Grooverider sentenced to 4 years...

[Roos]

Originally Posted by DataBass

Exactly.

They scoff at our weak drug policy and millions of citizens who are addicted to drugs just like we scoff at them for sentencing someone to prison for 4 years for possession.

you arrogant piece of turd.

[Bearcatt]

that why i love the usa... its not that badd yet

[Nick]

www.freegrooverider.com

I knew someone would do it....


To: Government of Dubai
Mr. Raymond Bingham, the celebrity Disk Jockey commonly known as "Grooverider" has been arrested in the United Arab Emirates by the possession of a small amount of the drug Cannabis and Dvd's of pornography. This country is well known for its high economic development, but has also been starting to be questioned not about its social and cultural values but about the procedures used in order to enforce them. This questioning has been increasing in the last years and now it reaches Europe making the European society, which has evolved the law enforcement procedures, shocked at the exaggerated strength of the penalties to victimless crimes. The crime that Raymond Bingham committed is indeed a punishable crime although it has no victim at all, the amount of cannabis which he had in his possession was not enough for more than one person, this makes the possibility of the cannabis that was being carried into UAE being for exchange completely remote. In these cases where there is no victim and the infraction is related to cultural divergences we believe that the penalty should be enforced in the country of one's origin which is the most efficient way of applying the most adequate penalty for the acused's cultural context. We hope that the UAE will continue to be successful in enforcing their laws in the future but we also hope that the penalties that were created for this enforcement will always be applied considering the existence or not of a victim and the good or bad will of the defendant considering his or her physical and psychological condition. MR. Nath, the events promoter that hired Mr Raymond Bingham stated that he had sent a fax to Mr Bingham explaining the Laws of Dubai, as we don't know if this is true or if it was received, we interpret these statements as a self-protective effort by Mr Nath in order to assure his reputation before the UAE's society. Mr Nath statements may constitute a coward action that could affect Mr. Bingham's legal situation in a harmful manner and there could be already a strong rejection of Mr. Nath's activities by the international artistic community as a consequence. The UAE is a country with immense tourism and we understand that there must be efficient law enforcement in order to keep the peaceful environment there lived, but we also understand that this mediative case can alter the Occidental perception of UAE and distort the peaceful reputation to a reputation of oppression. The UAE has its own sovereignty and the legitimacy of enforcing its laws through the manner the UAE have determined but must also have in consideration that some forbidden practices might be completely cultural and natural in other countries that are increasingly closer because of globalization and that this divergence separates our cultures and societies when having such strong penalties for these types of situations. Please, in the name of all the undersigned, proceed to a deportation of Mr. Raymond Bingham as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

The Undersigned

[Nick]

lol @ first two signatures being Bob Marley and Peter Tosh

[shagnasty]

Grooveriders a legend, I feel sorry for the guy. 4 years is fuc*in ridiculous...you can get less time for kiddie fiddlin in the UK

[BradH]

it's not like anyone in dubai has any money to buy drugs except the oil elite

SLAVE LABOR FTW

[JOLLYGREENJIANT]

Originally Posted by Roos

Thank you for putting that in a manner that was not so arrogant and judgmental.

I know I come across that way at times. However, most people who actually know me will tell you I am not. I will not refrain from speaking my mind on a subject I am passionate about though.

I am the last person in the world to think someone should be arrested or prosecuted for marijuana. I think it should be legal everywhere. But it's not. And if you are going to attempt to defy the laws against Marijuana, then expect to be sentenced accordingly if you get caught. Period.

/steps off pedestal

Im sure you are not, im speakign entirely on the grounds of this post. I wasn ion no way trying to put you down personally

[JOLLYGREENJIANT]

Originally Posted by zymote

So trying to impose your system of values on another culture isn't arrogant and judgmental? Those are the laws that are in place there, and it's not like it was any big secret. Cultural relativism ftw...

this post makes absolutely no sense

[JOLLYGREENJIANT]

btw, hash IS legal in UAE, i believe (i could be wrong)

[JOLLYGREENJIANT]

Originally Posted by Bearcatt

that why i love the usa... its not that badd yet

dude, here in Austin, the police dont have to arrest you for pot, they can just ticket you. Its pretty rad.

[BLAZEN]

Originally Posted by JOLLYGREENJIANT

dude, here in Austin, the police dont have to arrest you for pot, they can just ticket you. Its pretty rad.

im moving to austin

[zymote]

Originally Posted by JOLLYGREENJIANT

this post makes absolutely no sense

Read it again, as you're apparently the only one who isn't comprehending what I was getting at. You're comments on the nature of the punishment are based on the assumption that American values are the right ones for the rest of the world. I find that to be ethnocentric in the extreme, therefore arrogant and judgmental.

In order to understand a culture, you have to look at it from outside your own system of values. While I certainly agree that any sentence for cannabis is outrageous, I also understand that the system of rules that are in place in Dubai are different from our own. They cannot be judged by the same rules as American culture, just as our cultural rules may not work in another setting.

Splitting hairs? Maybe, but I was an anthro major and that's just what we do.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_relativsm

Originally Posted by JOLLYGREENJIANT

dude, here in Austin, the police dont have to arrest you for pot, they can just ticket you. Its pretty rad.

That's why I'm so glad I moved out of WilCo. I don't know anybody that's actually gotten a ticket for cannabis, though. With all the crime downtown, it's good that APD is finally getting their priorities straight, and I hope they stick with it.

[Ih8FishrPryce]

Roos I agree with everything you said 1000% and man I almost peed pants with that probation comment. My big question is would any of these people give a fuck if it wasn't Grooverider?

[J. Fees]

this shows how much americans don't like it when people do what they say.

Hypocrisy for the win!

[djredeye]

yeah , i hear the promoter actually told him to not try to bring anything, and there was NO tolerance for it. so if he did it anyway then he made his own bed. Their land, their laws. Do they have early releaese/"good behavior" there? Are there prisons very bad? Do they have different kinds of prisons (minimum/ maximum security) there like we do? Or is it some straight Midnight Express kinda shit?
Well if his scene is still around in four years, it'll be one hell of a party when he gets out!! (best silver lining i could muster up)