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
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