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StrifeII
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2,143 posts
Joined: Mar, 2001
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 Posted - 2002/02/20 : 08:14:36
As part of the American government's ongoing "War on Drugs," raves are being targeted
all across the country. Citing a 400 percent increase in ecstasy use in three years,
Congress passed the Ecstasy Prevention Act of 2001 last year, which resulted in
longer jail sentences for traffickers and a huge increase in funding to combat the use of
ecstasy and "other club drugs." While most court rulings in the last few years have
favored the DEA over clubowners, the ACLU recently won a small but important case
representing the ravers.
First, a little background: In 1998, a 17-year-old girl died during a rave at the State
Palace Theater in New Orleans of overheating, a condition often related to taking
ecstasy. The owners of the venue were the first clubowners to be prosecuted under a
1986 federal "crackhouse law," which bars anyone from making a building available for
drug sales. In May 2001, the owners reached a plea bargain with the DEA, paid a
$100,000 fine, raised the club's minimum age to 18, and agreed to a ban of face masks, glowsticks, pacifiers, and
other items considered "drug paraphernalia." Rave-goers at the theater were forced to throw away or hand over such
personal items before they would be allowed inside.
But last week, the ACLU's challenge, which stated that the ban, "embodies the government's unconstitutional assault
against the electronic music culture," resulted in what the ACLU calls a "major victory." U.S. District Judge G.
Thomas Porteous ruled that federal agents could not legally block such items, citing First Amendment rights. In his
ruling, he said, "the government cannot ban inherently legal objects that are used in expressive communication
because a few people use the same legal item to enhance the effects of an illegal substance." He also acknowledged
that there is no evidence that banning such items has had any effect on ecstasy use.
The court ruling is just a small step in preserving the threatened rave culture. The government crackdown on raves is
having a major effect on the scene. Part of the Ecstasy Prevention Act rewards communities with grants for, "passing
ordinances restricting rave clubs, increasing law enforcement on ecstasy, and seizing lands under nuisance
abatement laws to make new restrictions on an establishment's use." This is dramatically cutting down the number of
raves and rave-like events nationwide. Still, Porteous' ruling shows that at least one member of the government
believes that the crackdown should be on the drugs and dealers, not on the culture.
"Today's ruling tells law enforcement agents that if you want to target drug use at raves, you've got to play by the
rules," said ACLU Drug Policy Litigation Project Director Graham Boyd in a press release. "Go after the drug dealers,
not the entertainers and dancers and people who are there to enjoy the show."
(news in audiogalaxy)
I'M KING OF THE WORLD!! uh oh big wave!!!
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farchid
Senior Member
United Kingdom
352 posts
Joined: Feb, 2002
24 hardcore releases
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 Posted - 2002/02/20 : 11:41:54
They aint that bothered about swedgers in scottland but then again all us scots dont give a s**t about nuttin as long as we've all got enough fags, an ounce of wacky and a bottle of famuos grouse!
..._/-Cummin' up like a 747-\_...
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<img src="/images/forums/icon_Smile.gif" border="0"> SWEDGE HEAD WHEN OUT OF BED <img src="/images/forums/icon_Smile.gif" border="0">
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aznwasian
Senior Member
United States
428 posts
Joined: Jun, 2001
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Posted - 2002/02/20 : 13:08:59
thats just stupid. I can maybe imagine banning face masks, but glostix and pacifires? grr...
I still think that drugs are not ok, but this is rediculous.
¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.aZnWaSiAn.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯
-I can't stop raving...
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Midway_raver
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,032 posts
Joined: Sep, 2001
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 Posted - 2002/02/20 : 14:38:16
i agree, Look at the Uk, When they banned outdoor raves as part of a war on drugs, did it stop the Number of drugs used, no everyone just moved indoors and teh superclub culture began, 1000's of xtc users under one roof. if the governmenmt of any countries wants to ban use of a drug and enforce it it shud look further afield than just taking a dummy off sum kandi kid.Its all just an excuse they no this will not help, its just them tryna mek it look like they are doin sumfink...If they were that bothered bout teh health of people wudnt they ban cigerettes ? of course not coz a large chunk of teh economy is based on cigs tax:( The us government duznt giv 2 S*8ts bout a 17 yr old dying, they care bout people lookin and thinkin oh look they r tryna stop xtc use...good on em.....What next...peopel rnt allowed to wear footware into raves incase e is stashed in em? Thenw hat wud they av in time, a future nudist rave? Ahhhhhhh
go too the flow where the E wil rush me ooooooohhh Rush me.....e rush me...go to the flow where the e will rush me..rush me nicely.
