Outstanding...

......was the job done by Nat Geo to portray the negative side of Straightedge. Well, it turned out how I thought it would.

Thanks to Nat Geo for interviewing someone that is over 25 and has some tenure. Thanks for leaving the second half of the show with the negative tone. Nothing like ending on a high note. (sic)

Thanks to Nat Geo for being a true small-time media outlet and turning the coppers on to the "SHOW".

Thanks to the Reno kids for trying to debunk the myth of being gangsters by having a cutlass on dubs. Sweet!!!!

Look, we all knew how this was gonna turn out. The fact that this was exactly the way I thought it would be just reaffirms the battle that we would have. Unfortunately, we all know that straightedge is a loose knit bunch of wild men (mostly, and some poser girls) that will probably sell out soon.

All-in-all, this show was a pile of garbage. And kudos to the RGJ for being the absolute rag that it is. Small town dicks........

Just take a look at this garbage that they chose to print - with clever title and all. How cute!!!

In that I am absolutely amazed by the amount of ignorance posted in the comments section of the articles on the RGJ. Do I hate all muslims because some muslims might be associated with Al-Qaeda? No way!!! That same kind of narrow-mindedness is what got us into the pathetic situation our country is in right now.

If you are reading this and are not straightedge, let me say this!!! We choose to stand for our right to choose what we put into our bodies. We stand for our right to be who we want to be. Due to the actions of a few misguided individuals, we have all been labeled in a manner that is inconsistent with the masses.

Straightedge is not a "scene". Is is not an afterschool group, a church or a religious faction. It does not have a written set of bylaws, nor does it affiliate itself with a color. We just like black!!!! :)

If you are straightedge and are reading this, I have this to say to you. I have scars on my body that I have acquired in the name of straightedge. They are from sticking up for myself. I am in spite of the "scene". I don't need anyone else who is straightedge to support my choice. It is a personal choice that is MY OWN. As soon as you look to others to validate your existence, you cease to be an individual.

You are not part of a "scene". You don't get points, or become revered by "belonging". You get all that by being who you are in a hostile environment. Hanging out with like minded individuals will just cause your view to become narrower. And your mind will become smaller.

You are part of a community. You are part of something bigger than you. It will go on without you or with you.

Straightedge needs people willing to be a voice of change. Not a force of change. We need people willing to become educated and become mouthpieces for the label.

People in general need to look past what the Reno Police Department (LOL) have deemed as a "gang-like group". You could deem any group like that. A football team that fights another team is not labeled a gang; they are labeled a TEAM!!!!

Tradition shapes a lot of peoples ideals and I am no different. I yearn for the days where we hung out, BBQ'ed and acted like kids. But sober. We did no harm to anyone that did not do harm to us first.

Nowdays, the internet glorifies and sensationalizes Straightedge, just as it does everything. I absolutely believe that not searching for the truth will lead you to lies.

The media does what it does, selling space, papers or air-time. And it didn't do it by reporting good news. Think about it.