Reno Straight Edge scene: trend or philosophy?

by http://www.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200880407025
No drinking, no smoking, no drugs or promiscuous sex — for life.

That is the commitment and personal philosophy of those who identify as Straight Edge, a growing worldwide youth movement and subculture where punk rock music typically bonds participants together.

The Reno-Sparks Straight Edge scene, estimated to be a few hundred strong, is being showcased in an April 9 television documentary on the National Geographic Channel. In the program, local Straight Edge members, police and a sociologist who is Straight Edge discuss the lifestyle and the splinter faction of militant members, who in 2005 were classified as gang members by the Regional Gang Unit.

Local police say the criminal activities of about 25 identified Straight Edge gang members have increased slightly since they were deemed a criminal street gang about three years ago. Their violence is seen mostly through fights and threats, police said.

But many Straight Edge members treat the group as a way of life instead of a way of violence.

“I’m Straight Edge for the fact of its philosophy of living life unaltered and not dealing with life in an altered state of mind,” said Brandon McGrath, 26, of Reno. “I don’t use alcohol or drugs as an excuse to get by.”

McGrath, a McQueen High graduate, became Straight Edge at 13 after hearing about it from friends and in music. He said many people didn’t know about Straight Edge.

“It starts when you are young and looking to identify with things,” he said. “I liked the band Earth Crisis and they were singing about things like animal liberation and controversial things. It was uplifting to learn and experience with open eyes things that were happening in our society that I didn’t know about just going to middle school.”

Now, he said Straight Edge seems like it’s become more of a trend than a philosophy to some people.

“When you call yourself Straight Edge, it comes with an unwritten lifetime commitment,” he said. “It’s my own personal construct to live by and it did open doors for me and allowed me to play music.”

McGrath is in the Reno band 1618 with Jeromy Ainsworth, 26, of Reno. Ainsworth became Straight Edge in middle school.

“Back then most kids smoked and stuff and got on my case because I didn’t do any of it,” Ainsworth said. “I liked the freedom from having some type of addiction. I grew up in Sun Valley and saw a lot of drugs and how lives were ruined. I didn’t want to end up like that.”

The best attribute of being involved with Straight Edge is that it gives Ainsworth self respect, he said. At Reed High School, he said he was involved in more than a dozen fights after football players at parties didn’t like his clean living.

“I man up to my decisions and if I do something, I can’t blame it on being drunk or drink away my problems,” he said.


Why Straight Edge
Ross Haenfler, a University of Mississippi assistant professor of sociology, wrote the book “Straight Edge: Clean Living Youth, Hard core Punk and Social Change” based on his eight-year study of Straight Edge. Haenfler, 34, who is Straight Edge, interviewed many of the local followers in the documentary and offers his insight on the program.

Because there is no leader or list of members, Haenfler said it’s hard to determine the number of local followers, known as “Straight Edge Kids.”

He said there are tens of thousands of Straight Edge identifiers in the international movement. The originators are now in their mid-40s, he said.

Reno did not appear on the Straight Edge radar until a few years ago when news reports documented escalating violence and its gang classification, he said.

“Wherever Straight Edge is, it emerges as a reaction against the culture surrounding it,” Haenfler said. “They get involved to feel cool and accepted and have fun. In a place like Reno I imagine it’s more of a necessity to have an outlet where young people feel accepted and don’t have to prove themselves by using drugs and alcohol.”

He said the punk music that highlights Straight Edge philosophy is appealing to youth because it promotes questioning society and tells them anyone can be creative and be involved in politics and controversial topics.

Some may adopt the Straight Edge lifestyle because of a negative experience with substance abuse or violence in their family, he said.

“Many will decide to best survive and thrive is through Straight Edge,” Haenfler said, adding his own experiences with alcohol led him to Straight Edge.

Haenfler said the violence attributed to some Straight Edge followers likely had more to do with them being young men than committing crimes.

“It’s a male dominated group that has a minority with problems,” he said. “And because they are not a conventional group, they can be stigmatized. There is a lot of pressure to be macho and prove your manhood, which is evident in just studying young men.”

A Reno example
Tony Favero, 21, a Reno tattoo artist and Straight Edge since he was 14, described his commitment as a way in which he knows he will live “pure.” He is also the lead singer of his Straight Edge band, AFB, which tours the country.

“It’s died down big time,” Favero said of the local movement. “Many have sold out.”

Selling out, he said, means going against the commitment to abstain from substances and promiscuous sex.

“The real Straight Edge kids stay true while sell-outs come and go like the seasons,” he said.

Favero said that it’s impossible for one Straight Edge participant to speak for the entire movement and explain why people adopt the lifestyle. A person’s thoughts and actions are strictly their own, he said, but those who are Straight Edge share the core beliefs.

