I intended on writing this to thank everyone. Issue one went far beyond all of our expectations. From the bands themselves sharing our work, to you, the readers, actually reading, I can proudly speak for the whole staff when I say: thank you so much.
For obvious reasons, there’s something else I feel should be mentioned.
I don’t need to explain the severity of what’s going on. If I hear the term “tumultuous times” once more, I’m pretty sure I will get physically sick. The world is at a standstill and people are dying.
There is no easy way to sugarcoat it. Everything fucking sucks. I’m not here to tell you what you already know because you’ve already heard it. Stay indoors unless you must leave. If you must leave, keep a six-foot distance between yourself and others. If you’re going to take anything away from this, let it be a reminder to never give up.
Humans, despite whatever you’ve heard, are actually good. When we look out for one another, take care of each other, and put love above all, I literally don’t believe we can be stopped. Compassion is one of our greatest strengths and it’s vital, even when we face our darkest hours, that we never forget it. While not all of us can fight on the frontline like the essential personnel around the world are, that doesn’t mean that we can’t still help.
Donate to good charities, call your loved ones, do everything in your power to ease this hardship, even if it’s as simple as staying home. In extraordinary times, sometimes the most ordinary things will make the biggest difference.
From a musical standpoint, I can only suggest this: listen to your favorite artists, buy their merch if you can afford it, share their music with your friends, or even just comment on their social media posts.
I can’t promise that more lives won’t be stripped from us for no just reason. No one can. But I can promise you this: we will get through this, together.
Don’t forget what we’re going through now, because one day, the world will go back to “normal,” and the true test of all of this will come into fruition. Remember the people fighting for you now and make sure that you fucking fight for them every step of the way going forward. From doctors to postal workers to grocery store workers, never let the efforts of those around you go to shame. And never forget to care and love those who aren’t able to take care of themselves.
This is just a punk culture zine. And me, I’m just a kid trying to make a difference. But we, the citizens of the world, are everything. If we look out for one another, nothing can stop us. I promise.
Forever and always,
Steven Keehner & The TPZ Staff
THAT PUNK ZINE 