Straight-Edge Society = Neo-Nazi Movement?

[Klown_Karnage]

Now, before you tune out of this one, just read it through. I've been watching CM Punk and his Straight-Edge Society as they continue to rise on Smackdown and I have to say I'm seeing more and more correlations between it and the Nazi/Neo-Nazi movement. Each time I see them, I'm getting more and more sure that there are many elements that have been adapted from Nazism to model the SES. Not that this is a bad thing. Nazis have been reliable generic villains since World War Two. I'll put out why I think the way I do about this.

1. The Emphasis on "Purity": Naturally, every gang or movement will have an "us and them" mentality in that if they aren't us then they aren't as good as us. We are the best. In the case of the SES, what makes them "better" is a purity of body through the avoidance of drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Okay, despite the fact that Hitler would have (at least publicly) approved of all of this, it's simply good sense so I could let that ride. However, outwardly the SES are also trying to "purify" the WWE of those who don't think like them. Recruit 'em or shoot 'em, so to speak. Now, to be fair, the SES hasn't gotten to racial purification...yet. On the other hand, post-Jeff Hardy, CM Punk's two major feuds (if I'm remembering correctly) have been with R-Truth and Rey Mysterio. Considering that all known members of the SES are snowy white, one has to wonder.

2. The Act of Shaving the Head: This is really what brought this to my attention at the beginning. When you join, your head is shaved. There is only one other movement I know of where the shaving of the head is compulsory upon joining and that is the Neo-Nazi variety of skinhead (not to be confused with the various other varieties of skinhead who, so far as I know, simply cut the hair very short rather than shaving it.) This could be simply because of the direct connection between the skinhead and punk-rock movements, but I just think there is too much of a direct link here to ignore.

3. The Symbol of the Society: Okay, maybe I'm nit-picking here a bit with this one, but I think that it should be noted that it only takes a right-angle dash at the end of each prong to turn an "X" into a swastika. That being said, since they're making CM Punk more Charles Mansion than Adolph Hitler, I wouldn't be surprised to one day see a big Straight-Edge "X" seemingly carved into his forehead.

4. One Nation Under Punk: CM Punk's character himself is portraying many of the characteristics common to Hitler's methods of keeping his people loyal. This could be simply because they're known to work, but his speeches, his demonstrations of power, his hiding behind his followers, and his gradual targeting of threats one by one all add up. Not only this, but you will notice that he demands not loyalty to the Straight-Edge cause itself, but loyalty to Punk himself. Rather like the way Hitler demanded not an allegiance to Nazi Germany, but to the Fuhrer directly.

Now, this could all be coincidence, sure, but it's my view that WWE creative actually went ahead and resorted to cosmetically altered Nazis as the soon-to-be primary villains of Smackdown.

My questions: Am I wrong here? Are there more reasons why I'm right? Is any of my research faulty? I want to know what other people think.

 

[Lyson Rayne]

I'm pretty sure it's coincidence. Nazis in PG WWE? Really? I think the nazi/neo nazi groups are just like gangs, cults, etc. In some gangs you have to cut a stranger's face or rob a store or rape some girl, but here it's shave your head. In cults you pledge allegiance to the leader, as in gangs there's a hierarchy. It's all the same basic template and that's where these similarities are coming from. The "X" has no relation to a swastica, but the X is the symbol of straight edge. Three X's (xXx) is recognized as the straight edge emblem so to speak, like the swastica to Nazi Germany, but only in no way are they related to the same cause. Punk is merely taking the purity from straight edge beliefs and over-emphasizing it to fit a heel character.

R-Truth and Rey Mysterio not being white is just coincidence, remember Punk's NXT rookie Darren Young was black and he was going to be inducted into the society until he randomly changed his mind. All of this is just coincidence and you may have looked way too hard into it, but nice try anyway. It was an interesting thought.

 

[xBANEx]

Now, before you tune out of this one, just read it through.

Will do.

I've been watching CM Punk and his Straight-Edge Society as they continue to rise on Smackdown and I have to say I'm seeing more and more correlations between it and the Nazi/Neo-Nazi movement. Each time I see them, I'm getting more and more sure that there are many elements that have been adapted from Nazism to model the SES. Not that this is a bad thing. Nazis have been reliable generic villains since World War Two. I'll put out why I think the way I do about this.

I can slightly see where you get the idea but you must keep in mind WWE's product is PG. If this was an attitude-like era, I could see this possibly happening but with the product being directed mostly towards kids, I just can't see it.

