Punk

(Before anything let me sum it all up by saying ¡Viva La Punk Chicana! Here is a film Pretty Vacant about a punk Chicana.)

I was helping the dental students at La Clínica set something up when I mentioned I would be going to the HighFive. One of the dental students turned to me and said, “Are you a punk?”. This made me giggle. I felt like he was not only asking me if I am punk but what is punk. I am not sure how I would answer this. Someone, else asked me last night “What is punk?”.

The answer to the first question is the simpliest. Am I punk? Kind-of. I enjoy the music, I particpate in the politics, and in terms of an academic stand point where you are part of something if the rest of the somethings recognize you as part of the something. What I am saying is that I am interviewed by punk kids doing research on the punk scene…they see me as part of the scene so in a way that makes me part of it.

I am not sure how I should answer the second question. What is punk? It is a music. It is a political movement. It is a sub-culture. It is a lifestyle. It is a way of dressing. It is DIY. It is a way of eating. It is bikes instead of cars. It is sXe. It is queer. It is Distros and Zines.

You can be punk and be all of these things, some of them, or actively against parts of the “scene”. The great thing about being punk is that no matter where you travel, as long as there is a major city, you will be able to find other punks who will give you a place to spend the night, a good meal and a connection in your next city. I like that.

Last night I went to an all ages punk show at The Legion of Doom. “All ages” shows are important to some members of the punk community. There are bands that will not play at locations where they won’t let in all ages. Usually, this will mean that alochol cannot be sold at the event but allows High School kids and kids under the age of 21 to get in. A lot of cities have punk houses, like the LOD, that host concerts in their homes. Usually the door fee is split among the traveling bands or giving to a charity. I’ve never been to a show that cost more than $5. Unless it was a multiple day event. Last night’s show benefitted Columbus’ Rebird Books-To-Prisoners Project.

The band I most wanted to see last night was Defiance, Ohio. A punk band with a cello, accoustic guitar, banjo, upright base, violin and drums. It sounds odd in terms of the instruments, but I moshed to this music, it is good stuff.

After the show at the LOD, Patrick, Jon and I went dumpster diving. These are things that kind of make me punk, I guess. On top of that today is day #2 as a freegan.

On an aside, it was really cool to hear about the Books to Prisoners Project that has just started here in Columbus. It is amazing because if any of you recall I was looking to start such an organization. I’ll be volunteering with them and helping out with their request letters in Spanish. Woo hoo!