JANUARY
      31,
      2007
     
    
   
   
    
     
      THE
      CADRE
      °¢
      4
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      CAMPUS
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Exposing
      the
      Straightedge
      litestyle:
     
    
   
   
    
     
      What
      it
      is
      and
      where
      it
      came
      from
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Craig
      St.
      Jean
     
     
      Advertising
      Manager
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      University
      life
      is
      very
      often
      characterized
     
     
      as
      a
      drinking
      culture,
      with
      alcohol
      con-
     
     
      sumption
      accompanying
      many
      students
     
     
      favorite
      pastimes,
      or
      being
      a
      pastime
      in
      an
     
     
      of
      itself.
     
    

    
     
      While
      it
      is
      false
      to
      assume
      that
      the
     
     
      majority
      of
      students
      are
      heavy
      drinkers,
      it
     
     
      is
      undeniable
      that
      drinking
      can
      sometimes
     
     
      be
      a
      hard
      thing
      to
      escape
      for
      students
     
     
      who
      have
      an
      active
      social
      life.
     
    

    
     
      One
      particular
      subculture
      of
      (primarily)
     
     
      young
      people,
      who
      refer
      to
      themselves
     
     
      and
      their
      lifestyle
      as
      “straightedge,”
      have
     
     
      made
      the
      choice
      to
      stand
      out
      and
      they
     
     
      aren’t
      shy
      about
      it.
     
    

    
     
      The
      term
      straightedge
      and
      the
      ideals
     
     
      and
      choices
      behind
      the
      lifestyle
      is
      the
     
     
      subject
      of
      some
      confusion,
      however.
     
    

    
     
      It’s
      certainly
      not
      a
      new
      idea,
      but
      it
      is
      still
     
     
      misunderstood
      by
      many.
     
    

    
     
      And,
      although
      straightedgers
      may
      not
     
     
      constitute
      a
      particularly
      large
      or
      identifi-
     
     
      able
      group
      around
      the
      UPEI
      campus,
     
     
      there
      are
      a
      few
      and
      it’s
      worth
      noting
      that
     
     
      their
      label
      doesn’t
      simply
      mean
      that
      they
     
     
      don’t
      drink.
     
    

    
     
      The
      origins
      of
      straightedge
      (often
      ab-
     
     
      breviated
      as
      sXe)
      can
      be
      traced
      back
      to
     
     
      1980
      when
      the
      Washington
      D.C.
      hardcore
     
     
      punk
      band
      Minor
      Threat
      indentified
      the
     
     
      lifestyle
      in
      their
      song
      “Straight
      Edge,”
     
     
      with
      vocalist
      and
      lyricist
      Ian
      Mackaye
     
     
      proclaiming
      “I’m
      a
      person
      just
      like
      you
      /
     
     
      but
      I’ve
      got
      better
      things
      to
      do
      /
      then
      sit
     
     
      around
      and
      fuck
      my
      head
      /
      hang
      out
      with
     
     
      the
      living
      dead
      /
      ...
      ’ve
      got
      the
      straight
     
     
      edge.”
      In
      their
      song
      “Out
      of
      Step”
      the
     
     
      straightedge
      lifestyle
      was
      defined
      by
      the
     
     
      lyrics
      “(2)
      Don’t
      smoke
      /
      Don’t
      drink
      /
     
     
      Don’t
      fuck
      /
      At
      least
      I
      can
      fucking
      think.”
     
    

    
     
      These
      “rules”
      formed
      the
      basis
      of
      the
     
     
      straightedge
      movement,
      and
      typify
      the
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      lifestyles
      of
      modern
      straightedgers
      who
     
     
      have
      made
      a
      commitment
      not
      to
      drink
     
     
      alcohol,
      smoke,
      use
      recreational
      drugs
      or
     
     
      have
      casual
      sex.
     
    

    
     
      Straightedge
      has
      come
      to
      be
      symbolized
     
     
      among
      practitioners
      by
      the
      letter
      X,
      which
     
     
      used
      to
      be
      marked
      on
      the
      hands
      of
      those
     
     
      who
      couldn’t
      drink
      at
      wet/dry
      events
      at
     
     
      clubs.
     
    

    
     
      Two
      straightedge
      UPEI
      students
      were
     
     
      willing
      to
      talk
      about
      their
      lifestyle,
      includ-
     
     
      ing
      Matt
      Dixon,
      a
      third
      year
      student.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      got
      into
      straight
      edge
      when
      I
      was
      15.
     
     
      I
      started
      off
      as
      a
      real
      asshole
      about
      it
      but
     
     
      kind
      of
      grew
      up
      and
      gained
      a
      better
      un-
     
     
      derstanding
      of
      what
      it
      was
      all
      about.
      Five
     
     
      years
      later
      I’m
      still
      defining
      what
      straight
     
     
      edge
      means
      to
      me.
      I
      go
      by
      the
      three
     
     
      fundamental
      beliefs
      of
      straightedge
      (as
     
     
      expressed)
      by
      Ian
      Mackaye
      of
      the
      band
     
     
      Minor
      Threat.”
     
