Did you ever think about the millions of whales that are killed by poachers on a daily basis? Me neither. I mean, who really stops in the middle of their workday and wonders what those kooky whales have been up to? Alright, alright....I know it's totally un- P.C. to not care about the whales, but I refuse to fool myself and others by joining the crusade.
Don't get me wrong here- I am all about saving endangered species and what not, but WHALES? Come on! Let's face it- no one has ever even SEEN a whale.
OK- stop right there. You're thinking I'm a total animal-hating cretin, a bad member of the Green Party. I'm not, I swear. I am a strict vegetarian, I avoid any product that was tested on animals, and the thought of wearing leather totally irks me. I love animals. The point I'm trying to make isn't even about whales . It's about people who join crusades without even really knowing the cause, or for all the wrong reasons.
In the punk scene, it is inevitable that you will be involved with a lot of people who have agendas, and plenty of "causes" that they are "fighting for". For instance: veganism or vegetarianism, "straightedge", animal rights, women's rights, anti-racism, saving the rainforest, etc. These are all very valid issues in this world right now, yes. Will they affect my life in the future somehow? Maybe, maybe not, but I think there are much bigger issues to be dealt with than saving the whales.
When I was in high school, there was this chick in my class, we'll call her Stacey, who was a perpetual crusader. If there was a club in my school, she was in it. Key Club, Amnesty International, National Honors Society, Youth In Government, Mock Trial and French Club, to name a few. She was also an activist for Greenpeace, and a contributing writer for a local Republican publication. Not to mention class of 1999 Valedictorian. She did it all, a regular Wunderkind.
But why did Stacey do all this? Why did she feel so compelled to have all these causes and crusades? She wanted to get into a good college. WHAT? Come on. People like this get me really, really steamed.
Here's some more:
1- The Anarchy Kids. You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about. Those spoiled little rich kids with the new ripped jeans and the anarchy patch on their brand new leather jackets. They have no fucking clue what anarchy actually means. If we lived in a state of anarchy, which inevitably means socialism, their daddies wouldn't have nearly enough money to buy them that brand new leather jacket or the friggin anarchy patch, for that matter.
2- The "Skinheads." You know these dopes, too. They're the kids who combat racism by looking startlingly like Neo-Nazis. They smoke Luckys, and only drink Guinness. They wear their boots and braces, and shave their heads. They also fight conformity by looking exactly alike.
3- The "Riot Grrrls." Give me a break. These chicks listen to Sleater- Kinney and Bikini Kill not because they are good bands (because they are NOT), but because they are all for the feminist cause. OK- let's talk about so-called "feminism." Modern feminists have no clue what they are after. Are they looking to be equal to men, or to dominate them? In my opinion, it seems as if they are shooting for a world where men are the minority. Is that equality? Last time I checked, NO! Does that make any sense whatsoever? These "Riot Grrrls" are not much more than arbitrary man-haters looking for something to bitch about against a screeching cacophony of guitar, bass and drums. Most followers of the Riot Grrrl cause have nothing to complain about anyway. (Yes, these opinions came straight from Margaret Holmes, girls, and no, I don't care if you like it or not.)
4- The Hypocritical Hardcore Kids. These are the kids who preach unity and brotherhood, yet who carry knives and beat the shit out of people on a regular basis. Hypocritical? Nah! There's nothing like expressing freedom of expression through violence and oppression!
I could go on and on, but I think I've made my point. If you are going to get involved in a cause, it should be something you FEEL, not something you see someone else doing, or to get into a good school. Some of the world's most generous philanthropists were only doing it to grab some headlines. That, my friend, is bullshit. |
