News (Media Awareness Project) - US IL: Editorial: Total Eclipse Owner Shirks |
| Title: | US IL: Editorial: Total Eclipse Owner Shirks |
| Published On: | 2001-03-15 |
| Source: | State Journal-Register (IL) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-26 21:31:17 |
TOTAL ECLIPSE OWNER SHIRKS RESPONSIBILITY
JOHN DEDRICK, the owner of the all-ages club called Total Eclipse, feels he
was treated unfairly this weekend when police raided his Toronto Road
establishment early Saturday morning. We think Dedrick protests too much.
The club was hosting a dance party that was to last from 9 p.m. Friday to 7
a.m. Saturday. While Dedrick disagrees, some had called the party a rave.
Raves, which are relatively common in larger cities, are all-night dance
parties that often are fueled by drugs - particularly the drug Ecstasy.
Police were concerned enough with the party at Total Eclipse to get a
search warrant that was served at 1:50 a.m. Saturday.
During the search, the police found marijuana, cocaine and tablets that are
suspected to be Ecstasy. Dedrick correctly points out that he hired lots
of security for the dance party, and does not condone drugs or bad behavior.
BUT THE FACT is that drugs were found in his club, a club that caters to
young people - some very young. We know that kids at least as young as 15
were at the dance party. Who knows if there were any younger children among
the approximately 300 people who paid Dedrick $20 for admission.
There's a lot of truth in the old saying that nothing good happens after
midnight. We can't imagine that anyone believes it is a good idea for
15-year-olds to stay up all night mixing it up with much older teens and
young adults - at least not anyone who isn't making a profit off the event.
"If someone's 12, I won't let them in. But it's the parents' responsibility
to know where their kids are," said Dedrick. "I knew where my kids were.
It's not up to me to make them leave."
THAT IS AN AWFULLY cavalier attitude - take the $20 and ask no questions?
It's true that parents need to take more responsibility for their kids. But
it would be nice to think that those parents might occasionally get some
help when their kids bypass their safeguards (the 15-year-old along with a
friend apparently sneaked out of the house and got a ride to the dance party).
It's pretty clear parents can't look to Dedrick or the staff of Total
Eclipse for that assistance.
JOHN DEDRICK, the owner of the all-ages club called Total Eclipse, feels he
was treated unfairly this weekend when police raided his Toronto Road
establishment early Saturday morning. We think Dedrick protests too much.
The club was hosting a dance party that was to last from 9 p.m. Friday to 7
a.m. Saturday. While Dedrick disagrees, some had called the party a rave.
Raves, which are relatively common in larger cities, are all-night dance
parties that often are fueled by drugs - particularly the drug Ecstasy.
Police were concerned enough with the party at Total Eclipse to get a
search warrant that was served at 1:50 a.m. Saturday.
During the search, the police found marijuana, cocaine and tablets that are
suspected to be Ecstasy. Dedrick correctly points out that he hired lots
of security for the dance party, and does not condone drugs or bad behavior.
BUT THE FACT is that drugs were found in his club, a club that caters to
young people - some very young. We know that kids at least as young as 15
were at the dance party. Who knows if there were any younger children among
the approximately 300 people who paid Dedrick $20 for admission.
There's a lot of truth in the old saying that nothing good happens after
midnight. We can't imagine that anyone believes it is a good idea for
15-year-olds to stay up all night mixing it up with much older teens and
young adults - at least not anyone who isn't making a profit off the event.
"If someone's 12, I won't let them in. But it's the parents' responsibility
to know where their kids are," said Dedrick. "I knew where my kids were.
It's not up to me to make them leave."
THAT IS AN AWFULLY cavalier attitude - take the $20 and ask no questions?
It's true that parents need to take more responsibility for their kids. But
it would be nice to think that those parents might occasionally get some
help when their kids bypass their safeguards (the 15-year-old along with a
friend apparently sneaked out of the house and got a ride to the dance party).
It's pretty clear parents can't look to Dedrick or the staff of Total
Eclipse for that assistance.
Member Comments |
No member comments available...
