(article) Living life on the edge

[Vegan Joe]

http://www.auburnpub.com/articles/2007/07/15/news/lake_life/lakelife01.txt
^^^ complete article ^^^

AUBURN - The Auburn Public Theater was recently the scene of vibrant tattoos blanketing the limbs of teenagers and 20-somethings, gritty T-shirts with bold slogans and more Xs than a red-light district.

The third annual Straight Edge Fest brought drug-free youth from out of state - and even out of the country - to Auburn for a day of music and brotherhood.

“We welcome everyone to our scene,” said Reggie McCafferty, co-organizer of the event. “Some kids I just met from out of town stayed at my house last night.”

The straight edge lifestyle is comprised of four core principles: No alcohol, no tobacco, no drugs and no promiscuous sex.

“I feel clean; I'd feel dirty if I was just doing drugs all the time,” said Pete Schwan, who drove from Buffalo with friends Jessie Gabel and Rob Lucarelli for the show.

[Pixelle]

It's not a lifestyle I could've led as a teenager but I think if it makes them happy I say go for it.

But some of them do seem a little intense to me and it makes me wonder how happy they really are. I'm not sure if the intensity comes directly from the difficulties of trying to live a straight lifestyle as a teenager, or it's just a result of having to put up with crap from other people who think being sXe is stupid. Or both maybe?

[JenasaurusX]

Great article - thanks for sharing!
I love kickball.

I love the straight edge movement. I grew up in a punk rock scene where everyone was messed up. I got chastised quite a bit for some of my beliefs. The only other kids I knew that didn't drink, didn't smoke didn't do drugs, and didn't screw for the sake of screwing were very religious and that just wasn't my thing. I definitely would have hung out with the straight edge kids had they existed in my town.