    

    
     
      Kenny
      Lingley,
      a
      first
      year
      student,
     
     
      has
      different
      reasons
      for
      choosing
      this
     
    
   
   
    
     
      lifestyle.
     
    

    
     
      “Because
      there
      is
      a
      problem
      with
      drugs
     
     
      in
      our
      society
      and
      it
      is
      not
      correct,
      and
     
     
      there
      is
      also
      addiction
      in
      my
      extended
     
     
      family.”
     
    

    
     
      Dixon
      shared
      a
      similar
      sentiment
      in
     
     
      explaining
      his
      reasons
      for
      the
      decision.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      saw
      how
      all
      my
      friends
      were
      get-
     
     
      ting
      fucked
      up
      and
      making
      fools
      of
     
     
      themselves
      every
      weekend.
      I
      made
      the
     
     
      decision
      that
      I
      never
      wanted
      to
      embatr-
     
     
      rass
      myself
      like
      that,
      and
      I
      figured
      it’d
      be
     
     
      awesome
      if
      I
      got
      through
      my
      youth
      and
     
     
      could
      actually
      remember
      it.”
     
    

    
     
      When
      asked
      about
      the
      stereotypical
     
     
      University
      drinking
      culture,
      Dixon
      and
     
     
      Lingley
      explain
      that
      they’re
      both
      comfort-
     
     
      able
      with
      it,
      saying
      that
      they
      have
      some
     
     
      friends
      who
      drink,
      but
      it’s
      simply
      just
      not
     
     
      for
      them.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      don’t
      drink
      or
      do
      drugs
      but
      I
      don’t
     
     
      shove
      it
      in
      peoples
      faces
      like
      I
      have
      some
     
     
      sort
      of
      moral
      superiority.
      I
      took
      up
      edge
     
    
   
   
    
     
      for
      myself
      and
      my
      own
      health.
      I
      have
      a
     
     
      lot
      of
      friends
      who
      do
      that
      shit
      and
      I
      party
     
     
      with
      them
      and
      it’s
      great.
      But
      when
      it
      gets
     
     
      late
      and
      the
      party
      starts
      to
      drag,
      I’m
      the
     
     
      dude
      who’s
      holding
      your
      hair
      back
      while
     
     
      you
      puke,
      or
      driving
      people
      home
      who
     
     
      are
      too
      fucked
      up
      to
      drive,’
      Dixon
      said.
     
    

    
     
      Lingley
      explained
      that
      he
      doesn’t
      feel
     
     
      overly
      pressured
      to
      drink.
     
    

    
     
      “Tts
      not
      to
      say.
      that
      all
      of
      this
      drinking
     
     
      is
      binge
      drinking,
      but
      a
      large
      number
      of
     
     
      students
      I
      know
      do
      drink
      often
      enough.
     
     
      There
      is
      pressure
      to
      join
      in,
      I
      believe,
     
     
      because
      students
      want
      their
      friends
      to
      do
     
     
      what
      they
      are
      doing.
      I
      myself
      do
      not
      feel
     
     
      any
      pressure
      to
      drink.
      I
      am
      lucky
      enough
     
     
      to
      have
      friends
      who
      are
      cool
      enough
      to
     
     
      respect
      my
      decision.”
     
    

    
     
      Dixon
      said
      that
      lately
      he
      hasn’t
      received
     
     
      too
      much
      pressure
      for
      his
      choice
      to
      be
     
     
      straightedge,
      though
      it
      was
      a
      little
      differ-
     
     
      ent
      in
      the
      past.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      used
      to
      get
      peer
      pressure
      when
      I
     
     
      was
      in
      high
      school
      but
      it
      was
      always
      in
      a
     
     
      joking
      fashion
      because
      everyone
      knew
      I
     
     
      was
      nailed
      to
      the
      X.
      The
      only
      occasion
      I
     
     
      can
      remember
      of
      someone
      making
      a
      big
     
     
      deal
      about
      it
      was
      when
      some
      drunk
      dude
     
     
      poured
      his
      whole
      beer
      on
      me
      at
      a
      party
     
     
      because
      he
      didn’t
      like
      that
      I
      was
      straight-
     
     
      edge.
      After
      I
      stomped
      him
      to
      the
      ground
     
     
      he
      apologized
      the
      next
      day
      and
      we
      were
     
     
      cool.”
     
    

    
     
      Lingley
      said
      there
      is
      a
      lack
      of
      awareness
     
     
      of
      the
      straightedge
      lifestyle.
     
    

    
     
      “People
      need
      to
      be
      a
      lot
      more
      aware
      of
     
     
      what
      straight
      edge
      is
      and
      not
      assume
      that
     
     
      because
      a
      person
      doesn’t
      drink,
      they
      are
     
     
      straight
      edge.”
     
    

    
     
      As
      stated
      previously,
      the
      lifestyle
      is
     
     
      about
      more
      than
      simply
      not
      drinking.
     
