RAVERS: IN THEIR OWN WORDS!
Condensed from: http://www.PetitionOnline.com/plur/petition.html

please check out the petition AND SIGN IT! thank you-- heartLove!

                                                                               Sharmila Paul
                                I think that a lot of times when the society is unaware of something they
                                will make characterizations about it that are just simply outrageous. It's
                                this lack of understanding that creates such a paranoia that CREATES
                                this idea that there is indeed a danger. And this paranoia is what is
                                publicized.

                                                                                     Chelle
                                Have you ever attended a rock/alternative/rap concert? Do you notice
                                just how many people are doing drugs there? Have you ever seen so
                                many people freely smoking marijuana or sniffing coke or shooting up
                                or eating mushrooms? Take your news cameras to a Korn concert and
                                see what type of things go on there. I can guarantee you that you would
                                find more illegal/dangerous activity there than at any rave. Please try
                                to understand that there are much worse things going on than a bunch
                                of young people getting together at a "rave" to listen to music and
                                dance. Raves have been a far safer atmoshpere for young people than
                                typical concerts and other activities available to young people.
                                Where else could  you possibly find a place that preaches PEACE,
                                LOVE, UNITY, and RESPECT for all people everywhere??? Let me
                                tell you that if your kid  is going to raves, he or she is not as
                                mischievious as you may think. This is an environment that accepts kids
                                from all backgrounds and all personalities. Perhaps your child is the
                                one who has always felt left, out depressed...imagine if he could find a
                                safe place to be accepted and  maybe just maybe, he found some friends
                                and lost that idea that he doesn't fit in this world. He feels like he does
                                belong here now and is accepted somewhere. Maybe just maybe his
                                acceptance has saved him from deep depression, maybe suicide.......
                                Would you want to see something that keeps kids motivated about
                                LIFE and LOVE to be destroyed...?  Probably not!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                                Please, stop destroying our scene with all of this misrepresentation and
                                talk to the people who are truly a part of this wonderful scene. It has
                                helped me and I hope that it can help other kids as well.

                                                                      Jennifer Thomas
                                 I am sick and tired of the media going after what they believe
                                 is a "juicy" story. I have been in this scene (the "rave" scene)
                                 for about 4 years now, and I have been the victim of the media
                                 twisting what they see time and time again. I think that it is
                                 past the time when the media needs to stop looking at what's
                                 going on at the surface level and start realizing what "in-depth
                                 reporting" really is. Journalism is not about getting the most
                                 attention, but about getting the facts CORRECT and about
                                 telling the "story" truthfully. The media needs to stop focusing
                                 on what gets them the most viewers/listeners/readers, and
                                 needs to start focusing on what is really going on. Please, no
                                 more creating stories for personal gain. Realize what is really
                                 going on and try to focus on that.

                                                                George "logic7" Jones
                                 Once again, the media looks for something new to exploit and
                                 sensationalize for ratings. Television media disgusts me. The
                                 way we are fed constant misinformation has many believing
                                 that raves are nothing more than drug dens where your
                                 children go to get their weekly fix. This is the same media that
                                 has told us that video games make children violent (nevermind
                                 that parent's aren't to even buy them for their kids), the same
                                 media that exploits every tragic or scandalous event, milking it
                                 for all it's worth (see also: Columbine High, Waco Texas, O.J.
                                 Simpson, and Pres. Clinton/Monica Lewinski). The very same
                                 media would have you believe that all young black males are
                                 drug dealers or gangbangers, and have you believe that most
                                 middle aged white men are serial killers and rapists. Though it
                                 cannot be denied that there are drugs at SOME parties like
                                 these, it's nowhere near as bad as depicted recently. One or
                                 two parties cannot represent the entire scene, just like Jeffrey
                                 Dalhmer and Tupac don't represent their respective groups.

                                                                        Jeremy Ray
                                 Wake up!!! do some research...you might just fall in love with the
                                 music...not all of us are in it for the drugs...go to a country club...a
                                 hip hop club...a red-neck bar...drugs are everywhere...whats your
                                 point???

                                                                DJ GLENN ASTON (UK)
                                 i'm from england and rave/dance music is the biggest and best thing
                                 that's happened in the uk for a very long time....since the beatles. let
                                 everyone enjoy themselves instead of trying to stop it and trying
                                 to push it underground....this will just cause more trouble maybe in
                                 the long run, believe me...that's what they tried in england with the
                                 scene back in the late 80's/early 90's.......good luck and peace

                                                                           Gabe Miller
                                 raves are not places for violence or alcohol. i never see these at
                                 parties. leave us alone. go to the source

                                                                          Steve Babbel
                                 Instead of focusing on drugs at raves (there are just as many or
                                 more at a Metallica concert) focus on the raves that help. Such as
                                 canned food or clothes drive raves that happen every weekend!