1. The Emphasis on "Purity": Naturally, every gang or movement will have an "us and them" mentality in that if they aren't us then they aren't as good as us. We are the best. In the case of the SES, what makes them "better" is a purity of body through the avoidance of drugs, alcohol, and smoking. Okay, despite the fact that Hitler would have (at least publicly) approved of all of this, it's simply good sense so I could let that ride. However, outwardly the SES are also trying to "purify" the WWE of those who don't think like them. Recruit 'em or shoot 'em, so to speak. Now, to be fair, the SES hasn't gotten to racial purification...yet. On the other hand, post-Jeff Hardy, CM Punk's two major feuds (if I'm remembering correctly) have been with R-Truth and Rey Mysterio. Considering that all known members of the SES are snowy white, one has to wonder.

Easy. In the straight edge lifestyle there are considered two 'types' being 1. "Hate edge" and 2. "Posi-core" Posi-core are positive people that consider it a choice. It's your life, your decisions, you can do whatever you want and they won't judge you for it. They're straight edge for their self, their friends and their family. Hate edge, on the other hand, think the complete opposite. They think EVERYONE should be straight edge. If it calls for violence, it will be done. Look up FSU from Boston. Group of edge kids that believe in violence to try and change people's minds. They're the kind of people that will jump and beat down drug dealers, steal the money they made from selling drugs and flush them down the toilet; beat up a non-edge kid for smoking at a show they're at, etc., Now, tell me, which do you consider CM Punk? He's portraying a character that thinks edge kids are better than non-edge kids. He's trying to force it on everyone, brainwash them even, which goes towards the Charles Manson feel towards the character.

2. The Act of Shaving the Head: This is really what brought this to my attention at the beginning. When you join, your head is shaved. There is only one other movement I know of where the shaving of the head is compulsory upon joining and that is the Neo-Nazi variety of skinhead (not to be confused with the various other varieties of skinhead who, so far as I know, simply cut the hair very short rather than shaving it.) This could be simply because of the direct connection between the skinhead and punk-rock movements, but I just think there is too much of a direct link here to ignore.

Simply a way to tell the leader apart from the mininions. It's more or less a cult. Punk is the leader and must seperate himself from his followers; he keeps his hair and their heads get shaved. Nothing more, nothing less.

3. The Symbol of the Society: Okay, maybe I'm nit-picking here a bit with this one, but I think that it should be noted that it only takes a right-angle dash at the end of each prong to turn an "X" into a swastika. That being said, since they're making CM Punk more Charles Mansion than Adolph Hitler, I wouldn't be surprised to one day see a big Straight-Edge "X" seemingly carved into his forehead.

Yeah, this one's really easy, too. In straight edge, X's were picked up from 'all ages shows' where people under the age of 21 were given black X's on their hands via markers so they couldn't be served alcohol.

4. One Nation Under Punk: CM Punk's character himself is portraying many of the characteristics common to Hitler's methods of keeping his people loyal. This could be simply because they're known to work, but his speeches, his demonstrations of power, his hiding behind his followers, and his gradual targeting of threats one by one all add up. Not only this, but you will notice that he demands not loyalty to the Straight-Edge cause itself, but loyalty to Punk himself. Rather like the way Hitler demanded not an allegiance to Nazi Germany, but to the Fuhrer directly.

In all honesty, you got me here. I have no response to this whatsoever. You win this one.

 

[gd]

I wouldn't doubt it. It's definetly a much more interesting concept that "he's like Jesus, but a cunt." Obviously that wouldn't directly come out and say it or even imply it too greatly, but it could be where the original idea came from. I think the race thing and the almost swastika are definetly quincidences, but purifying others is most certainly Nazish.

At the very least, they're supposed to be a cult. I remember one of the commentators comparing Punk to Jim Jones at times. That'd be an interesting way to take this storyline. What kind of ratings to you think a mass suicide of the rest of the WWE roster organized by the SES would get?

 

[Charismatic Edge]

Interesting topic. They are a little fascist aren't they? Hitler even promoted a non-smoking, non-drinking, no red meat lifestyle for his soldier and citizens. They way Punk is interacting with his stable and "fans" during the "purification" is very totalitarian in nature. Whether or not it's intentional is unknown to us but it sticks out.

 

[airvar]

It's less of copying the "neo-nazi movement" and more of trying to copy a ligitimate "hate-edge" movement seen throughout the country, seen pretty commonly at hardcore metal show's.. Groups of straight edge kids really will fuck up people drinking, smoking, or doing anything not edge.. They use violence to get people to do what they want.

