Are ravers being profiles by the police?

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Is what your wearing on the streets making you a high target for harassment by the police.

By Raver X

In Wallingford, Connecticut (home state of Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee - Joseph Lieberman), the National Security Association(NSA) is passing out flyers to its members titled "Drugs In Connecticut: Raves". The flyer goes on to give an extremely prejudiced view of the rave culture and of ravers.

One of the first paragraphs of the flyer is entitled "Profile of a Raver" and it states the following--"Ravers lean toward a certain look"... "piercings, baggy clothing, bell bottoms, platform shoes and Glow sticks". In another paragraph, it goes on to state--"Ravers are fans of techno music, which is electronically produced at a tempo of 140 to 200 beats a minute. Pulsating music is combined with a heavily heated room and a 70's disco look of flashing lights, strobes and fluorescent lights".

I do have to say that upon seeing this flyer posted on an internet site, I originally thought it was a joke. After some research though it seems that it's not only true but that there might be other government organizations that are looking to do profiling of ravers too. I couldn't believe that a government agency would create such propagandist statements resembling Nazi flyers that were passed out about Jews during World War 2. The effect of the information on the flyer is meant to instill fear to the community. Some of the statements made in this flyer harken back to a Communist Cold War era mentality..with quotes like "With the help of designer drugs such as ecstasy, the rave philosophy promotes caring and emotional closeness with people". The flyer also rewrites the ravers PLUR philosophy stating that it means Peace, Love, Understanding, and Respect and that the Understanding is similar to the hippie movement of the 60's and 70's. Last time I checked what the PLUR philosophy was it was Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. And Old School Ravers like myself have added another "R" on for Responsibility.

The flyer even has a section on "Phrases and Words Used by Ravers". This concept reminds me of "1984" by author George Orwell. In Orwell's book words and phrases were used against people to prove that they were against the party. This raises the question if the NSA is bugging the phones of Phat Pants Teens to hear such words as: "Pure Love", "Elevation" and "Techno" in order to make a bust?

With the recent excitement by the media to focus on the rave culture (see for example: "New York Magazine" and "The New York Times") and the recent shut down of several raves across the nation, the rave community, however unfortunate, must prove itself to the rest of society as an important ever-growing group comprising of educated and respectable individuals. While there is drug use within this community, we must also prove by example that we are made up of many different individuals with some who do drugs and others who don't, exactly the same percentage as in every other culture in this nation.

If the raves are to continue, we must modify our behavior to the outside society. Similar to the events in Toronto where raves were put on a temporary ban, now raves and ravers alike are being given a chance to hold events under public view. The Toronto Rave Community has been given a fair opportunity to prove themselves as opposed to what is happening here in the United States. Here the media and the public are only being given one view. Ravers are being portrayed by the police as drug addicts. To create a flyer that profiles ravers simply shows the miseducation that is occurring in America. If we are a community, isn't it just as offensive to have a flyer about us as it would be to have a profiling flyer on Indians or African-Americans? Are we going to allow ourselves to be profiled?


	\| Home Oakenfold's Ego vs. New York City Trance Scene \| Are ravers being profiles by the police? \| Are ravers treated as drug users? \| Raves may be limited. \| Sell a glow stick, go to prison. \| The war on drugs is in the house. Are ravers being profiles by the police? Is what your wearing on the streets making you a high target for harassment by the police. By Raver X In Wallingford, Connecticut (home state of Democratic Vice Presidential Nominee - Joseph Lieberman), the National Security Association(NSA) is passing out flyers to its members titled "Drugs In Connecticut: Raves". The flyer goes on to give an extremely prejudiced view of the rave culture and of ravers. One of the first paragraphs of the flyer is entitled "Profile of a Raver" and it states the following--"Ravers lean toward a certain look"... "piercings, baggy clothing, bell bottoms, platform shoes and Glow sticks". In another paragraph, it goes on to state--"Ravers are fans of techno music, which is electronically produced at a tempo of 140 to 200 beats a minute. Pulsating music is combined with a heavily heated room and a 70's disco look of flashing lights, strobes and fluorescent lights". I do have to say that upon seeing this flyer posted on an internet site, I originally thought it was a joke. After some research though it seems that it's not only true but that there might be other government organizations that are looking to do profiling of ravers too. I couldn't believe that a government agency would create such propagandist statements resembling Nazi flyers that were passed out about Jews during World War 2. The effect of the information on the flyer is meant to instill fear to the community. Some of the statements made in this flyer harken back to a Communist Cold War era mentality..with quotes like "With the help of designer drugs such as ecstasy, the rave philosophy promotes caring and emotional closeness with people". The flyer also rewrites the ravers PLUR philosophy stating that it means Peace, Love, Understanding, and Respect and that the Understanding is similar to the hippie movement of the 60's and 70's. Last time I checked what the PLUR philosophy was it was Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. And Old School Ravers like myself have added another "R" on for Responsibility. The flyer even has a section on "Phrases and Words Used by Ravers". This concept reminds me of "1984" by author George Orwell. In Orwell's book words and phrases were used against people to prove that they were against the party. This raises the question if the NSA is bugging the phones of Phat Pants Teens to hear such words as: "Pure Love", "Elevation" and "Techno" in order to make a bust? With the recent excitement by the media to focus on the rave culture (see for example: "New York Magazine" and "The New York Times") and the recent shut down of several raves across the nation, the rave community, however unfortunate, must prove itself to the rest of society as an important ever-growing group comprising of educated and respectable individuals. While there is drug use within this community, we must also prove by example that we are made up of many different individuals with some who do drugs and others who don't, exactly the same percentage as in every other culture in this nation. If the raves are to continue, we must modify our behavior to the outside society. Similar to the events in Toronto where raves were put on a temporary ban, now raves and ravers alike are being given a chance to hold events under public view. The Toronto Rave Community has been given a fair opportunity to prove themselves as opposed to what is happening here in the United States. Here the media and the public are only being given one view. Ravers are being portrayed by the police as drug addicts. To create a flyer that profiles ravers simply shows the miseducation that is occurring in America. If we are a community, isn't it just as offensive to have a flyer about us as it would be to have a profiling flyer on Indians or African-Americans? Are we going to allow ourselves to be profiled?