                                                                           Sherry Dean
                                the media needs to investigate and focus more on the positive
                                aspects of our scene, which are many. the general public needs to
                                be aware that a rave event is one of the safest places a person can
                                attend. there is much more trauma, fights, drug use, etc., at punk
                                and heavy metal events, yet the media never attacks them - I've yet
                                to see how this is fair and accurate.

                                                                          Andrea Stindt
                                It would be nice to see something actually news worthy on TV, as
                                opposed to kids having fun. What is this world coming to if an entire
                                generation is being publicized as doing something wrong, when in
                                fact it's no different from what generations before them have done??!!

                                                                                 Katie
                                I think the media is being completely unreasonable and is gving an
                                inaccurate description of the rave scene. It is not merely a place
                                where teenagers go who are fiending for drugs! That is assanine to
                                jump to such an unrealistic conclusion when MANY of the kids who
                                go make a descision to party sober. You refuse to even bother
                                mentioning the intense music that so many of us enjoy, the great,
                                positive vibes that permeate through the venues, the interesting,
                                individualistic, new people you can meet when you go....and most
                                importantly you didn't make any mention of a significant part of the
                                rave culture: the PLUR. In case you are unaware of what this
                                signifies...it means Peace-Love-Unity-Respect. And sorry to be so
                                straight forward, but I believe that you and the media are the
                                WORST example of PLUR. All this excessive media coverage is
                                degrading to our scene and you refuse to hear OUR opinions and
                                perspectives on this controversial debate. The news is supposed to be
                                a place where a person can turn to in order to become an informed
                                member of society, however, people who hear this will get a grave
                                misinterpretation of what raves are all about. If the media is really
                                all about equality and hearing both sides of a controversial issue than
                                I only have 4 words to say to you... practice what you preach!

                                                                         Sarah Bokelmann
                                stop the madness...its not fair that our "scene" has been so
                                butchered...there are two sides to everything....why look at only the
                                negatives?...the positives out number the negatives and it's about
                                time that they are noticed...peace everyone!!

                                                                              Justine Lee
                                "Raves" are more than just parties. They are a culture in their own.
                                People who choose to make the wrong decisions should be held to
                                their own consequences. The whole community shouldn't suffer.
                                Focus on the people who love the music and enjoy going to the all
                                nite "Raves" to dance and be free. For if it wasn't for these "Raves"
                                we couldn't be who we are. Society wouldn't accept us.

                                                                                 Kaytee
                                the rave scene isn't about drugs...its another dimension where u can
                                be whoever u want and people seem to care. peace love unity and
                                respect....my raver friends are my family* the scene is beautiful....
                                the media has made it ugly.

                                                                         Missy
                                Stop the Negative Propaganda, don't you remember how bad it gets
                                when the media uses this scare tactic?? Doesn't anyone remember
                                WW1 or 2??? come on people, we are not criminals, we are your
                                youth, your neighbors your co-workers and your friends. We are
                                artists and dancers, we are the hippies of the modern day and we do
                                not deserve this ignorant abuse that has hailed down upon us by the
                                media! open your mind and you will see that our hearts our good and
                                full of love.

                                                                          Tracy Baird
                                Just because our recreation is "different" according to society's
                                standards, we do not need to be ridiculed and have our
                                freedoms taken away. I don't want the freedom I have
                                discovered to be destroyed before my eyes. We simply need to
                                get ourselves together, be responsible and respect each other.
 

                                                           Mathew Boynton (Kid Emcee)
                                 Just as any culture forms and grows, it is met with both
                                 optimistic and pessimistic views. It's very unfortunate that a
                                 culture that shows no bias towards race, creed, or sexuality
                                 has fallen prey to discouragment. It takes a strong body of
                                 people to rise past all of these setbacks, and the people who
                                 bring them forth. Its only logical that we remember that there
                                 are two sides to every story, and we reserve the right to voice
                                 our side. Just as the news media has been doing for a long
                                 time now. It is not to say that we don't invite some negative
                                 aspects such as drug use into our gatherings every weekend,
                                 but these events are not built solely on open drug use,
                                 violence, and/or open sexuality (as the media portrays it).
                                 These things can be found in every culture! These things are
                                 also found in the media. It's evident because if it weren't, there
                                 would be no need for drug testing of any kind, nor would there
                                 be laws against your conduct with the opposite sex in the work
                                 place. But the news dosen't seem to find it worthwhile to
                                 report on the positive aspect of our culture. Regardless of if it's
                                 the rave scene or 'other'! But in a society that is 'supposed' to
                                 be built on freedoms such as speech, we haven't yet been
                                 given the chance to voice our views publically or rationally.
                                 Has anyone forgotten about our right and freedom to gather
                                 publically, or is this right waived because we do it while
                                 everyone else is sleeping! Let us also not forget that there are
                                 those individuals who are trying to make a difference in this
                                 scene, and those people are the ones who need to be heard!

