HR 2962: new RAVE act in Congress

^^^ the Patriot act worries me too.... definitely gives leeway to violate the Constitution and our rights.
 
The PATRIOT act certainly does contain numerous egregious violations of our civil and Constitutional rights ... but the fact is, most of us aren't affected by it, which is why there is so little opposition to it. Half the country is still caught up in the anti-terrorist (arab) fervor, so they certainly don't care, and the rest of the country has little to fear by it.
However, culture wars such as Congress' continued assault on the rave community affects many of us, and is just as unlawful and dangerous to the community.
The first time the RAVE Act was proposed, it was sucessfully blocked, as the ACLU jumped on board to protest, and many Congressmen/women saw how wrong and illegal it was. But thanks to our wonderful political system, a few words got changed and it passed with flying colors, attached to the Amber Alert act ... much the way ecstasy might be smuggled in to the country; hiding it in something much larger and legitimate.
Fuck the system.
 
DEMF

The government wants all control it can get until we're all robots, conformed to the way "they" think society should be. I was at a club in Ann Arbor Michigan a few months back, we weren't rolling, didn't even have any drugs on us. We were dancing with glowsticks and the owner of the club approached us and told us about the rave act. He was extremely upset about it and asked us to write our congress. I didn't do anything about it at the time but I definetely will! Now my question is, what about the Detroit Electronic Music Fest? This is hosted by the city of Detroit, the home of techno and dance music. As long as you have a city permit and license you can sell rave paraphenelia. This makes no sense because the entire event is a giant rave in some respects. Obviously the government doesn't care about a city who promotes ravers, but they care about a few people dancing with glowsticks at a local club? I hope to god they never shut down DEMF, that would piss me off so bad and I know everyone would fight it!!!
 
Last edited:
The problem is that protests against laws of this type are very easy to dismiss, even if everyone on Bluelight wrote to their congressperson how easy do you think it would be for them to throw them all in the bin and only worry about what the voters think.
 
Whoever profits monetarily from a rave or similar electronic dance event, knowing or having reason to know that the unlawful use or distribution of a controlled substance occurs at the rave or similar event, shall be fined not more than $500,000 or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both
Click to expand...

Why drug-related crimes are punished with such steep fines and lengthy prison terms, while child molesters, pedophiles, rapists, and serial sex offenders are let back on the streets within a couple of years only to go out and kill a child within a month...I'll never ever understand.
 
Yea so how do we get the government to listen to us AND take us seriously? They say every vote counts no matter what the election is...no it does not!
 
Whether or not the logic if fucked up, I can see what the intent behind such a bill is. If a law can be put into effect and enforced wherein promoters and organisers are held responsible for any drug use at an event they sponsor AND severe enough fines are in place, then the hopes are that effectively such raves and electronic music events won't be held at all.

The thinking must be that people only roll at raves and electronic music events. Although I may draw heat for saying this, for myself it is the truth: I only roll at electronic music events. It is true that many of the people I know only roll at electronic music events. However, I want it clearly noted that I am not a stupid individual and I know that drug use is not exclusive to electronic music AND that many attendees do not use controlled substances at all.

If this theoretically were passed and enforced, nothing would really change. All that would happen is that people would find other places to roll. The scene would be driven further underground, and if anything that would entice even more people to attend and roll because the lure of the forbidden is a strong influence. For those who believe the use of MDMA or any controlled substance needs to be eradicated, it's a vain attempt.

People who want to use drugs are going to use them. I see it happening in the city where I live. One area of town notorious for drugs (especially heroin), drug dealers and drug addicts has been targeted for "clean up". Of a truth, there have been mass arrests and some so-called "clean up" has occurred, but the element has just moved to a new part of the city.

In a controversial move, some progress is being made. Safe needle sites have recently been set up and harm reduction workers, including health care workers are there to staff them. It might be of interest that this is in Canada, and not the US.
 
What about all the pot use at hip-hip or rock concerts? What about all the coke/speed I see at punk concerts? Why not target these specific styles of music? (Not that I'm saying they should target them, but why can't they see that drugs are not only used at electronic events???) My friends have rolled everywhere imaginalble, and they have also NOT rolled at electronic music events. The gvmt just wants money from fining people so they can help out that national debt that we did not cause.

Oh, yeah, now they also want to trace all your mail, so watch out if this one passes:
http://www.msnbc.com/news/951379.asp?0cv=CB20
 
^^^^^^ my thoughts EXACTLY!!!!!
also, how can the tell 100% that the venue owner KNOWS that there is drug use happening there. can they read their thoughts and access their memory?
i find it very difficult to believe that they can prosecute a venue owner on the pretence that they KNOW it is happening. there would have to be some serious fucking guidelines the arressting officer would have to take in order for it to stand up in court.
once again, this is ridiculous and as above, discriminatory to the electronic music scene. ALL music scene's are fueled by drug use (even pop, i see binge drinking)
grrr
 
Please understand that I'm trying to play devil's advocate here and don't crucify me. I have a thought that is hard for me to articulate. I enjoy the recreational use of MDMA. I do not roll often and I do not enjoy "rolling ballz" but I defend the right of anyone to do so. However, I try to look at it through "their" eyes sometimes.

