4-3. Why is straight-edge so narrow minded?

    In the mid to late 80's, straight-edge hardcore reached a zenith,
    especially in the greater Metropolitan area of New York City.  This 
    atmosphere led to the creation of Gorilla Biscuits, Bold, Wide Awake 
    and arguably the most prolific band of the era, Youth of Today. While 
    the bands of this period did much to popularise straight-edge, they 
    also contributed to its closeminded and antagonistic aspects. The 
    attitude between straight-edge and the rest of the world often took on
    adversarial tones during this time, largely becoming "The positive 
    youth crew versus people who drink, smoke and/or do drugs." Many people 
    dislike straight-edge and its adherents because of such intolerant 
    views. [4]

    In a 1995 interview with the Thicker fanzine, Ian MacKaye denounced the 
    stringent attitude prevalent in the culture he is widely credited with 
    founding. "The whole straight-edge thing for me was never about this 
    kind of puritan lifestyle, where I was supposed to be leading the 
    masses towards a better tomorrow," he said. [1]

    On 03 Jul 1997 Koontz Christopher Noel <iy17@jove!acs!unt!edu> wrote:
    "One can be a non-smoker, a teatotaler, and a vegetarian, and yet still 
    be Adolf Hitler. -- Karl Barth on Der Fuehrer"