s the Reagan era began, Americans found themselves deeply submerged by the subtle but tangible shift in societal norms that came about as a result of the Administration’s force–feeding of Patriotic and Conservative dogma into the American way of life. This tide of nationalism banded the nation together and managed to create a false sense of oneness, community, and belonging, but the tide would never have reached its shores had it not been for the whirlwind of media–spin, exploiting it all and edging it along; with the Cold War brewing, Evangelists conquered the airwaves while ”Fundamentalist Christianity“ began to surge and exert its political influence. Of course, the take–home message here isn’t about this shift, this movement itself–rather, the focus here should be on the fact that for every strong, surging movement the world has witnessed, there inevitably comes the oft–derided counter-movement.

Keeping that cold–war era in mind, history has taken note of many young people who grew ’rebellious’, in a sense, and decided that it would be in their best interest to deviate from the status quo. They differentiated themselves by being free thinking, non–conformant rebels, who refused to accept what was fed to them by the mass media and government. They were outcasts, yet they didn’t seem to care. Regardless of their family’s background or socioeconomic status, they dressed the way they wanted to, and saw the world unfiltered; without glazed-over media spin. Many of them identified with a certain type of music, much of it created by their peers, which spoke of the current situation they were living in; spoke to their needs and wants; reached out to their core beliefs. The music was influenced from the earliest punk bands such as The Ramones and The Clash. The term for this new form of music was coined by some as ”hardcore punk“.

Hardcore punk differentiated itself by being more intense, with faster tempos and a raw sound. The melodies and percussion didn’t have to be complex, but the end result was an adrenaline pumping sound. Unlike its punk rock influences, hardcore punk focused on issues such as politics, religion, and social commentary. This music would be played at small venues such as houses, abandoned buildings,  community halls and sometimes in the streets. These shows would be organized by small time promoters or the bands themselves, as most bands adopted a ”do it yourself“ ethic. What attracted people to these shows was the fact that it was different and contrasted largely to the everyday norm. The music was made as a way to broadcast their feelings and opinions, knowing full well that such songs would never be aired on the radio or become a commercial success. There was an anti-commercialism air that was obvious in this culture. As a result of these shows, people felt a sense of belonging, and to some, it became a lifestyle.

One of these lifestyles promoted ideas of a ”clean“ life. To paraphrase a prominent mantra: no drugs, no alcohol and no ”sleeping around“. People who adopted this lifestyle did it as a result of introspective thought. They recognized things like drinking and doing drugs to be detrimental to one’s prosperity, as well as the prosperity of society. They were able to recognize these issues due to the fact that they had friends and family steeped in problems caused by things like drugs and alcohol. This way of life was labeled ”Straight Edge“. The term was coined by Ian MacKaye of Minor Threat, one of the first hardcore punk bands and considered one of the most influential among today’s rock artists. Their song “Straight Edge” referred to living a clean life that would, as a result, give them the ”edge“ over others who chose to indulge their desires. It’s not just something they practiced, but also something they boasted (yet not necessarily preached).

The challenges that face Muslim youth today, especially those living in the western world, basically centre around the acts referred to by ”Straight Edgers“ as mentioned earlier. Drugs, alcohol, and pre–marital sex are traps that many young Muslims are falling into today. Whereas Straight Edgers were proud to be of those who refrained from these acts, many modern young Muslims are too scared to say ”no“ when faced with peer pressure. Whereas Straight Edgers looked at the long term scenario, some of today’s young Muslims often find themselves looking at the immediate future and thus indulge themselves in these acts.

Whereas Islam teaches us what is beneficial and what is hurtful, we do not take the time to see why this may be the case. Perhaps we should learn all about what is expected of us and also look at why this is so. Doing so may give Muslims the same amount of pride that Straight Edgers had when they practiced their philosophy. When not studying what is expected of us Muslims, we may only then do things expected of us in the same capacity as a sheep follows their flock, without thinking or putting thought into what we are doing. A purposeful and thoughtful application of Islam in our lives will result in not only the betterment of our lives, but would also be noticed by non-Muslims as a positive act that would enhance society.

Islam has taught us that we are beings with free choice. That we should be free thinkers and make conscious decisions based on our knowledge. The pitfalls that Muslim youth are prone to fall into can be avoided by practicing free thought, based on religious and scientific knowledge. Despite mass media depicting western youth culture as a party culture we should realize that there are many non– Muslim who do not subscribe to that way of life. There are people that recognize the harmful affects alcohol, drugs, and widespread sexual debauchery have on society. The lesson is that we should not be quick to judge others; their lifestyle may be more akin to ours than we would originally suspect.

We now live in a Bush era, quite similar to the Reagan age. Just like how Reagan fought a ”Cold War“, Bush has a ”War on Terrorism“. Neo-Conservatism is rampant and Patriotism has peaked yet again. With the subsequent stir of emotions that such a super–charged Administration can only hope to evoke, we must realize that counter movements are never far behind. We must never be afraid to be the counter–  movement. As such, while much of the youth in Western society are partial towards behaviour that many would deem to be self–destructive, Muslim youth must realize that they now (as always) have the opportunity to help society by demonstrating the positives of Islamic teachings with the pride that ’Straight Edge’ followers are known to have displayed..