“Straight Edge is a lot like religion,” McGrath said. “Like the Bible, you take lessons and constructs and apply it to being a Christian or Catholic. For us, we have these echelons to live by.”

Although they do share the motto of clean living and most are fans of punk music. Some wear black and clothing say “Drug Free” or marking their hands with an “X” while others choose simply to live the lifestyle and express themselves to others who are Straight Edge online in chat rooms, participants say.

For Favero, if he ever had a drink or smoked, he could never again claim the Straight Edge lifestyle.

“I’m so used to it now, it’s like another habit,” said Favero, who is featured in the documentary.

His mother, Sarah Favero, said she was thrilled to learn her middle-school son was Straight Edge. She didn’t have to worry about him drinking, smoking or giving into peer pressure.

“I’m very proud of my son,” she said. “He’s a good kid and his heart is in the right place. His lifestyle is my dream. I’m very lucky.”

Sarah Favero said she has met many others who are Straight Edge and says they are polite and respectful. She was angered when a small group of Straight Edge became violent and marred the movement’s wholesome image.

“I don’t care if people ever understand why I am Straight Edge,” Tony Favero said. “I’m not doing this so people can understand. It’s my choice and my decision. You will never know just by watching a documentary or reading an interview.”

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im an edge kid...
i consider it a great lifestyle...
im not poisoning myself or doing anything to harm my body like alot of kids...
im proud of it.

though the straight edge lifestyle isnt for everyone...
millions have tried,millions have failed.

sxe all the way

edge till fucking death

oh well, i'm out
had ciggs on the way over to the library

its a philosophy, you have to o bide by it in order to be straight edge
if people make it a trend its plain idiotic,

straight edge is a philosophy and a damn good one to. Its a hard thing to stick with and i dont think anyone would work that hard to be part of a trend.

living with out drinking, smoking, weed, pills, and sex???

No-thanks!

You live your way and I'll live mine.

you only live once.

Most people who go by the philosophy drop it by the age of consent anyway. It's a nihilism.

trend.

I've been straight edge for almost 4 and a half years now. It's staying with me for life!

i think people kind of made it into a trend. i kno people who don't kno what it is, and still post "sXe" on their myspace. i asked my friend why she had posted it, her response was "it's juss a scene thing, you kno?"
the philosophy behind it is a good, and well thought out, but i can't say i follow them all the time. and even if i did, i don't think i'd have to label it with a name.

BlueRibbon wrote: I've been straight edge for almost 4 and a half years now. It's staying with me for life!

How come I haven't seen this before?

Anyway, after reading all this, I've got to drop some lines about it. I first read about the Straight Edge scene when I was 12. 12-year-olds doesn't normally smoke or drink, and I remember thinking 'Wow. This seems like a cool thing. Why even start smoke/drink?' and I have never drunk alcohol or smoked a cigarette. I started to call myself Straight Edge when I was 14. Now I see how pointless that was. 14-year-olds cannot make a lifetime decision. That's why so many kids out there are only 'true 'til 21'. They begin call themselves Edge when they're about 15, because it seems like a cool thing to do. To live drug free. But, when everybody else starts drinking, and at the time you can actually get served a beer, it seems more fun to get drunk with your buddies than sit alone in a corner.
And, to be honest, I am pretty sure that many of you who are under 16 calling yourself Edge now, will probably drink or smoke when you're a little older. Sad, but true. Because I know soo many people who've been Edge for years and now when they've turned 18, they have given up the whole thing. If you are really, really sure, then go for it. But if you have any doubts at all, just don't claim yourself to be anything.

Now, when I'm 17, I call myself Edge. I started last year, after being to a hardcore show in my home town (I've been to hc shows earlier, but this one really was special). There were these huge, tough hardcore boys everywhere, and almost all of them had x'es on their hands, or straight edge shirts, or things like that. I was like 'wow'. When the band started playing, everyone of there guys started moshing, stagediving, you name it, and I mean, people could easily get killed there. But there was only love in the venue. Everybody took care of each other, everybody was happy singing along and every single one was sober. And no one looked down on me because I was a 16-year-old blonde emo girl, instead, they smiled.
For me, Straight Edge is as much about love and respect as it is about not doing drugs. And I'm damn proud of being a part of something that good.

But yes, it is a trend nowadays. Otherwise, people who don't listen to hardcore wouldn't know anything about it. And it's sad, because it brings more 'posers' into it. People who will claiming themselves to be Edge because it sounds cool but when the weekend comes, they'll get drunk. And that gives the whole Straight Edge thing a bad reputation, you know? Like, it destroys for us who actually stay true to ourselves.

Straight Edge isn't for everyone. But for some of us out there, it's one of the most important thing in our lives. We might be Edge for different reasons, but we always have one thing in common: we believe in living our lives poison free.



That was a lot. And this is only how I see it, you know? People have different views about it, and if someone wants to discuss any of the things I've written, feel free.