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-- New RAVE Act headed to floor

New RAVE Act headed to floor

Taken from http://www.drugpolicy.org/homepage.cfm

In an attempt to sneak the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act (formerly known as the �RAVE Act�) through Congress, Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) introduced the legislation into conference committee as an attachment to S151, widely referred to as the AMBER Alert bill. S151 is a bill about child abduction that has nothing to do with drug policy issues. The �RAVE� Act, in contrast, has not passed a single committee this year. In addition, it was so controversial when it was introduced last year that two Senators withdrew their sponsorship. The �RAVE� Act is a bill that would make it easier for the federal government to punish business owners for the drug offenses of their customers � even if they take steps to stop such activity.

On April 8, 2003, a Senate and House Conference Committee, agreed to attach the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act to the Amber Alert Bill. If the Democrats are successful in their efforts to attach the �RAVE� Act onto an unrelated bill, it is likely to become law without ever having a public hearing, debate or a vote. The legislation still must be voted on by the full House and Senate. Until the Senate and House act and the President signs the bill into law, we will continue to fight to remove the RAVE Act provisions from the AMBER Alert legislation.

The �RAVE� Act threatens free speech and musical expression while placing at risk any hotel/motel owner, concert promoter, event organizer, nightclub owner or arena/stadium owner for the drug violations of 3rd parties � real or alleged � even if the event promoter and/or property owner made a good-faith effort to keep their event drug-free. It applies not just to electronic-music parties, but any type of public gathering, including theatrical productions, rock concerts, DJ nights at local bars, and potentially even political rallies. Moreover, it gives heightened powers and discretion to prosecutors, who may use it to target events they personally don�t like � such as Hip-Hop events and gay and lesbian fundraisers.

The �RAVE� Act was first introduced last year in the Senate by Senator Joe Biden (D-DE). A House version was introduced by Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX). Thanks to the support of thousands of voters like you, Drug Policy Alliance and a coalition of friends and activists around the country was able to stop both bills last year. Unfortunately, supporters of the �RAVE� Act are even more determined to pass it this year. Rep. Howard Coble (R-NC) is sponsoring a new �RAVE� Act in the House. Additionally, Senator Biden has introduced a Senate version entitled the Illicit Drugs Anti-Proliferation Act.

Opposition to the �RAVE� Act continues to grow. The Drug Policy Alliance and its coalition of partners will continue to mobilize to protect property owners and prevent the further criminalization of dance and music events. As always, we will keep on working to advocate for legislation that helps ensure the safety and free speech of the dance community and all people who stand to be adversely affected by this law.

Voice your opposition by faxing your senators here: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/

here's what i think:
If a club has a bouncer to shake down customers with drugs, then that should be enough. If the government wants to send their own SUPER bouncers to check up on clubbers, i'm also fine with that. I don't think the RAVE act's main premise is "we have to stop clubs/raves." Their intent is to stop mass drug usage at clubs/raves. U can't deny it, drugs are everywhere in the club/rave scene. Whether u like it or not, in the US, drugs are illegal. A lot of people don't like red lights, so they pass through them. I'm sure there are plenty of great drivers who feel they aren't afraid to cross into a yellow/red stoplight. But guess, what? if u get caught, then u must deal with the consequences. same thing about drugs. U want to live in the great US, then u must abide by its laws.
If you were really in love with the club/rave scene, you would drop the drugs and go for the GOOD time, to MEET great DJs, the great social event of clubbing and raving. Unfortunatly, we don't live in holland. go to holland if u don't want to deal with the US policies. We want to preserve clubs and raves, not drugs and raids.

Well said, but i ask yout this. The gov't has decided to shake-down the rave scene because of the drugs. BUT, at HipHop/Rap/RnB concerts, there is soooooo much contraband going thru, including guns that will go off. Why doesn't the goov't check them out?

good point. I think it's because most of the rap scene uses weed, and it's about <->THIS close to becoming legal and accepted in society as another relaxer (ginko, herb, beer, cigs). ecstasy is (supposedly) a lot more dangerous

quote:

Originally posted by djSlain here's what i think: If a club has a bouncer to shake down customers with drugs, then that should be enough. If the government wants to send their own SUPER bouncers to check up on clubbers, i'm also fine with that.

exactly. I think that after getting checked at the door, the club has done all one can REASONABLY expect them to do. Seeing how much i got violated at EXIT in NYC last year, THEIR searches are much more thorough that when i get on an airplane.

I do not think that the club is responsible for what its patrons do on the inside, as long as it shows 'reasonable effort' to keep drugs and weapons out.

quote:

I don't think the RAVE act's main premise is "we have to stop clubs/raves." Their intent is to stop mass drug usage at clubs/raves.

that is true. The goal is to stop drug usage, but the means is to just stop clubs/ raves. And that is wrong, imho.

quote:

A lot of people don't like red lights, so they pass through them. I'm sure there are plenty of great drivers who feel they aren't afraid to cross into a yellow/red stoplight. But guess, what? if u get caught, then u must deal with the consequences. same thing about drugs.

