Und nun singt der Linkendeeler Lied:
"Wo uns're Fahne weht
Ist es für jedes Schiff zu spät
Wir sind im Kampfe vereint,
Des lieben Gottes Freund
Und aller Welt Feind"

As stated in several of the other texts on this site, the pirate culture of the "golden age of Piracy" was a counter culture. A counter culture that opposes the mainstream culture. The pirates did it by turning into social bandits of the sea. They also knew that by signing the articles of the ship they would probably never be able to return to mainstream life. They were pirates for the rest of their lifes, even though the rest of their life probably would turn out to be" a merry Life and a short one", as Batholomew Roberts put it.

We that call ourselves punks are also part of a counter culture. We oppose the mainstream culture and it´s government. Most of us are not social bandits though. Most of us are not considered outlaws as the pirates were and most of us can actually return to a "normal life". But there are still similarities and many times we share the same ideas, symbols and view of life.

In both cultures there is a healthy hate towards authorities and different kinds of hierarchies. Both cultures experiments with ways of developing democracy one step further. Direct democracy is more or less the only way that is accepted as a way of deciding things in groups. Hierarchies because of the color of the skin is also frowned upon by both punks and pirates as a rule. In the anti-fascist struggle punks are often over-represented. And many bands have an offensive anti-fascist and anti-racist approach.

Punk is looked upon by many as a teenage rebellion but those punk that have grown up and still consider themselves pinks even though thier teenage years are past by many years knows that punk is a rebellion, for many a lifelong rebellion. We turned punk because we had no choice but to revolt against oppression. Be it oppression agansit ourselves or oppression against others. Be it physically violent oppression or the mental hell of mainstream peer pressure. The pirates also rebelled. They rebelled aganinst slavery, aristocracy, the church, the crown and many other things. Their rebellion were more violent, but so were their times. The legal governments of the european countries were several times more violent than the pirates. The cruelties commited by the european countries in these days were among the most horrid in the human history.

Through the years the Jolly Roger have been adopted by more or less every sub- and counter culture. But few are suited better to wear the banner of king death than the punks. And we do. It is sported on motorcyclejackets, record covers, patches, tattoos and many other places.

It was when the punks started to attend the football games of FC St. Pauli that the fans started using the beautifully decorated black flag. And now punks all over europe follow the "pirate team from Hamburg"

Few cultures have in such obvious ways as punks and pirates stated that "life might end tomorrow so let´s party until we crash". Life is short. And nothing will be left of you unless you are a person of some power. Few pirates or punks can be considered so powerful that their heritage will be known by any other that the closest friends. So we might aswell have fun while we are here.

We party hard, so did the pirates. When "ordinary people" see us party they are many times scared. Such were the case with our ideological buccaneering forefathers aswell. Sex and drugs and rock'n roll. That suits both punk and pirate. A liberal view on sex, heavy drug use and a love of music. A few of the things we have in common.

In the 1700s there were no punks, but there were pirates. Many might think that there are no similarities what so ever between the two, but with this text I think I at least have proven that there are some similarities.

Just think of what Black Sam Bellamy said and relate that to our culture.

"Damn my blood...

You are a sneaking puppy, and so are all those who will submit to be governed by laws which rich men have made for their own security, for the cowardly whelps have not the courage otherwise to defend what they get by their knavery...

They vilify us, the scoundrels, when there is only this difference, they rob the poor under the cover of law, forsooth, and we plunder the rich under the protection of our own courage.

Had you not better make one of us than sneak after the arses of these villains for employment?

I am a free prince and I have as much authority to make war on the whole world as he who have a hundred sail at sea...

But there is no reasoning with such snivelling puppies, who allow superiors to kick them about deck at pleasure an pin their faith upon a pimp of a parson, a squab who neither practices nor belives what he puts upon the chuckle-headed fools he preaches to."

So lets hoist the Jolly Roger and embrace the heritage we have gotten from Black Sam Bellamy, Edward Teach, Anne Bonney and Mary Read!