18

In reponse to Jain W. Reeve’s article “Fuck
Punk”, from the Douglas College Other Press
(CUP).

Firstly, I would like to start off my response
to this article by first saying, the Sex Pis-
tols are not “the fathers of punk” (maybe of
washed out sexist pieces of shit pseudopunk),
but that’s a pretentious argument that is really
not worth getting into. In fact, this entire argu-
ment is pretentious. The reason being, is that
if one is going to argue about the credibility of
punk (or any type of music), they are not go-
ing to have a very legitimate argument unless
they are familiar with the entire sub-culture
and incorporate several contradicting views.
Evidently, this is impossible. It’s also tricky
to argue about a term which is as ambiguous
as ‘punk’. Honestly, what constitutes punk
or any genre of music? It takes me about one
sentence into reading your article to know
that what I think of as ‘punk’ is near polar
opposite from what you appear to classify as
‘punk’. And who is right? Neither of us? You
are not going to find a definition anywhere ex-
cept in talking to individuals. For this reason,
this is a near impossible argument to get into.
But hey, this punk wants to prove you wrong,
or at least try and defend something that is so
close to my heart.

In my experience, punk is a counter cul-
ture. Punk is an outlet for anyone who needs
it. Whether you are a 13 year old ‘mall brat’,
a radical anarchist, a queer punker (a revolu-
tion in itself), a music lover, a social activist,
a crust punk, a metalhead, or someone who
likes to dance around and get real sweaty,
punk can provide for a community. Is it per-
fect? Of course not, but to claim that punks
simply “complain endlesssly about political
and social problems....and then do absolutely
sweet fuck all to actually solve them” is com-

OVER THE EDGE

November 21-December 5, 2007

Up The Punx!
plete and utter bullshit. Yes, every scene has

it’s follies and fuck-ups, but every scene also
has its strong points and its purpose. More im-
portantly, we cannot marginalize which strug-
gles are more important. Yes, punk music may
not appear to be solving all of the issues in
the world, but it is providing a large group of
people with the inspiration to organize and get
active. Need proof? Simply head over to UN-
BC’s PIRG office and pick up a microcosm
zine form. Zines are without a doubt, an ex-
ample of uncensored free press, and they are
created by individuals who can write about
anything they want to. Yes, this is one tiny
tiny example of how ‘punk’ can be and is a
revolutionary movement, but there are many
more out there. Need more examples of what
punk has done to better communities? Go to
a show and work from there. You can find all
sorts of underground activities that can hold a
deeper meaning for you and that are outside
of your cultures normal standards (in hopes
to one day not be outside your cultures nor-
mal standards!) Ideally, they are activities that
aren’t exclusive. Is it rebelling against a sys-
tem? Maybe, but that’s not entirely the point,
at least not for me. The point is engaging in
something productive and imporant to me.
The point is feeling good about myself and
trying to help others around me feel good
about themselves as well, and to be positive
and cognizant and respectful about every-
thing we do without having to spend money
or act like something we don’t want to be, and
to realize the power ‘we’ as individuals have
to be the change we want to see. I know, it’s
cliche, but I’m being as vague as possible to
try and make this argument universal to read-
ers. My point here is, I don’t give a shit about
anti-conformity, I just give a shit about giving
a shit about something.

I hope we can all understand, that it’s ri-
diculous to point fingers and say ‘this band
sold out and they are no longer punk’, or
like previously said, to try and define this
word ‘punk’ which encompasses so much
other than just music (and you could debate
about what defines punk music for years and
years alone and still not have an answer). If
you don’t like the sound of any kind of punk
music, then fine. The music is not for you, but
the subculture may still be? All I’m trying to
say is that there has, there is, and there will
always be, hope and purpose for punk music
and punk scenes. It is so much more than

. simply Johnny Rotten yelling about being an

anarchist, or whether or not a band has sold
out, or stealing ‘couches out of people’s back
alleys’ (though I got to admit that sounds like
fun), or spray painting a skateboard with an
anarchy sign and smoking a bunch of pot. It’s
unfortunate if that is the image of ‘punk’ that
you have been exposed to, and I can under-
stand your frustration with ‘punk’ if this is
what you see ‘punk’ as.

I also must agree, that yes, it is extremely
important that everyone (not just those in-
volved with punk) get active, and engage in
something they believe in (and no, it doesn’t
necessarily have to be politics). But punk
music is the spark to the fire that ignites this
kind of action. Also, who can judge what ac-
tivism is? There are all kinds of activism, on
both large and small scales. Being an activ-
ist is just as open to interpretation as being
a punk,

In the end, If you are going to make the
ignorant claim that punk has stagnated you
should first get familiar with and expose
yourself to some things like: ...listening to
the music, creating community, taking part in
something that makes you happy and holds

potential to relieve you from the everyday
bullshit we all get caught up in, start food
not bombs in your town, resist capitalism,
go dumpstering, write your own music, plan
your own fucking life (DIY till I die!), have
a queer dance party, go train hopping, edu-
cate yourself about things you care about and
not just in an institutionalized setting, attend
some forums, hold potlucks in your backyard
with like minded kids, riot, protest, talk,check
out some anarchist bookstores, or just go to a
fucking show where the audience is alive and
passionate! Then maybe, if your mind still
hasn’t been changed, I think it’! be alright for
you to make an otherwise ignorant claim like
“punk rock never changes anything.” Well,
not with that attitude it doesn’t!

If anything, the biggest impact I see punk
having, is that it allows people to see their
own importance, and from there we can be-
come accountable for our actions and the
issues in the wolrd around us, from there we
can realize that what we have to say is just
as important as what cultural norms or pol-
iticians or musicians tell us, and from there
we can and will act on it. Punk lets us know
that we can all ‘do it ourself’, and every single
fucking person is meaningful.

Maybe this still doesn’t mean anything to
you. If that’s the case, all I can say is that punk
rock saved my life...and well, hell, that means
something to me.

In the words of several million other like
minded folk,

“UP THE PUNKS, UP THE PUNKS,UP
THE PUNKS!”

Sincerely,

DeeSharp

AMES 'N COMICS

RIVERHEIGHTS BY TYLER CLARKE

=m iO - lae

Bow did the eud-terms | Well, the Huag
abeut bang a
teacher is...

by Haakon Sullivan

This one is very similar to the first Words in Subterfuge.

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Answer to last one: EACH

then i means

4 chats Fall of Fai lures,

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solution, tips and cornputer
programs at www.sudoku.com

418719 1267,8 12 14227 19 18 13 208 15 22 22 11 8 18 13 8 18 23 22 6 8, 26 13 23 8 22 15
3 12 14 26 4 26 16 22 13 8.71922 8 15 22 22 11 229 14687 26 4 26 16 22 13.
-Frank Herbert

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