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You will not laugh, You will not cry, You will learn by the numbers!
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StrifeII
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
2,143 posts
Joined: Mar, 2001
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Posted - 2002/02/21 : 12:03:16
nudist raves..that'd be cool...but probably embarrasing, especially for some ha ha
I'M KING OF THE WORLD!! uh oh big wave!!!
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aznwasian
Senior Member
United States
428 posts
Joined: Jun, 2001
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Posted - 2002/02/21 : 13:00:42
I'll fly on that, as long as I'm the only guy there.... O_o
¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.aZnWaSiAn.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯
-I can't stop raving...
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¯`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.aZnWaSiAn.·´¯`·.¸¸.·´¯
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Midway_raver
Advanced Member
United Kingdom
1,032 posts
Joined: Sep, 2001
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 Posted - 2002/02/21 : 14:19:01
Slammin vinyl take note.....May 2002 Skeggy beach....Worlds first hardcore nudist event. Seriously though imagine what those darn kandi kids cud do with those Dummys then:P Hehe...Just out of interest did that ruling in america bring a change in law altogether or just an exception?
Like a bolt of lightning it's so frightning..Get ur brain now we're igniting
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You will not laugh, You will not cry, You will learn by the numbers!
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Plurific_Princess
Starting Member
United States
1 post
Joined: Feb, 2002
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Posted - 2002/02/21 : 21:44:18
I dont live in the UK so I dont know what all your law enforcement has done to tryand stop or cut down on drug use but some one mentioned that out door raves were banned so partys were moved inside, but drug use didnt decrease well what do they think will happen when they ban raves all together, kids are still going to use the drug whether its at a party or not, besides a lot ofthe kids I party with have stopped using drugs in a weak attempt to try and help keep the scene (what little of a scene we still have left) alive. The kids I see using it more often these days are the kids law enforcement least expect... the preppy, goodie- goodies at my high school. Ne ways I guess there really wasnt much of a point to this post, I jus felt like post!
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DJ Pathfinder
Advanced Member
Netherlands
1,676 posts
Joined: Oct, 2001
51 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2002/02/21 : 22:41:02
We have outdoor raves.
but here one gonna be cancaled because the promoters sold 100.000 tickets.
You can't see me,because i am the future.
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You can't see me,because i am the future.
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Oli G
Advanced Member
United States
1,817 posts
Joined: Oct, 2001
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Posted - 2002/02/22 : 03:05:25
quote:
Seriously though imagine what those darn kandi kids cud do with those Dummys then:P
LOL :) and the 8inch glow sticks?
Nah.. we should be allowed to bring our silly crap to raves
and thankfully in this country we can
but the police just shit them selves at the thought of a "rave" if your trying to do an event thats blatantly a rave.. dont call it one.. youl get away with it
"I AMMM THE CREAAAAATOOOOOR"
\o/ <o/ \o> <o> /o\ _o/ \o_
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milo
Advanced Member
Canada
3,391 posts
Joined: Sep, 2001
347 hardcore releases
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Posted - 2002/02/22 : 12:43:22
banned pacifiers and glow sticks? sheesh, they carry glow sticks in cars and hikers use 'em, do they need to get rid of 'em too now? bah... stoopid government beaurocrats... they should ban cigs in closed areas before they go after E cuz cigs affect everyone there regaurdless if you want it to or not.
and for some reason... i don't think hundreds of sweaty ravers bouncing around to 150-225 BMP music naked just DOESN'T sound appealing... sounds more dangerous than anything...
"It's all good..."
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HappyHardcore.com/North American Hardcore Movement/Totally Sweet Radio/Hardcore Street Team
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farchid
Senior Member
United Kingdom
352 posts
Joined: Feb, 2002
24 hardcore releases
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 Posted - 2002/02/23 : 10:03:13
quote:
... sounds more dangerous than anything...
Yeah espeacaly to guys like me, what if it gets steped on?
How am i going to explain that 1 to my bird?
..._/-Cummin' up like a 747-\_...
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..._/-Cummin' up like a 747-\_...
chemically eeeevolved Class A citizen
<img src="/images/forums/icon_Smile.gif" border="0"> SWEDGE HEAD WHEN OUT OF BED <img src="/images/forums/icon_Smile.gif" border="0">
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