Joe Biden was responsable for the RAVE act that killed the scene

[e-brake]

The War on Drugs has often been used to suppress music and lifestyles disliked by the political establishment. Local, state, and federal drug laws give the government enormous power and this power has been used to exert control over emerging subcultures. Jazz in the 1940s. Rock and roll in the 1960s. Heavy metal and rap in the 1980s. Electronic music and Hip Hop today.
The RAVE Act which threatens to squash live music and free speech was passed in 2003 when it was tacked onto an unrelated child protection bill. In 2004 there were two additional pieces of legislation considered - the CLEAN-UP Act and the Ecstasy Awareness Act - that threatened to widen the laws to prosecute anyone who holds an event and fails to prevent illicit drug use.
Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) forced the controversial legislation commonly known as the "RAVE" Act through both houses of Congress as an attachment to an unrelated child abduction bill. The "RAVE" Act, also referred to as the Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act of 2003, was introduced as an addition to the Child Abduction Protect Act of 2003, widely recognized as the AMBER Alert bill (S151). The "RAVE" Act had not passed a single committee before being attached to the AMBER Alert bill. In addition, it was so controversial when it was introduced during the 107th Congress that two Senators withdrew their sponsorship.
The "RAVE" Act makes it easier for the federal government to prosecute innocent business owners for the drug offenses of their customers - even if they take steps to stop such activity. This is a threat to 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 third parties - real or alleged - regardless of whether or not the promoter and/or property owner made a good-faith effort to keep their event drug-free. It applies not only to electronic music parties, but any type of public gathering: theatrical productions, rock concerts, DJ nights at your local club or tavern, and 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 passed despite the fact it did not have a public hearing, debate or vote in Congress. It is important to note that because of overwhelming opposition to the "RAVE" Act, legislators were forced to remove some of the most egregious language before it passed. For example, the word "rave" was removed from the version of the bill attached to the AMBER Alert. Eliminating such blatant discrimination is a victory for our continued freedom of speech. Also, the original bill suggested that prosecutors should view the sale of water and the presence of glowsticks or massage oil as evidence of drug use. These ludicrous "findings" were completely removed due in large part to activists who sent nearly 30,000 faxes in 2003 alone to their Senators urging them not to support the dangerous legislation.
When it was first introduced there was widespread belief that the "RAVE" Act would move through the legislative channels quickly with no revision. Instead, it took 10 months, a change of power in the United States Senate, backroom policymaking, and substantial changes to the bill before it was passed - and even then it did not pass via "normal" legislative procedures.
The "RAVE" Act gives the government even more power to harass and arrest innocent musicians, promoters, venue owners, and fans - all in the name of the War on Drugs. Law enforcement agencies already target certain types of musical and cultural events and the nightclubs that host them. The Drug Enforcement Administration is prosecuting nightclub owners and promoters that organize electronic dance music events and the military is using drugs as a pretext to close down gay nightclubs. In Michigan in March 2005, a nightclub was raided with some attendees reportedly being strip-searched and over 100 people being ticketed and slapped with a misdemeanor charge, just for being in proximity to people using drugs. A similar incident happened in 2002 in Wisconsin. In addition, drug laws are often enforced unevenly against African Americans and Latinos. Hip-Hop could easily become a target.
Opposition to the "RAVE" Act remains strong - over 3,000 of you spoke out after the arrests in Michigan. In July 2005 the Alliance submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Department of Justice for information on how the RAVE Act is being used, in order to determine whether it is being abused by prosecutors. The Drug Policy Alliance and its coalition of partners will continue to work to protect property owners, prevent further criminalization of dance and music events, mobilize opposition, and advocate amending this dangerous law.

[Arlen Specter]

And all this time I thought it was house music.

[MC Twinkie]

what act is it that says you have to have a permit to throw a party? That's the one that sucks.

[zerojunkie]

Originally Posted by Cicero

And all this time I thought it was gabber.

ftfy

[zymote]

Originally Posted by clay donkey

what act is it that says you have to have a permit to throw a party? That's the one that sucks.

That's the Mass Gathering Law, and you can thank the State of Texas for that. It only applies if you're not inside city limits, and are planning on having either an alcohol free event of 2500+, or 500+ and will have alcohol there.

As far as the RAVE act goes, I'll ask it again: are there any promoters out there who have actually had any problems with this?

All the law enforcement that I've dealt with for my events have been really cool about the whole issue, as long as they can see we're making a concerted effort to deal with it. I asked a Sheriff a few years back about it, and he told me that he knew we couldn't keep everything out, but as long as our security was good and we worked with the deputies to maintain order then we'd be fine. They're mainly concerned about DUI's and the neighbors, so as long as you keep the noise down and the ravers inside nobody gives a shit.

[e-brake]

Originally Posted by zymote

As far as the RAVE act goes, I'll ask it again: are there any promoters out there who have actually had any problems with this?

