RAVES ARE SAFE PLACES

I am writing to you today in response to the article published on March 31
regarding the club drug ecstasy and the rave community. Ken Magee of the
Drug Enforcement Administration stated that allowing your teenage child to
attend a "rave" or an all-night dance party is the equivalent to letting
them go to a crack house.

This information could not be further from the truth. The people that
attend raves are not crack heads; they are regular teenagers just like your
son or daughter.

The atmosphere at a rave is very friendly, happy and safe. As with any
large gathering of people, drugs are around, but not once have I ever seen
one fight or drugs being pushed onto another person at a rave.

Mr. Magee has obviously never been to a rave or he would see the real
truth. The people that attend raves follow a simple philosophy, PLUR:
Peace, Love, Unity and Respect. This is very different than violence, hate
and stealing you would find at your local crack house.

- - Ryan Hartman, Medford