NIGHTCLUBS ARE MUCH WORSE THAN RAVES

(Re: An open letter to city council, re: raves.)

You're saying that there are too many drugs at raves and that there are too
many people in venues creating fire hazards, and that there are too many
older "gangster" types at raves. So, your plan is to take away our raves in
hopes that drugs and all these other problems will go away.

Wrong! Drugs are everywhere. Go to a club, they're worse than raves; drugs
and alcohol both exist at clubs and that combo is even more dangerous than
what you would find at a rave. As someone who goes to raves, I am quite
upset at the decision of city hall to impose all these bylaws, fines and
permits which are being put into place.

Perhaps I would feel a little less outraged if any of these people in power
had actually been to a rave themselves. Had maybe the mayor or some of the
city councillors been to a rave, found some problems with them and then
made these decisions, it would be understandable. But I can say that I
highly doubt that any of the people in charge of these decisions have been
to a rave or even have any first-hand experience with them whatsoever. I
have been to well over 30 of these all night dance parties and the worst
thing I've seen is someone getting slightly squished in the line-up, a bit
dehydrated or just tired.

I have never seen a fist fight, someone passing out, or someone crashing
their car. No, that's the result of alcohol and the scene found in clubs.
Thousands of people die from drunk driving each year. Many people die
because of alcohol. And how many deaths have been caused due to ecstasy?
Perhaps around 10 (at least we can count an accurate number as opposed to
the estimated tens of thousands of deaths caused by alcohol).

As a citizen, and as an individual with rights, I would like to know about
everything that is going to - and already has been changed - which will
have an effect on the rave scene.

Graham Fleming

Richmond

(Editor's note: Councillors in the past have visited raves.)