So, I’m talking to a friend while he’s playing a flash advertisement game on the New York Times web site and on the page is an article written about Republican Punks. What!? Is there such a thing? I guess the answer to that is a yes.
So I have him send the article to me (I’m not going to link it, since you need to join the New York Times user list to see it anyway) and I read it thoroughly. Have to say it was pretty interesting, which is high praise from me since I usually hate that far left-wing news trash heap. Seems that there is a lot of backlash from and at “Republican Punks”. In the article, two web sites were listed that really give a good look into this counter-counter-culture: www.anti-anti-flag.com and www.GOPunk.com. I checked out these sites and, sure enough, these punks are ardent conservatives.
Of coarse, these web sites I had to figure out the URL to, because God-forbid the New York Times actually puts a link in their articles to any pro-conservative groups. They did, however, put the URL of a anti-rightwing group in the article. But that’s a whole other rant.
Also, a big surprise to me was that some punk legends that “punks” nowadays have scrawled across their backs were actually right-wing conservatives. Johnny Ramone, guitarist for the Ramones, was actually a outspoken Republican. The lead singer for the Misfits, Michale Graves, is also a Republican. Interesting stuff. But there is one thing that really got to me and inspired me to write this rant.
A punk named Thorston Wilms, who runs www.FiendClub.de
, said this about Graves when he learned that he was of a differing political background:
Author: =][= Morok
Email: evilcanofjoy@kidsloveguns.com
Oh I’m sorry, Thorston. I thought being punk meant being you, and being outspoken and obnoxious about being you. Last time I checked, dressing and thinking the way of your peer group wasn’t “punk” or “individual,” it was being what others expected of you (AKA trendy). But, I guess your right. How can someone like the individuality values of being “punk” without conforming to what your vision of “punk” is?
This kind of thing pisses me off. I understand that German douche-bag has a right to say his opinion on things as much as I have to express one right now, but saying that you can’t be part of a group or listen to the same MUSIC because you have a differing political opinion. That’s just being a retard. I complain about a lot of stuff that I think should be changed, but just because I think one way, doesn’t mean that it has to be forced on the “group” I’m in. I don’t even have a “group” that I belong to. I’m just me. People need to start understanding that they should be themselves.
So, I say that these Republican Punks are good for the scene. Because, if they can say what they want without care of the repercussions from their own sub-culture, you should be able to do the same thing. It’s like the time me and my friend saw the KKK on a Public Access channel. He was all mad for a while, and so was I, that hate-mongers like could be on TV so easily. It took my dad to explain it very simply and elegantly:
Again, my dad saves the day and puts everything into a great perspective. I hope these republican punks keep being vocal about their ideas. They are what seem like a shinning light on a scene that has stagnated into a dressing trend where everyone hates authority and everyone thinks the same. These guys are thinking different knowing that their scene might tell them they aren’t a part that is wanted, but keep saying it nonetheless because they are themselves.
And that’s what this web site is trying to make evident.
