It seems that on the news every night there is a story of someone doing something drastic for a cause. People strap bombs to themselves; people stand in front of evitable death just for something they believe in. That is strong ? really strong.

At this time there are 5 people who have decided that for the rest of their life they will have the Skate Army Badge on their body. They have made the mental decision to cross a bridge that from where they can never return. They have taken it upon themselves to be marked from society that they skate and have an immense passion for skateboarding and their crew.

That is strong ? real strong.

Pause and think about that: a permanent mark that says ?I'm different?.
This is straight out of Revelations; it is like taking the mark of the beast or something.

So where do your loyalties lie? Are you down or what? Now, I'm not saying to run out a get a Skate Army tattoo (which would be cool) but what I am advocating is this. Where are your priorities? Do you miss skate sessions because your girlfriend wants to do something else?

Or because it?s too hot or cold outside or too crowded. Is there a party that you just cannot miss? Do you not drop-in because it is too big? Do you not try new tricks because it might hurt if you don't land them? Did you quit skating after your last major injury?

I encourage everyone who reads this to take a minute next time they skate and ask themselves how dedicated they are to rolling on wood and four wheels? How dedicated are you?

I was reading an article about Bob Burnquist in The Skateboard Mag this morning. Bob made some excellent points that got me thinking and so should you. He said, "What I think about skateboarding, though, is that everyone is a part of it and every single skateboarder has his own style and he IS SKATEBOARDING" Hell ya!

This feeling I think is becoming totally lost today. In between sponsor-me videos and the coolest new products, somehow the stoke of skating is getting lost.

Why do you skate? Is it for the clothes or image or to be cool when you walk down the halls at school? Do you skate because it is the hip thing right now? Not us, we skate for that feeling you get when you do a trick that you never thought you would do in your entire life.

We skate to be beat down and to get up. We skate because it is magic to do your own thing and not what the herd does. We skate simply because there is nothing better then a day on four wheels with your best friends. Everyone progressing no matter what level they skate at and everyone walking away with the inner stoke that only a skater knows.

That's skateboarding.