Getting into the semantics of knowing absolute percentages is kind of useless because all of us know of a 100% surety that a certain segment of people at certain music events, electronica included, are under the influence of drugs. A venue owner is not stupid and knows this as well as we do. It would take a really naive venue owner to have a 100% settled confidence that controlled substances will not be used because that's not reality. Music events of many genres and associated drug use are a fact of life. Anyone with any remote connection to this scene knows this.

No matter how you argue it or how provable it is, it is on this basis that the bill is formed. Effectively, it is a hooded way of saying that any and all electronic dance events are subject to full prosecution. As I said before, it is fear of this prosecution that they are hoping will ultimately stop these events.

Exactly why Ecstasy and the electronic music scene is being especially targeted remains something I do not know. I have an overall theory as to why, but I have not done enough research and do not know the age demographic of various users and the substances they use to make any type of educated response.
 
THE WOOD said:
FROM THE LINK:


Ecstasy Awareness Act of 2003 (Introduced in House)

HR 2962 IH


108th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2962
To prevent the abuse of the illegal drug commonly called ecstasy.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

July 25, 2003
Mr. PASCRELL (for himself, Mr. TERRY, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. ETHERIDGE, and Mr. CAPUANO) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, and Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A BILL
To prevent the abuse of the illegal drug commonly called ecstasy.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Ecstasy Awareness Act of 2003'.

SEC. 2. PROFITING FROM RAVES.

Section 416 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 856) is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(c) Whoever profits monetarily from a rave or similar electronic dance event, knowing or having reason to know that the unlawful use or distribution of a controlled substance occurs at the rave or similar event, shall be fined not more than $500,000 or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both. If the defendant is an organization, the fine imposable for the offense is not more than $2,000,000.'.

SEC. 3. GRANTS FOR PROSECUTION OF ECSTASY OFFENSES.

In addition to any other amounts authorized to be appropriated for such purpose, there are authorized to be appropriated to the Attorney General $10,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 to make grants to provide training to State and local prosecutors and law enforcement agents for prosecution of ecstasy offenses.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT OR REDUCE THE USE OF ECSTASY.

Section 4115(b)(1) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7115(b)(1)) is amended--

(1) in subparagraph (C), by striking `and' at the end;

(2) in subparagraph (D), by striking the period at the end and inserting `; and'; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:

`(E) include activities to prevent or reduce the use of the illegal drug commonly called ecstasy.'.
Click to expand...
This is fucking rediculous.

I read some article a few months ago that showed where a 25 year old guy had molested like 3 kids,and he got out of jail in 2 years.Then it showed someone who was caught with like an ounce of Weed and he was given a fucking 23 year sentence.WHAT THE FUCK KIND OF SHIT IS GOING ON HERE?!
 
vancbc said:
Whether or not the logic if fucked up, I can see what the intent behind such a bill is. If a law can be put into effect and enforced wherein promoters and organisers are held responsible for any drug use at an event they sponsor AND severe enough fines are in place, then the hopes are that effectively such raves and electronic music events won't be held at all.

The thinking must be that people only roll at raves and electronic music events. Although I may draw heat for saying this, for myself it is the truth: I only roll at electronic music events. It is true that many of the people I know only roll at electronic music events. However, I want it clearly noted that I am not a stupid individual and I know that drug use is not exclusive to electronic music AND that many attendees do not use controlled substances at all.

If this theoretically were passed and enforced, nothing would really change. All that would happen is that people would find other places to roll. The scene would be driven further underground, and if anything that would entice even more people to attend and roll because the lure of the forbidden is a strong influence. For those who believe the use of MDMA or any controlled substance needs to be eradicated, it's a vain attempt.

People who want to use drugs are going to use them. I see it happening in the city where I live. One area of town notorious for drugs (especially heroin), drug dealers and drug addicts has been targeted for "clean up". Of a truth, there have been mass arrests and some so-called "clean up" has occurred, but the element has just moved to a new part of the city.

In a controversial move, some progress is being made. Safe needle sites have recently been set up and harm reduction workers, including health care workers are there to staff them. It might be of interest that this is in Canada, and not the US.
Click to expand...

haha,you have a very very valid point there

if they're gonna make a rave act,they might as well make a concert/live band act,and a fucking music act as well

some laws are just so fucking ignorant..america's a fucking joke

like the music piracy law..heh,shows you that it aint really all about the music,don't it?
 
vanbc - I've made that point a thousand times... nobody likes it.

That a large percentage of people at a rave are on at least one illegal substance is an unavoidable fact. Some people say, "You can't know for sure" - but the truth is, you can. The promoters know it, the DJ's know it, and the attendees all know it. Naturally the police know it.

However, I do believe that provided the promoter takes reasonable steps to try to curtail the distribution at the event (security, undercovers) then they should be absolved of responsibility unless it can be proven they were actively aware of specific transactions and turned a blind eye.

There's the catch-22 at this time... if they have security and undercovers, they have admitted they know there is a problem, and would be subject to prosecution under this bill.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top