Are ravers treated as drug users?

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by lockle@lockle.com on 2001-08-13 05:02:03

Several people bring up the correlation between ravers and other social groups that have musical events. What about a raver makes them more of a target for authority figures?

Rock shows have meth-heads. Bob-Marley Feasts have stoners. Despite these facts, raves are targeted out and ravers are practically molested as they enter the event.

Why does this happen?

It's because we look different. Different is scary to "the straights." They figure that if we *look* different, we probably live a different life than they do. If we live a different life, we probably have different values. If we have different values, what's to keep us from stealing from them to buy our drugs, or killing them to take their car, etc. Fear the unknown.

Rockers look, for the most part, normal. It doesn't matter what words they use, or what philosophies they hold dear. The majority of the population sees them and says, "Look, nice white boys." They look at us and say, "What's that in your face?" or "why are your pants so big?" or "Why do you have a glow stick, are you on drugs?"

Never mind the fact that ravers are the nicest group of people I know, always eager to help each other out and all about creating a safe, friendly, nonjudgmental environment where people can go and feel safe, comfortable, loved, and have fun. I mean, there's no violence, no theft, no rape, no hate even. It's exactly the kind of environment that people are saying we should have *more* of. Why are people everywhere not pointing to raves and saying, "Yes, they figured it out! We want a society like *that*!"?

We look different.

It's a dumb reason, certainly. But there's a silver lining to this brewing storm cloud. Ignorance. Yes, I know ignorance doesn't sound like a good thing, but in this case it can help us. The simple fact of the matter is that people don't know jack about raves and rave culture except from what they're being told. And right now, the only people telling them anything is the media (which, depending on how deeply you subscribe to certain conspiracies, is controlled by big businesses that don't want raves to survive).

All they know is that:

> There is loud music

>There are drugs present.

>There are kids present whose parents do not know where they are

Well, think of all the things we could tell people that would shock them! I'm sure they don't know anything about PLUR. Whether you believe in it or not, it's a great message that's not getting out to the public. They probably don't know anything about the music. We listen to violent rock or rap all week long on the radio (which evidently is *not* evil) but then are embraced by the soothing sounds of trance or house or hell, even techno, on the weekends. Have your average straight sit down and listen to a happy hardcore song and then try to say that we're "evil" (psycho maybe, but not evil).

I'm headed for a solution here, really. Here it is: I've said it before, we have to get *out* there and meet people. We have to show "normal folk" that we're not freaks, and not to be feared. Consider yourself an Ambassador for the Rave Scene wherever you go. Imagine that however you act, at all times, is how people will perceive ravers in general.

Honestly, that's not far from the truth. If you do one dumb thing in front of somebody who's already

afraid of us, that will spread. But if you can convince one person that we're human and we're good people, they'll tell others, they'll stick up for us at the dinner table, they might even check out a party and see what it's all about.

Then, it won't matter how we look, because they'll know *us*.


	\| 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 treated as drug users? by lockle@lockle.com on 2001-08-13 05:02:03 Several people bring up the correlation between ravers and other social groups that have musical events. What about a raver makes them more of a target for authority figures? Rock shows have meth-heads. Bob-Marley Feasts have stoners. Despite these facts, raves are targeted out and ravers are practically molested as they enter the event. Why does this happen? It's because we look different. Different is scary to "the straights." They figure that if we look different, we probably live a different life than they do. If we live a different life, we probably have different values. If we have different values, what's to keep us from stealing from them to buy our drugs, or killing them to take their car, etc. Fear the unknown. Rockers look, for the most part, normal. It doesn't matter what words they use, or what philosophies they hold dear. The majority of the population sees them and says, "Look, nice white boys." They look at us and say, "What's that in your face?" or "why are your pants so big?" or "Why do you have a glow stick, are you on drugs?" Never mind the fact that ravers are the nicest group of people I know, always eager to help each other out and all about creating a safe, friendly, nonjudgmental environment where people can go and feel safe, comfortable, loved, and have fun. I mean, there's no violence, no theft, no rape, no hate even. It's exactly the kind of environment that people are saying we should have more of. Why are people everywhere not pointing to raves and saying, "Yes, they figured it out! We want a society like that!"? We look different. It's a dumb reason, certainly. But there's a silver lining to this brewing storm cloud. Ignorance. Yes, I know ignorance doesn't sound like a good thing, but in this case it can help us. The simple fact of the matter is that people don't know jack about raves and rave culture except from what they're being told. And right now, the only people telling them anything is the media (which, depending on how deeply you subscribe to certain conspiracies, is controlled by big businesses that don't want raves to survive). All they know is that: > There is loud music >There are drugs present. >There are kids present whose parents do not know where they are Well, think of all the things we could tell people that would shock them! I'm sure they don't know anything about PLUR. Whether you believe in it or not, it's a great message that's not getting out to the public. They probably don't know anything about the music. We listen to violent rock or rap all week long on the radio (which evidently is not evil) but then are embraced by the soothing sounds of trance or house or hell, even techno, on the weekends. Have your average straight sit down and listen to a happy hardcore song and then try to say that we're "evil" (psycho maybe, but not evil). I'm headed for a solution here, really. Here it is: I've said it before, we have to get out there and meet people. We have to show "normal folk" that we're not freaks, and not to be feared. Consider yourself an Ambassador for the Rave Scene wherever you go. Imagine that however you act, at all times, is how people will perceive ravers in general. Honestly, that's not far from the truth. If you do one dumb thing in front of somebody who's already afraid of us, that will spread. But if you can convince one person that we're human and we're good people, they'll tell others, they'll stick up for us at the dinner table, they might even check out a party and see what it's all about. Then, it won't matter how we look, because they'll know us.