Definitely one of the most controversial hardcore songs ever (side by side with another hardcore song, Earth Crisis's Firestorm). Although "In My Eyes" is what straight edge kids "abide by", this is the song that created a subculture.
Personally, I decided some time ago that I did not want to consider myself straight edge. However, I think that if someone is straight edge for themself and their own well-being, kudos to them. When it becomes an issue of an attempt at rebellion or a reason to enact violence, it hurts the straight edge label for the rest.
Alternately, I find it pathetic when kids tone down their drug use slightly, call themselves straight edge, and then start everything right back up. Those are the kids only looking for excuses to label themselves in some form or another, whether it is "druggie" or "straight edger". That is when a person really has to be called to question.
Oh, and Ian always drank in quantities, I'm pretty sure. He was just strongly against addictions in any form. One of the other members (I'm thinking Brian Baker, but I could be wrong) smoked marijuana while in Minor Threat, hence the speech on the live "Out of Step" on the discography.
Definitely one of the most controversial hardcore songs ever (side by side with another hardcore song, Earth Crisis's Firestorm). Although "In My Eyes" is what straight edge kids "abide by", this is the song that created a subculture.
Personally, I decided some time ago that I did not want to consider myself straight edge. However, I think that if someone is straight edge for themself and their own well-being, kudos to them. When it becomes an issue of an attempt at rebellion or a reason to enact violence, it hurts the straight edge label for the rest.
Alternately, I find it pathetic when kids tone down their drug use slightly, call themselves straight edge, and then start everything right back up. Those are the kids only looking for excuses to label themselves in some form or another, whether it is "druggie" or "straight edger". That is when a person really has to be called to question.
Oh, and Ian always drank in quantities, I'm pretty sure. He was just strongly against addictions in any form. One of the other members (I'm thinking Brian Baker, but I could be wrong) smoked marijuana while in Minor Threat, hence the speech on the live "Out of Step" on the discography.