From: droe@cs.tcd.ie (David Roe)
Newsgroups: alt.rave
Subject: Re: Love bus from hell (long)
Date: 28 Aug 92 13:54:49 GMT
Organization: Trinity College, Dublin (Astrobiology)

In article <1992Aug28.042351.22784@menudo.uh.edu> st10t@Rosie.UH.EDU writes:
>
>	Wouldn't it be fun to get a school bus w/ everyone's cd's lp's
>cassette's, inflatable castles and wander around the country throwing rave's.
>What would be absolutely brilliant would be if no one made any money off of it
>but rather it was a giant communal party. IE some people would ask the bus
>to come to their city... they set up the advertising, warehouse and food
>for the bus people. Ticket proceeds go to pay for that and gas etc..
>People randomly join and leave the bus as they feel like it and all in all
>its just a giant permanent rave/party/social movement/love fest.
>
	The problem here seems to be that the _other_ people in the city
(i.e. the one's who dont invite the busses) will act against it. The
reasons are many, vague and complex. The UK experience of convoys has
been a sad and bitter one. Hippy style convoys, sometimes called new-age
convoys have existed in Britain for decades. However, they came to
prominence in the media in the eighties, especially with regard to the
Glastonbury/Stonehenge festival(s). Apart from the legal matters and the
history of backstabbing by local farmers and the (probably justified)
accustaions of destruction and theft by the convoy travellers, the
simple truth seems to be that settled people regard travellers with
suspicion and antipathy. There is a case that this has always been so
historically, Romany gypsies, itinerant travellers, tinkers etc.

	[bit deleted]

>	Maybe hippies would follow the rave bus around and sell X or E for
>you not-americans and people would blame the bus for being like the g. dead.
>
	Yes, yes yes, this would defineitely happen and the
(dis)organisers would certainly be blamed, I would bet my copy of
"Slates" on it.

>	Maybe MUCH more importantly, millions of people would see the Rave 
>scene for what it is (at least what it is in my op.) A giant happy, friendly
>cross clique boundaries party.

	Maybe I'm a hopeless pessimist but I dont see this as a
possibility. Raves engender suspicion and misinformation in the media 
and the larger population, I dont see why this should be different if
they are travelling around, in fact I believe it would be worse
>
>	I would also like for it to pass out info on the rising intolerance
>of America, but there seems to be a general apoliticalness of the rave scene.
>which is in itself a detractor but on the otherhand ties in w/ non-cliquisness.
>But I suppose I'm a Flaming Liberal :} If nothing else promote the happy,
>friendly parts.

Here is my sixpence
Hippydom failed in the sixties because the authorities really have
nothing to fear from peace-loving friendly people since the general
populace view them as deluded, anarchistic outsiders. By "failed" I
mean died-out as a counter culture, failed to bring about any of its
aims, and is regarded now as a pathetic joke.  If the peace and love
aspects of the rave counter-culture are to have any greater lasting
impact it must have a more positive media image than at present. The
occasional positive article or news story is not enough. The
misinformation and simple lies that surrround most generally-available
information on the rave scene should be attacked and esposed where they
are blatantly innacurate. Only in this way can the world at large come
to be influenced by the culture. The inherent problem is that there is
no-one really in a position to do this. A good example is UK television
(and radio) Cook Report. Roger Cook is a TV "investigative journalist"
with his own show. He speciallises in exposing crime in high
media-profile areas. (Child sex abuse, time-share apartment fraud,
company fraud, animal abuse and drugs, especially drugs). This style of
investigative tv-reporting, that began in the states with Geraldo and
similar shows is especailly dangerous, since they pick such sensitive
areas that they make themselves and the show a kind of sacred cow. Just
say "Child abuse" on the show, and anyone who disagrees with your point
of view can easly be portrayed as a paedophile kiddy-porn evil old man.
Just by saying "Killer drug", much the same effect can be achieved. The
problem is compounded by the fact that no-one is really able to
stand up and take an opposite point of view without incriminating
themselves. In the Cook Report case, after nearly every show there is a
short apology for the innacurate information on some previous show. "We
apologise for the slander in last July's show where we implied that Dr.
Smith sold children's pets for animal experiments, this is in fact not
true and we withdraw it unreservedly." However, who is going to sue
about their "Exposure of rave dance clubs and their link to the lethal
drugs ecstacy, speed and LSD" Club owners? The music business? Ravers?
Unlikely. Tabloid papers in the UK and Ireland have had a similar field
day in the past with no comeback from anywhere. 

I believe that with the joining of the hippy convoy and rave cultures this
could only get worse. Perhaps the only valid answer is to say "Stuff
them", do what you want to do and get on with it. But I wouldnt pin any
hopes on changing the world through music, drugs or "passing out info".
>
>	Thats my bit.
>	Flames, critiques and feasibility is of course welcome
>	me

	There's my bit. Probably not all that relevant to the US
experience, or anything for that matter.

	Dave Roe
Newsgroups: alt.rave