a lot of the same in Florida. And a lot of them are serious bad-asses when in the pit at shows.

I always thought at least in my time that they were just another "faction" of skinheads, who as a whole were prone to violence. It was never really my scene, but as a skater who liked punk music I was always loosely aquainted with these people. I usually steered wide of them when possible due to the whole violence thing. Not to mention that I could never remember what color shoelaces meant what, so I was never sure which topics to avois to keep from getting my ass kicked.

just remember, SHARPS and straighedge are NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE SAME! some edge kids act like sharps and try to give $hit to kids that drink... which is stupid. some edge kids need to realize that WE ARE THE MINORITY, not the drinkers.

and while i'm straight edge, i don't actually say "I'm straight edge" outright because there are those, as you've all read who have extremely different theories of what straight edge is. even though i don't drink/smoke/have sex in uncommited relationships, i could still be given a hard time by some because i drink caffine and occasionally eat meat.

That would have been the One Life Crew...Dwid, and the rest of the Cleveland kids if I remember correctly.

Yes, this is an important distinction. These guys were definitely straightedge people. I knew some skins, SHARPS, etc too.

SxE, dirtbag, hardline, vegan, free lunches, home lunches, short buses, carpool, gods on crosses, fat gods, purple gods, yellow gods, orange god, curly hair, straight hair, white skin, black skin, hip hop, punk rock, skateboarder, jock, stoner, alcoholic, light sleeper, heavy sleeper, single speed, fixed gear, east side, west side, republican, democrat, male, female, local, howlie, bad guy, nice guy, smurfs, snorks, decepticons, autobots, commnisits, socialists, rich, poor, happy, sad, fat, thin....... fill in the blank

Who f***ing cares, be yourself, accept those for who they are, have a good time, ride a fixed gear or go to hell.

I am going to admit I am the ultimate evil. I have sex, drink alcohol, smoke the occaisonal joint, have sex, and don't eat vegetables because they aren't meat.

We should hang out.

I drink occasionally (not to the point where I lose control of my person), smoke a joint every so often, have sex, drink coffee and eat meat (but not red.)
I think the point is that everybody should do what their body tells them. I dont eat red meat because I get constipated (body saying no). Every once in a while its good to have a drink, and hell, the egyptians had beer ...so yeah. My philosophy is everything in moderation, so I think all the straight edge people should get drunk and high every once in a while so they can hang out with the alcholics.

I have to agree. Around denver, the vast majority of edge kids tend to be really violent. I've known some great straight edge people, and then I've known some real a$s holes. Loud screaming music always seems to bring out the best in them too.

When I raced, I was healthy to the point of being unhealthy. only pure foods. Only wine. 4 hours of exercise daily at any cost (to career or relationships). 8 hours sleep. period.

My interests have changed. Beer is good (scotch is better). I dont 'work out', but get my exercise only though play. Tailgated from noon to 11 last night, and it didnt ruin my body (though I probably should have taken a break for the 6 o'clock philly ride to work of some of those beers). The cigar tasted good. I can catch up on my lost sleep later.

Guess I'm saying that I've been on both ends. Felt physically better when straight-edge. Feel mentally better with my vices today.

didnt realize you were in philly.... were you at the other rides on thurs?

i dabbled in pacifism, not in nam of course

...thought I told you that...i'm the other technium rockn the 'hood; guess the only one now.

I missed thursday...i'm only good for nightrides on the weekend.

oh yeah i remember, didnt know you were in philly though.

actually i built up my technium as a SS and sold it, so someone in philly is still riding it. last i heard he has been very happy with it.

I do some stuff, I don't do other stuff, started out straight (although I didn't have a name for it) went to some other places, did some other things, and am better for all of it. Recently while working with a friend who is brilliant, very good at his job, and a total pothead, I asked him what keeps him from letting it run his life. He said that as long as there are more important things in his life (work, snow-boarding) he will never let pot dominate him. Along with that he never smokes when working or when boarding. Its an interesting thought, and he certainly has proved that you can function, even better than most, and do what ever it is you feel you need to do.

Always learning right? Always changing then. If you gotta have a constant make it your gears.

Milo

or lack thereof

People used to ask me, "Are you straight edge?" I would reply, "No, I just don't smoke, drink or do drugs." =] I never really identified myself with the straight edge crowd. Nowadays I do enjoy the occasional adult beverage and I've always been a caffiene fiend.

whatever floats your boat

I use a straight edge to measure things, or draw a straight line.

I am a perfect circle and 3.14% of the time i am eating pie.

I'll eat a straight edge or smoke 'em. So sure, if you are what you eat, then sure, I am straight edge.

Straight edge is a very different thing to many different people. There are super violent straight edge kids.. super violent, and then there are some of the most anti-violent straight edge kids, myself included. There are extremely violent and extremely non-violent members of every group. They are people, they feel and act differently towards different things. there is not one thing wrong in the world with being straight edge. there are many things wrong with hurting people. Straight edge and violence are not synonyms, while to many people they are. Straight edge people are not denying themselves anything, simply living their lives differently than others. I've lost over a dozen people including my father and grand-father to overdoses. No one could tell me I'm denying myself anything for not doing drugs or drinking. I have no desire to and hopefully never will. I will never draw X's on my hands because I think thats stupid. As with anything straight edge is very differnt to different people. I am a super happy person who has a great time all the time, so where's the problem with me being straight edge? I am straight edge, I hate violence and dont hate people who use. Theres no use in any more posts saying straight edge is a bad idea. Theres no way to argue it. You might as well make a thread about violent people and continute talking there because putting down straight edge is silly. There are Christians who put bombs in Abortian clinics... does this mean that Christian and violence are synonyms?

I got drunk and fell off my bike 4 times on the 10 block ride home last night, thank anyone but the non-existant god for no cops. I dont eat meat for the same reason i dont own a car. I think its selfish to only consider ones self when making decisions like that. The world needs more people who think about the ways that what they do effects the rest of the world. If you have to forfeit beer than so be it. I pesonally enjoy getting piss drunk and causing trouble, but i am still clear about the brain.