Exactly. That is the whole point. If you get caught, u will have to deal with consequences. But the government doesn't say "Well, we don't want people driving through red-lights anymore, so we will make cars illegal".

Yes, I am a guest in this country, so my oppinion counts nothing for the legal system, I would just think that it is sad to see that the US government is running such a hard-line when it comes to electronic music.

quote:

Originally posted by drizzt81 But the government doesn't say "Well, we don't want people driving through red-lights anymore, so we will make cars illegal".

good point!

Even worse than this is the Patriot Act which was passed and now they're attempting to remove the time limitations - aka wanting to make it a permanent fixture.

What Patriotic act?

that crap voted after 9/11 which gives them to power to arrest your ass for no particular reason etc ... thank God i don't live in the US

Most everyone here, Left or Right wing, despises the "Patriot ACt." It's a return to Macarthyism (sp?) is what it is...

for no reason? i'm sure that's got to be exaggeration, rite?

Yes. That's hyperbole

But not too much.



I don't know if they are still holding that Al queda suspect without letting him have a lawyer or not.

quote:

Originally posted by djSlain for no reason? i'm sure that's got to be exaggeration, rite?

really:

look here:

http://www.freemikehawash.org/

this guy made a donation to the wrong charity and was held without a trial for more than 2 weeks, nor did he know WHY exactly he is held.

i'm proud to live in america...but slowly i am finding the new policies unbelieveable and unconstitutional. It's amazing how many loopholes there are in the broad letters of our freedoms


...
a family was sleeping in the night. A burglar sneaked in. the father woke up, found the buglar and pointed a gun at him as he made the call to the police. The burglar went to jail. the father went to jail for not having a liscense for the gun.
...


INJUSTICE!

^%@@ THIS!!

The states is rapidly loosing it personal freedoms. Its really horrible and scary especially as im moving there very soon.

It's almost too late. By a vote of 400 to 25 in the House of Reps. they are moving closer to approving this scarey bill. Check out all the bad news....here here and here . Once people see all the shit that has been added on, they will start bitching to their congressmen and state representatives.

E

Re: ^%@@ THIS!!

quote:

Originally posted by brainfried The states is rapidly loosing it personal freedoms. Its really horrible and scary especially as im moving there very soon.

Don't freak out quite yet, it's really not that bad! My state senator was one of the leaders for the original RAVE Act so he has received many e-mails from me pertaining to my disgust in the manner. I agree with the earlier comment about rap/hip hop concerts, and while they're at it why not outlaw Grateful Dead concerts? Fact is drug use can be found at just about any concert so why choose one genre (our genre) to pick on? It's total bullshit, it's so vague that it can cover just about anything. I like the idea of bouncers searching people if it comes to that, it's just like the heightened security at airports nowadays. It would be a minor inconvenience but I'd sure as hell deal with it if it meant the government left us alone so we could enjoy our music. If a lot of us complain about it then we could make a difference in the voting for such acts so I encourage everyone to do so.

quote:

Originally posted by Emrld It's almost too late. By a vote of 400 to 25 in the House of Reps. they are moving closer to approving this scarey bill. Check out all the bad news....here here and here . Once people see all the shit that has been added on, they will start bitching to their congressmen and state representatives. E

The whole "Backdoor" thing on a bill is working dammit!

Re: ^%@@ THIS!!

quote:

Originally posted by brainfried The states is rapidly loosing it personal freedoms. Its really horrible and scary especially as im moving there very soon.

yes, it is unfortunate how few people are realizing that. Many people in the USA think that they live in the 'most free' nation of the world, while i would say that -from personal experience- that some european countries have more personal freedoms than the USA.

NOTE: I find this SAD. That implies, that I would like the USA to have as many freedoms as it used to have, since that is the way it should be, because the USA have been founded on principles of personal freedom. I am not trying to judge americans here, i am judging the US governments' rules and regulations.

It's just like on the simpsons!!!

Also, the AMBER act passed congress today, so I guess the rave act did too

yeah, it's called a rider
one of the many things completely retarded about our congress
you can tack on something to a popular bill that has absolutley nothing to do with it so your chances of getting it passed increase a hell of a lot.
One time I saw 3 completely different issues tacked onto the same bill: cloning, alaskan oil-drilling, and terrorism....wtf?!

Its passes as an american i think that the US needs some serious governmental reform. actually i think it needs alot more than that but lets not get into that now. just remember not to vote republican

I am proud to be an American, but introducing these iniquitous acts is not the way to go. What does it mean to be an American today? Our freedoms that we fought for throughout the years are being limited. Freedom and control is a contradiction in itself, but the government doesn�t see it that way. They need to set their focus more on violence, which in fact, the United States is driven and affected by. Concerts, clubs, and other social events don't pose, if at any, serious threat to this nation. How is passing these acts justified? Your telling me that I am not allowed to party even though I am a free man? I see a semi-massive movement coming, not only from the electronic culture, but from other cultures as well. Everyone will be affected and a lot of money is going to be lost by everyone evolved. This could have an enormous impact.

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