Pubdate: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 Source: Greenville News (SC) Copyright: 2001 The Greenville News Contact: http://greenvillenews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/877 Author: Kevin E Roe NEW LAWS NOT NEEDED FOR DANCE PARTIES I was greatly disheartened when I read the article about passing restrictive laws on raves on the front page of the Metro section on July 1st. Councilman Joe Dill seems to be under the impression that these so-called raves are nothing more than drug-infested orgies. They are in fact simply dances or concerts, whichever you prefer, where people go to dance, listen to music, socialize and just have fun. Whether or not people choose to do drugs is an individual choice, and the choice of some individuals should not be used to punish the whole group. Sheriff Sam Simmons is quoted as saying that it could be difficult to pass anti-rave laws because promoters are "technically just holding a dance party." Forget technically, regardless of what dancers do, promoters are just holding a dance party. Dill's best course of action would be to encourage enforcement of current laws. Doing ecstasy or GHB is illegal at a rave or not at a rave, and nothing is stopping officers from enforcing these laws at raves. In fact, so many arrests were made at the Metroplex because there were numerous police officers there, and they did their duty diligently. Passing additional laws to restrict these so-called raves is definitely not the way to go. Kevin E. Roe Greenville - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom