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I'm not quite sure what Manifesto means, but I am going to write one anyway.

I have currently visited the Bad Religion site for the first time in my life and read the Punk Manfesto by Greg Graffin. I noticed how "Punk," by it's definition in that article, is not what is in somewhat popular belief.
 
PUNK IS: the personal expression of uniqueness that comes from the experiences of growing up in touch with our human ability to reason and ask questions.
PUNK IS: a movement that serves to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature.
PUNK IS: a process of questioning and commitment to understanding that results in self-progress, and by extrapolation, could lead to social progress.
PUNK IS: a belief that this world is what we make of it, truth comes from our understanding of the way things are, not from the blind adherence to perscriptions about the way things should be.
PUNK IS: a constant struggle against fear of socail repercussions.
-Greg Graffin
 
Here I had been thinking that punk was just about loud music with lyrics I couldn't make out and people getting drunk in public.
 
The local punk scene revolves around one building on one side of town. This side of town is not any different than the other side of town, in fact, the center could be anywhere, but this just happens to be where it is. I, myself, have not been to many shows, in fact, the first one I attended was with that time period's current boyfriend, on November 3rd, 2001. I spend most of this show helping out in the consession and plugging my ears because the music was too loud for my tastes. I quickly became to realize that people were drinking, and someone pointed out people who were high. I never knew what pot smelled like until someone pointed it out, over a year after that, on Novemeber 22, 2002. This punk show left the impression on me that being punk was about listening to loud music and taking part in illegal activities. However, I am quite mistaken according to Mr. Graffin's Manifesto.
 
PUNK IS: the personal expression of uniqueness that comes from the experiences of growing up in touch with our human ability to reason and ask questions.
 
Upon closer examination, I found that punk bands do have lyrics that mean something, even if I could not make them out at the shows. They ask questions and raise political topics, and fight over opinions. The lyrics are intelligent and debatable, which I find admirable.
 
PUNK IS: a movement that serves to refute social attitudes that have been perpetuated through willful ignorance of human nature.
 
Always question why things are set the way they are, and never assume things based on gender, age, race, etc. This is important to me, because I don't believe anyone should be judged because of the way they look, or their backround, be it of a different heritage/sexuality/etc of one's self.
 
PUNK IS: a process of questioning and commitment to understanding that results in self-progress, and by extrapolation, could lead to social progress.
 
If you question why things are a certain way, and think that this is not the way they should be, that things should be better, then the punk ideal says to attempt to make change. For an example of this ideal, I give you Homophobia. I truly detest how homophboic people are. This ideal makes people think and realize that they can change the flaws in human nature if you try hard enough. Existence is what you make of it.
 
PUNK IS: a belief that this world is what we make of it, truth comes from our understanding of the way things are, not from the blind adherence to perscriptions about the way things should be.
 
I understand, or attempt at least to understand, why things are the way they are, and don't go blindly with whatever the majority says is right. Ever since I moved to my current residence at the age of 12, I have been "different" from the majority. In grades 7 and 8, I had no real, regular friends, and was often made fun of because of my clothing choice. For those that don't know me, I don't dress in the regular 'punk fashion.' I dress in whatever is comfortable or appealing to me, which varies from day to day, but is never the best outfit in the eye of the 'popular' kids. I think to myself, "I don't have to dress that way if I don't want to, so why should I?"
 
PUNK IS: a constant struggle against fear of socail repercussions.
I don't think I would be wrong to state that people in our culture crave acceptence. To be accepted, it seems that we always have to be in tip-top shape with what society believes is the right way of doing things. There is no true universal right, there is only the majority's thought of what is right. If what I am doing works for me, no one should be able to tell me I'm doing it wrong. I should not have to fear my peers when making decisions.
 
After reviewing the "PUNK IS" points as outlined by Greg Graffin, I have decided that anyone, including myself, with a questioning mind and a willingness to not be dragged into the majority is punk.
 
I was told recently that punk is a fashion. I disagree, it is a way of thinking and of completing the actions in one's life. So there might be a stereotype of what someone who is punk looks like or how they dress; that doesn't mean it applies to everyone who is punk. Punk is also a kind of music, which is stereotypically loud with harsh drums and guitars. Does this mean that if I write a politial song without these stereotypes, that has the same inner message as the stereotypical punk songs, that it is not punk? It might not be punk in the music sense, but it will be punk in the essence, which is more important.
 
Punk is unique.
Punk is a higher level of though.
Punk is not accepting everything because the majority of the population does.
 
It is too bad that some people gave punk a bad name, because I would be realized the ideals quicker in life if there hadn't been so many drunken, high, scary people in my way.

The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return