> >Dear Members, Subscribers and Friends, > >I do not normally use our alert channel to send a personal message. >However, I wanted to let you know that the Illicit Drug Anti- >Proliferation Act (also called the "RAVE Act"), which was attached to >the AMBER Alert bill, passed both the House and Senate late yesterday >(April 10). > >The RAVE Act threatens 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 3rd parties - real or alleged - even if the event >promoter and/or property owner made a good-faith effort to keep their >event drug-free. It applies not just to electronic-music parties, >but to any type of public gathering, including theatrical >productions, rock concerts, DJ nights at local bars, and potentially >even political rallies. 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. > >Sadly, the RAVE Act was added to the AMBER Alert bill conference >report at the very last minute by Senator Biden (D-DE), its original >sponsor. The AMBER Alert bill creates a system for responding to >child abduction. It has nothing to do with drug policy. The RAVE >Act had not passed even a single committee in the House or Senate >this year. One senator's pet issue made a mockery of the Democratic >process - becoming law without any public hearing or opportunity for >input whatsoever. > >You should be aware that your letters and faxes clearly had an >effect. (FYI - you sent Congress 13,000 faxes this week alone!!) >For example, the word "rave" was removed from the version of the bill >that passed. 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 thanks to you. > >President Bush will sign this child abduction bill, which means the >RAVE Act will become law as well. We will be working with the >legislators who opposed this provision - such as Senators Durbin, >Kennedy and Leahy and Representatives Conyers and Scott - for its >repeal. In the meantime, however, it is up to all of us to be the >watchdogs of its enforcement. > >Attorney General John Ashcroft will have to make decisions about its >enforcement priority among the many public safety issues the >Department of Justice handles. He must be held responsible when he >implements this scheme. We want him to know that he is not free to >shut down our dance clubs, our festivals and our freedoms. We will >be watching the activities of law enforcement and prosecutors, and we >will act when our rights are violated. You can help us by faxing >Attorney General Ashcroft here. >http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/action/index.asp?step=2&item=1581 > >We thank our many partners in this effort for your hard work: EM:DEF, >ROAR, Buzzlife Productions, Davey D., electronic dance and music >organizations throughout the U.S., club owners, hotel organizations, >beverage and licensing groups, the ACLU and many, many others. But >most of all, I want to say thank you personally to our members and >supporters. > >You truly deserve credit for reacting so quickly and so forcefully. >It has really been amazing. When Bill McColl, our Director of >National Affairs, told me about this issue last June he said that he >thought the RAVE Act would pass in about 2 weeks. You proved us >wrong. It took 10 months, a change in control of the Senate, >backroom maneuverings and substantial changes to the bill. I'm >proud of the hard work of our members, friends and our coalition. >Rest assured we will continue to work together to mobilize opposition >and advocate to fix this dangerous law. > >Sincerely, > > >Ethan Nadelmann >Executive Director >Drug Policy Alliance > >
_________________________________________________________________ The new MSN 8: smart spam protection and 2 months FREE* <a target=_blank href="http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail";>http://join.msn.com/?page=features/junkmail</a>
