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Recently my one of my alter egos got sent a review copy of a CD by a band. The guys in it seem to have done their homework — they looked at the stuff I review favorably, and sent me a disc I would probably mostly like — if I hadn’t read the press kit.
Coz in that press kit, they specifically disavow themselves from Fugazi-style politics. They just want to drink some beers and play some music. You know, have fun.
I have trouble quantifying exactly why this bugs me so much. MacKaye has a reputation for being a preachy fucker, but I think that Fugazi’s overriding messages (as opposed to Minor Threat’s messages, which were more simplistic) were:

1. Think for yourself.
2. Consider the consquences of your actions.

Fugazi certainly played a lot of benefit shows for progressive causes, but I think most — if not all — of their alignment with and support of organizations can be derived from those two principles.
And what exactly is so wrong with that? Why do you need to distance yourself from it?
Because it seems to me the alternative is not to think for yourself and not to consider the consequences of your actions.
And that sounds like a blanket endorsement of the status quo. “Yeah, whatever, just get me another beer.”
And that makes me sick.
I don’t think bands need to wear their politics on their sleeves, and I don’t need every band to agree with me on every political point, but I find using not having politics as a selling point very problematic.

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There’s a web site that was thrown together as a response to punkvoter (sorry, I won’t link to it . . . you’ll have to guess what it is). In essays on it, Dave Smalley challenges the ideas that “punk” should be politically homogenous or reflexively anti-American. And I think he has some valid points mixed in with specious claptrap.
My definition of “punk” doesn’t mean rebelling against things for the sake of rebellion, it means rebelling against the things you see wrong.
I can respect people who evaluate facts to the best of their abilities and come up with different conclusions than mine. I don’t really understand how intelligent people can come to the conclusions that some of them do, but I accept that it happens.
I can’t respect people who just accept what they’re told.
Or who just don’t care, and are proud of their apathy.

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