Punk Rock has always been about resisting societal expectations and celebrating autonomy by fighting back against authority, greed, and oppression in all forms. From the beginning, there have been those who have tried to exploit this and capitalize on it and, for just as long, punks have fought to keep that from happening. It’s not always a fight that can be won- capitalism is a powerful enemy. So we have to put up with pop punk anthems, watered down “rebellion” sold as a marketable product, and punk “fashion” in mainstream pop media. Worst of all, through this appropriation of punk culture, the meaning behind it all is stripped away. The messages of what we fight for are lost. Racism, sexism, homophobia, xenophobia, colonialism, state-control, and capitalism are things we fight against and punk rock is our medium for spreading awareness.

So why does the Punk Rock Museum, a place you would expect to go for well-researched history and education (that is the point of a museum, right?) neglect to include so much of what our scene is about?

They don’t care. It’s that simple. This was never meant to be a museum in the traditional sense, it was meant to be a profit-driven investment opportunity. Most of the bands you’ll find at this “museum” are the likes of which you’d find on the cover of Rolling Stone or at a corporate-sponsored, industry-backed festival. The glaring under-representation, and even outright omission, of so many queer, black, feminist, anarchist, vegan, straight-edge, and political bands is insulting to those bands that built the foundations of what we stand for. Even if you don’t personally align with all of these causes, the bands who stand for these things were monumental in the progression of punk rock and the perpetuation of what we stand for and deserve to have representation.

We are calling for four major changes that we would like to see from the Punk Rock Museum so that they can properly represent the history that they’re profiting off.

1. The Punk Rock Museum needs to restructure themselves as a 501(c)(3) non-profit. The vast majority of museums are structured this way and it would assure financial transparency and the reinvestment of funds back to supporting our scene rather than padding the pockets of millionaire investors.
2. Create permanent exhibits showcasing the work and history of punk rock bands whose members come from minority and marginalized communities. These exhibits should be curated with the direct involvement by these bands and/or members of said communities.
3. Shift business-related consumable products and gift shop merchandise to products that have been ethically sourced. This includes sweatshop-free clothing and environmentally sustainable products.
4. Develop a community outreach program focused on youth empowerment and volunteerism. We have many opportunities in Las Vegas to get people involved with grassroots activism and caring for our community. Punks care for each other and, together, can get things done. The Punk Rock Museum should be using its visibility to enact positive change.

Punk is a community. Together we can create a museum that properly represents it!