Three Groups Conservatives Should Target and Why, Part 1: Punkers

by Matt Daniels
Clash Daily Guest Contributor

At nearly every turn one finds propaganda from the left and leftist media, and virtually no one is safe from the onslaught. Youth, elderly, minorities and the aimless are berated by the liberal world, constantly reminded that their own opinions are wrong and should immediately be substituted by those of the Royal Left, permanently.

This is particularly true among those groups that conservatives have either shown little interest in or have given up on all together. Minorities and people under the age of thirty are welcomed into conservative life with open arms, but with exception of a few websites and commentators this appears to be—at best—a farce, and has become a de facto joke by the liberal-leaning voices of the left. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

There are several groups that provide links in culture’s chain that are often overlooked, misunderstood or frankly poorly targeted by conservatives, and while ultimately it’s up to the individual to find their way, the unfortunate truth is that fewer and fewer seem to be doing so as time goes on. So why, then, should conservatives bother at all? Let’s take a look.

-Punkers and the Punk Rock Movement
Why this group matters: For more than thirty years, punk rock has held a seat at the court of the music and fashion industries, and never more than today. Back in the late-1990s, bands such as Green Day, The Offspring and NOFX sold albums and sold out concerts more than ever before, to the tune of millions of newly discovered punkers, most of whom hailed from suburbanite families. By the time the turn of the century arrived, there were more kids in the United States with ties to punk rock than there were without. But what happened was much more than a simple re-imagining of a rock and roll genre; punk rock became more politicalized than ever, and not in a constructive way.

President George W. Bush, already under heavy fire simply for existing, became the face of evil, and with him, America. While twenty-thousand enraged youths filled stadiums and outdoor venues for live shows and spent their hard-earned lawn-mowing money on shoddy merchandise, it seemed, too, that these youths found themselves burning effigies of President Bush, chanting along with lyrics overheard from the PA in the distance… “Not my president!” The loud voices of the uneducated crafted the opinions of those dying to belong. Disgusting.

Why they should be targeted by conservatives: The punk rock movement is going nowhere. There are still thousands and thousands of Americans—age twenty-five and younger—that associate with “being punk”. The irony can be found in the parallel between punk and conservative ideologies—less government, more freedom, family/group pride, etc.

Essentially, both parties hold a similar battle cry; leave me be and let me live. There is a history in punk rock that explicitly mentions a desire for anarchy, and it would not be much of a stretch to educate punkers on how anarchy and libertarianism are bedmates, but how one serves a greater cause than the other. It all starts with finding a common ground.

What conservatives could have is an energetic, dedicated core of the next major voting demographic. While at this time most of these kids might seem without direction or goals of any kind, many of them will end up solid contributors to society, parents and teachers and even politicians. It’s plain to see how this could be a valuable interest group for conservatives to cater to, and all it would take is a firm communication of mutual understanding.

As a bonus for the party, the punk rock collective prides itself on an accepting of minority groups, creating an eclectic fabric of race, religion and creed—a potential boost to the party’s racial acceptance credibility.

This column will continue next week, part two: Artists and Young Families.

Image: Courtesy of: http://conservativepunk.blogspot.com/2013/03/punk-rock-thomas-jefferson-meme.html