                                                                 Dale Allan Hendel Junior
                                 I am a 24 year old, responsible college graduate, and I feel that
                                 attending raves has made a very positive impact on my life, and
                                 the lives of others.

                                                                     Cerrithwen Genetti
                                 I am 19 years old, attending college full time and I go to raves
                                 very frequently. Raves are about the music, the wonderful
                                 people and the commUNITY. I go to raves simply because I
                                 love the music more than any other type on earth.

                                                                               Sandy
                                 if you (the media) would just shut your mouths and let
                                 others talk for once maybe you would get somewhere in this
                                 crazy society that we live in...stop acting like a journalist and
                                 like a person for once..."To thy own self be true..."

                                                                         Jill Madison
                                 Before you turn on your cameras and open your mouth, why
                                 don't you open you eyes.

                                                                              Cellie
                                 Before the media continues to slander the "rave scene" why
                                 don't you show the good we do and the good in raves... Not all
                                 raves are like the ones the media shows, and yes, some things
                                 like that occur at raves, but a lot of us go to raves just to listen
                                 to the musical electronica beats that we love so much. The
                                 media will never understand the rave scene, so don't try to
                                 report bad on it. **Don't knock what you haven't tried**

                                                                       Lenny Lemanski
                                 The news is giving the whole scene a shady name and saying
                                 it's all about the drugs. The media is far from the truth. They're
                                 twisting the words around to make it seem like the party kids
                                 are wrong and bad. Raves are about the people, the music, the
                                 vibe and dancing. Not the drugs. They need to stop giving us
                                 such a bad name.

                                                                         Ryan Brooks
                                 Yes i agree greatly with this i believe in P.L.U.R. and the
                                 media isn't giving the community any say have they said
                                 anything about the great people that are involved in the scene?
                                 or the great music and unity that is created when everyone is
                                 together? I just want to say thanks for speaking out against the
                                 the slander. Keep Up The Positive Vibe.

                                                                         Tim Jackson
                                 leave tabloid journalism to Jerry Springer

                                                                            Roland H
                                 It's not about the drugs, it's the PLUR.
                                 Music is my Drug: Dancing is my High!

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                                                             A Parents View

                      My name is Brenda Hawtin, parent to Richie Hawtin,
                      international dj, successful businessman and ambassador
                      for Windsor. He, Rich, is also involved in rave parties.

                      I recently attended Sandra Pupatello's presentation at the Capitol
                      Theater of her new video, Dancing in the Dark. The video
                      has been shown to Grades 7 through Grade 9, telling them of the
                      dangers of attending rave parties, as these parties promote and
                      supply the drug "ecstacy". As a parent, I know full well the
                      worries and concerns all parents have whenever drugs are
                      involved, I know what lengths we will go to protect our children
                      from drugs. But I feel I must inform parents that the raves kids
                      so very much enjoy do not encourage kids to take drugs.
                      Far from it. Before entering, the kids are frisked and, if any drugs
                      are found, they are turned away. If anyone is caught taking any
                      illegal substance, including liquor, they are escorted out.
                      Police and security are hired, and a member of the medical world
                      is always on hand.

                      I guess what I am trying to say is, it is not raves that make kids
                      take drugs. Kids who take any illegal substances take them, rave
                      or not. Unfortunately, drugs are widely available, from school
                      grounds to public parks. We as parents must become more
                      vigilant to take time to be there for our kids, to learn to listen to
                      them and even to put our own lives on hold for a while to do our
                      job as parents. The teenage years are special years - our
                      offspring are flexing their wings, preparing to fly. But they still
                      need us so very much while they experiment with life.

                      We should encourage them to explore and investigate, and if we
                      have done our job well and given them the knowledge and ability
                      to know right from wrong,let them know we will be there for them.

                      We should not be afraid to let them enjoy the odd rave or two. So,
                      they may be out until the early hous of the morning dancing the
                      night away. As long as you know where they are- and they are
                      aware you know - and you show them some trust. There has been
                      so much negative press recently about raves, I can understand a
                      parents concern. The last thing any parent wants is a child
                      overdosing - or worse.

                      We must teach our kids about the dangers of drugs. But do not tie
                      them entirely to raves. Drugs are everywhere and if your kid
                      wants to take drugs, they will obtain them, rave or not.

                      So please, Ms. Pupatello, lay off the rave crowd and put that
                      energy into educating our kids and parents about life, drugs and
                      parenting.