Talk to Disco Donnie in New Orleans, they nailed him for the state palace theater shows using the Rave act.

http://www.bestofneworleans.com/disp...ver_story.html

DISCO DONNIE WAS AT HOME, trying on outfits and styling his hair when agents from the DEA's New Orleans field office entered the State Palace Theatre, just before "Phuture Phat Hong Kong Phooey" was set to begin. When Estopinal finally arrived, he found police cars, lights flashing, scattered around the venue's one-block perimeter. The police had sealed off the theater's entrance before its doors opened to patrons, leaving thousands of ravers spilling onto Canal Street.
From 9 p.m. until 1 a.m., DEA agents scoured the premises, seizing files, computers, party favors and as much bottled water as they could haul away. The agents found virtually no illegal drugs inside the theater -- and no proof that Estopinal and the Brunets were involved in any type of drug dealing. The following Monday morning, the promoters discovered that that wasn't the issue at hand.
At a meeting with their attorneys, Estopinal and the Brunets learned that they were being indicted under grand jury charges of violation of the so-called "RAVE act, and addition to the existing crack house statute" and ongoing criminal enterprise, a charge that carried a possible sentence of 20 years to life. It was the first time that the federal government used the law to indict venue managers and event promoters for drug dealing and consumption at their events, rather than charging the pushers and consumers themselves. "I was in shock," Estopinal recalls.
For the next several months, life was bizarre for Disco Donnie. "It was crazy," he says. "Every conversation had to be outside. I had to hide everything." His daily duties went from waking up past noon and planning parties with hip DJs, to waking up for early morning meetings with his attorney and then driving to his mother's house to have an outdoor conversation for fear the phones were tapped.

[I AM EL-NINO]

Fuck Joe Biden!

[PETA]

I for on salute our new rave destroying overlords

This guy is no more than the democratic version of Donald Rumsfeld.... hell... Biden was yelling for MORE troops while Rumsfeld was running his war into the ground. Biden wanted to escalate!!!! So, now, Obama who wanted to get troops out in 16 months takes on a hawk as his running mate? Now, turns out Biden was right - we did need more troops but that's the opposite message Obama's been stumping on. So, is Obama reversing his position on the war or is he expecting Biden to reverse his and to erase his record of support and support of the escalation as well as support of Patriot and telecom immunity? If this ticket were flip-flopped I'd be inclined to consider Biden - but for his idiocy on the SCOTUS hearings.... man he revealed himself to be a fool

[djetaine]

so one guy has been charged due to the rave act out of the millions of raves/parties/club nights that have gone on in the past 4 years since this was passed.
Jesus I'm scared....
Look, if the cops want to bust your party they are going to bust your party. I doesnt matter whether there is a law to help them out or not.

[e-brake]

Originally Posted by djetaine

so one guy has been charged due to the rave act out of the millions of raves/parties/club nights that have gone on in the past 4 years since this was passed.
Jesus I'm scared....
Look, if the cops want to bust your party they are going to bust your party. I doesnt matter whether there is a law to help them out or not.

That was the biggest promoter to be hit with it. Several other events have been nailed with RAVE act violations including hemp fest in Seatle and the Bonaroo music festival in Tenn. The fact is this law is the reason that warehouse and field parties went away. The day they started handing down $250,000 fines to warehouse owners for renting them out as rave venues was the day the rave died.

[PETA]

Originally Posted by e-brake

That was the biggest promoter to be hit with it. Several other events have been nailed with RAVE act violations including hemp fest in Seatle and the Bonaroo music festival in Tenn. The fact is this law is the reason that warehouse and field parties went away. The day they started handing down $250,000 fines to warehouse owners for renting them out as rave venues was the day the rave died.

man I miss those sweaty, stinky, safe places filled with wacked out morons and their wonderfully sanitary conditions

[djetaine]

I dont really disagree with you, but I think that the rave act was just another nail in the coffin of an already dying age. No one wanted the raves around except the ravers and the promoters. You had whole communities rallying against them. It was bound to happen, rave act or no.

[PETA]

hell, it helped bring the scene into the clubs where we had bathrooms we could lock and keep others and their greedy noses out

[djetaine]

Originally Posted by xian

hell, it helped bring the scene into the clubs where we had bathrooms we could lock and keep others and their greedy noses out

yeah but now i have to time it so i can rip one on the toilet to cover the sound of insulflation. Back then I could just snort it right up. woe is me, LOL

[zymote]

Originally Posted by e-brake

That was the biggest promoter to be hit with it. Several other events have been nailed with RAVE act violations including hemp fest in Seatle and the Bonaroo music festival in Tenn. The fact is this law is the reason that warehouse and field parties went away. The day they started handing down $250,000 fines to warehouse owners for renting them out as rave venues was the day the rave died.

I disagree - the RAVE act didn't kill the scene, ravers did. When you've got shady promoters blatantly flaunting existing statutes and party kids thinking it's their god-given right to sell acid in the parking lot of a 7-11, then you're eventually going to get noticed by the government.

Really, though, it wasn't even the cops or dumbass ravers that killed it, it was the fact that the rave drugs got hard to find and everybody got into methamphetamines sometime around 2002. As sad as it is, most of the people filling up those massives weren't there for the music, and as soon as MDMA got scarce they went back to listening to hip hop or whatever else. Pop culture's collective attention moved elsewhere, and we ceased to be the cool kids.

I was throwing underground parties right through the "death of the scene," and never had ANY problems securing venues. As long as you're not trying to operate an underage drug supermarket, venue owners are generally really cool and easy to work with. The few times I've had owners ask me about the RAVE act, I'd get the police to reassure them that as long as we were taking reasonable measures then we were fine.