Example of one such group

courage crew 303 up, 235 down

buy courage crew mugs, tshirts and magnets
Gang consisting of people (mostly men 18-35) who stand for being straight edge but use violence to get their point a crossed. a hostile gang who's only mission is to beat up people that partake in sexual activities out of wed lock and people who do any drugs (includes Alcohol and medical) usually 5 large males target one person at a time. they are unfair self righteous pricks who try to push their views of what is right on others sighted in Utah, Michigan and Ohio signs of a crew near you: CXC tattoos on face Generally seen at hard core shows big build tend to wear clothing promoting gang violence and/or their “crew”
Don’t wear that shirt with the three X’s to the show tonight bobby, their might be courage crew kids there.
gangs useless violence lame straight edge sxe
by fuck violence Feb 22, 2006 share this
2. courage crew 102 up, 79 down

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A straight edge group that is mainly based out of ohio, who expresses their lifestyle through fighting and other aggresive behaviors.
"Did you see all of the courage crew kids outside of that show?"
straight edge sxe edge straight-edge xxx
by xkccx Feb 13, 2006 share this
3. Courage Crew 41 up, 37 down

buy courage crew mugs, tshirts and magnets
A bunch of kids who have been brainwashed into thinking that they are "helping the community" by going to hardcore shows and attacking anybody they don't see as worthy of their liking. They are the reason that straight edge gets a bad rap nowadays. They use their edge-ness to regard themselves higher than anybody who doesn't claim the coming of age trend. The irony of this is that more than 25% of the claimers actually abuse some chemical substance.
Basically they're a bunch of hypocritical idiots who really have nothing better to do with their lives.
"Did you hear about all those kids with down syndrome who started a gang?"
"Courage Crew?"
hypocrites idiots straight edge xcx ******s
by Murder.Death.Kill Nov 2, 2009 share this
4. courage crew 163 up, 167 down

buy courage crew mugs, tshirts and magnets
a bunch of **** who think its there job to judge people and take matters into there own hands. There usually bigger guys (Small Dicks) with tattoos (cXc, sXe, etc.) and tshirts that promote anything they feel is "ok" or "cool". This rare specious of ignorant moron can be found in Ohio, Michigan, and I've been told Utah.
Hey those kids don't have the same beliefs as us!! Lets beat there asses!

Hmmm sounds like something else? o I know.. courage crew.. nazi party.. ahh ok there we go.
hxc xxx courage crew cxc scene
by I3roknI3ottle Sep 13, 2007 share this
5. Courage Crew 226 up, 247 down

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a bunch of ********ing straight-edge kids who make it their top priority to involve themselves in other peoples lives and beat them up if they use drugs, drink alchohol, have sex, and are not vegan. As above states, not only are they in Ohio and Utah, but also New York, Michigan, a few in Wisconsin, and probally other areas unknown to me. They are a nationwide straight-edge gang.

see also: pussy, ***, queer, jackass, ********er, gay
the courage crew are ******s.
courage crew hxc sxe hardcore sex
by jaesefjsg May 10, 2006 share this
6. courage crew 32 up, 64 down

buy courage crew mugs, tshirts and magnets
a legitimate crew all over America cleaning up the messes politicians make with the people of America by feeding the media with the idea that its okay to be fucked up all the time or its the cool fucking thing to be an addict

get clean stay free of shit

straight edge lifestyle always
courage crew aint nothin to fuck with.
cxc sxe cc courage edge life
by edgelife Oct 30, 2009 share this
7. Courage Crew 36 up, 68 down

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A brave rowing team.
"Dude, I'm in Courage Crew!"

- From Urban dictionary, but pretty much gives you a decent understanding of how these groups tend to be viewed by fellow - non edge kids who hang at the hardcore scene. He has pretty much adapted everything in his current gimmik from these type of groups, adding into it as he went very a-typical cult like leader techniques used by Jim Jones, Charles Manson, ect.

The similiarties to neo-nazi are purely by coincidence in my opinon

 

[Davi323]

Not neo-nazi. Definitely more of a Charles Manson/cult type situation, as airvar suggests. The whole straight edge society being pure of alcohol, drugs etc sounds more like a religious cult than a political ideology, as the nazis were. Combine the long hair and beard, and CM Punk even looks a little like Manson...hmmm...CM Punk... Charles Manson Punk? LOL

 

[chiefcannon]

wow never would of compared SES to Nazis but since day 1 tha whole gimmick reminded me of RTC (right to censor). Jus less annoying IMO sum of tha things Punk even dislikes reminds me of Stevie. Only punk carries himself in a whole different manner its kinda ironic how this SES gimmick is more edgy; when RTC took place in tha Attitude era. I jus hope Punk gets a more relavent name; cuz rite now it jus looks like Raven's Flock minus tha REAL JIM JONES N RAVEN Hell maybe they even let Serena get tha womens title. I think she would have a hellova fued wit Beth. SES IMHO is RAVEN'S FLOCK meets RTC, but no matter wat their agenda or where their goin wit this EVERY GREAT STABLE NEEDS TITLES to really solidify it self!!!!!!!!!!!!!