Senate in Recess w/out passing RAVE act!

[cookiegirl]

Just wanted to let you all know that the Senate went into recess last night around 9:45 without bringing the RAVE act, S. 2633, to the floor. This is great news b/c it gives everyone at least another month to write your representatives, fax them, whatever you want to do to educate your legislators (yes the public often does have to educate the politicians). This is a badly written bill with all-encompassing language that can hurt everyone from the small-time promoters we know to any friend of ours having a bbq. Anyways, I've ranted for long enough. Here's another great article on the act - - and here's the text for anyone who's not familar with the bill yet. http://www.emdef.com/s2633/

'stina

Party Law Misrepresents, Endangers Rave Culture

This new RAVE Act going through Congress is quite possibly the most despicable remedy for the apparent correlation between club drugs and raves. Presumptuous? Yes.

The RAVE Act seems to make sense from an uninformed point of view. It appears to say, "If you are a party promoter and you allow drug use at your event, your event will be shut down."

First of all, after having been an active member of the Bay Area rave culture for over six years and a friend to some of the most well known and well respected promoters in the scene, I can honestly say that no promoter has actually supported or permitted drug use at his or her events. Why? Because promoters aren't stupid. They are business professionals who know that hyper-reactive cops are anxiously awaiting any chance to pull the plug on their parties. Partygoers obviously want their money back whenever a rave gets shut down. Any drug use at raves is always without the consent of the organizers of the event.

Alright, so promoters never actually allow drug use at their parties. So what will the RAVE Act actually do? This question brings up a devastating subtlety that dodges the caring rhetoric. In the recent parties CyberFest and Metropolis by CoolWorld and Clockworks promotions respectively, the enormous 20,000-person venues for these events each gave the promoters similar conditions, in particular "if you allow drug use at your event, your event will be shut down." Sound familiar?

But when this was enforced under police oversight, it was converted into absurdity. No one was allowed to bring in anything that glows or any colorful jewelry under the auspice that such items served only to supplement drug use. They wouldn't even allow attendees to bring in bottled water because water was considered "drug paraphernalia" for ecstasy users. And in some even more extreme cases, people that intricately waved their hands while dancing with friends were ejected for the crap reason that dancing in such a way is meant only for the entertainment of those on drugs, and therefore these motions condoned drug activity.

One hundred percent bullshit. Colorful jewelry and glow products are a part of rave culture in much the same way that any music scene has characteristic clothing and apparel. To say that any raver wearing beads is going to do drugs is just as presumptuous and idiotic as saying hip-hop fans that wear big pants at a concert are in a gang. And water becoming "drug paraphernalia" is just absolutely absurd.

The insane security procedures at CyberFest and Metropolis give us a heads-up as to what to expect if the RAVE Act passes. If the act does pass, some theorize that cops will interpret the legislation so as to shut down events if anyone is caught using or under the influence of drugs. No matter how hard an organizer for any large event may try, it is basically impossible to ensure that absolutely everyone stays clean—shutting down events if one person is under the influence is pretty senseless. But even so, such extreme interpretations of the RAVE Act have been presented.

Finally, the rave scene is a misunderstood culture that is based on a mutual enjoyment of electronic music, not drugs. I admit that some party-goers do drugs at raves. But if you ask any ravers why they love the scene so much they'd probably say it's because of the music alone.

[vicman]

speaking of recess, its almost lunch...i skipped breakfast after having too much for dinner last night

[candeo]

Thanks for the awareness assistance, Cookiegirl.

Vic, you know you shouldn't eat large dinners! It's not good for you.

[vicman]

yeh i know, but i've been skipping breakfast the past few weeks, even after working out in the morning i am not hungry, and i dont get hungry until lunch, which then in turn makes me overcompensate in the evening making me eat more.

had oatmeal w/ fruit for lunch, my tummy is still sensitive from yesterday

[velvetgoldmire]

I think we should start a petition to educate our legislators on Vic's sensitive tummy. I'll get started on the documents.

[vicman]

thats a good idea, if my tummy isnt happy, i'm not happy, if i'm not happy...if i'm not happy...if i'm not happy...well uh, hell will break loose....cc john mccain with a copy of everything

[cookiegirl]

Originally posted by velvetgoldmire

I think we should start a petition to educate our legislators on Vic's sensitive tummy.

I'll ask my committee clerk if we can schedule a hearing when the Senate reconvenes. . .the public needs to know!

[vicman]

this issue is of national security

[velvetgoldmire]

Yeah! Oh, and, hey Vic... you shouldn't go to clubs while your tummy is unhappy. In some states, that means you're on drugs, and could stop the whole party for everyone! I think the real key revolves around you and the state of your belly. Hmmm... I think an investigation may be in order. Come on Vic.. you've become the guinea pig for this whole petition.

[cookiegirl]

[sauvee88]

You have WAY too much time on your hands!