     
      Dixon
      summed
      up
      his
      take
      on
      straight-
     
     
      edge
      as
      “simply
      living
      a
      drug-free,
      positive
     
     
      lifestyle.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Tattoo
      choices
      either
      haunting
      or
      liberating
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Whitney
      Rose
     
    

    
     
      Reporter
     
    

    
     
      Perhaps
      what
      is
      one
      of
      the
      most
      popular
     
     
      forms
      of
      permanent
      self-expression
      is
     
     
      the
      tattoo.
      From
      the
      age
      of
      16,
      people
     
     
      everywhere
      are
      permitted
      to
      brand
      their
     
     
      bodies
      to
      make
      a
      statement
      or
      engrave
      a
     
     
      memory.
     
    

    
     
      The
      unfathomable
      amount
      of
      intel-
     
     
      lectual
      growth
      between
      ages
      16
      and
      20,
     
     
      however,
      has
      left
      some
      premature
      tattoo-
     
     
      ees
      in
      severe
      states
      of
      regret.
     
    

    
     
      Randi
      Doyle,
      20,
      finds
      herself
      in
      such
     
     
      a
      state.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      have
      a
      new
      theory
      and
      it’s
      this:
      if
     
     
      you
      want
      to
      get
      a
      tattoo,
      you
      should
      save
     
     
      up
      the
      money
      to
      have
      it
      put
      on
      and
      also
     
    
   
   
    
     
      to
      have
      it
      taken
      off.”
     
    

    
     
      Doyle,
      like
      many,
      got
      her
      tattoo
      on
      her
     
     
      sixteenth
      birthday.
      It’s
      a
      strawberry
      on
     
     
      her
      hipbone.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      picked
      it
      out
      like
      a
      pair
      of
      socks.
     
     
      ‘TU
      taaaaaaaaaake.....that
      one.
      That
      one
     
     
      right
      there,
      scrawled
      onto
      my
      innocent
     
     
      hip
      forever
      and
      ever.
      Thanks!
      Brilliant.
     
     
      The
      funny
      thing
      is,
      strawberries
      symbol-
     
     
      ize
      innocence
      and
      purity.
      Innocent
      and
     
     
      naive
      is
      what
      I
      was.”
     
    

    
     
      Although
      Doyle
      regrets
      her
      tattoo
     
     
      of
      choice,
      she
      doesn’t
      think
      the
      age
      of
     
     
      which
      a
      person
      can
      get
      a
      tattoo
      should
     
     
      be
      raised.
     
    

    
     
      “J
      just
      think
      there
      should
      be
      a
      manda-
     
     
      tory
      consideration
      period.
      Everyone,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      not
      only
      young
      people,
      should
      be
      given
     
     
      a
      period
      of
      time
      to
      make
      sure
      that
      their
     
     
      tattoo
      of
      choice
      is
      what
      they
      really
      want.
     
     
      They
      should
      be
      made
      aware
      of
      the
      grav-
     
     
      ity
      of
      what
      they
      are
      about
      to
      do.”
     
     
      Tattoos
      don’t
      only
      serve
      as
      regrets,
      they
     
     
      can
      also
      be
      a
      heroic
      form
      of
      self-expres-
     
     
      sion.
     
    

    
     
      Joanna
      MacKinnon,
      whose
      name
      was
     
     
      changed
      for
      privacy,21,
      also
      got
      her
      tat-
     
     
      too
      around
      her
      sixteenth
      birthday.
      She
     
     
      remains
      an
      advocate
      of
      the
      bedy
      art.
     
    

    
     
      “T
      was
      a
      really
      quiet
      teenager
      and
      had
      a
     
     
      hard
      time
      expressing
      myself.
      Getting
      my
     
     
      first
      tattoo
      was
      not
      only
      a
      sigh
      of
      relief,
     
     
      it
      was
      the
      liberation
      I
      had
      so
      been
      long-
     
     
      ing
      for.”
     
    
   
   
    
     
      MacKinnon
      has
      since
      gotten
      mote
      tat-
     
     
      toos
      and
      admits
      to
      wanting
      even
      more.
     
     
      Despite
      her
      recent
      additions,
      she
      claims
     
     
      that
      her
      first
      tattoo
      remains
      her
      favorite
     
     
      to
      date.
     
    

    
     
      “Sixteen
      is
      not
      too
      young
      to
      get
      a
      tat-
     
     
      too.
      We
      have
      been
      through
      enough
      shit
     
     
      at
      sixteen
      to
      know
      what
      it
      is
      we
      want.
      We
     
     
      have
      a
      rough
      idea
      of
      who
      we
      are
      at
      that
     
     
      point
      in
      our
      lives.”
     
    

    
     
      Despite
      the
      above
      mentioned
      excessive
     
     
      intellectual
      growth
      between
      16
      and
      20,
     
    

    
     
      tattoos
      are
      contingent
      to
      the
      individual.
     
     
      And
      if
      nothing
      else,
      a
      tattoo
      can
      serve
     
    

    
     
      as
      a
      great
      conversation
      starter.
      It
      is,
     
    
   
   
    
     
      however,
      advisable
      to
      have
      something
     
    
   
   
    
     
      intelligent
      to
      say.