It was solidarity. Between animal rights activists and ecological extremists. Between Straight Edgers and civil rights workers. Between hip hoppers and punk rockers.
"You're a brother or sister here," said one elaborately tattooed young man who broke from a crowd of hundreds outside the Salt Lake City Library for a quick drag on a Camel cigarette. "You can be with us, unless you are not."
And it was very clear to Mike - "only idiots give their full names to the media" - who was "not."
The corporate-owned press, for one. Also, police and politicians.
To Mike, it is members of those groups - among many - who perpetuate a standard of living that is irresponsible, unsustainable and more than a little uncool.
A man calling himself "Thug" agreed. Sitting behind stacks of pamphlets, magazines and books promoting a shake-up in thought and action that "is the only way to save our species and the Earth," the Los Angeles native said he was confident that most of those at Thursday evening's "Total Liberation Tour" event sought a revolutionary social transformation, though they differed as to how to achieve such change.
"But basically, we're all here to destroy civilization," he said.
And to dance - with fists flailing, Converse-clad feet shot high into the air with moves that are part tribal and part martial arts.
For many - the Straight Edgers especially - the music is inseparable from the movement, which advocates clean living devoid of smoking, alcohol and drugs. Some in the 20-year-old movement also fight for animal rights and ecological consciousness.
A few advocate violence to achieve their goals. One Straight Edge rapper drew a few laughs - and then a round of applause - when he called for the head of anyone who would narc on the movement.
"Snitches die," he said. "I'm not laughing. Snitches die."
Not everyone was comfortable with such hard-line ideology, though they said they had no problem with direct illegal actions that spare human and animal life.
"I am OK with it as long as people are not getting hurt and as long as it is being effective," 17-year-old Sandy resident Isaac Silverman, who was sporting a T-shirt saying "Animal Liberation Now" said as he waited for the bands to start playing.
Jason Pederson, 25, declined to comment on the types of protest he has participated in, only saying, "Sometimes violence has to be used."
"I believe in animal liberation . . . I don't think any animal - human or not - should be oppressed in any way," said Pederson, who hails from Portland, Ore., and came to the library from Yellowstone, where he is working for the summer, because this was the closest stop on the loosely organized tour.
mlaplante@sltrib.com
mcanham@sltrib.com
