DEA Uses RAVE Act to Stop a Benefit...

[Ferre]

DEA Uses RAVE Act to Stop a Benefit to Raise Money for Marijuana
Reform

**Fax the DEA and Tell Acting Administrator William Simpkins to Stop
Using the RAVE Act Against Political Events http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=2008

Only two months after the RAVE Act was passed by Congress it has been
used by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to
intimidate the owners of a Billings, Montana, venue into canceling a
combined benefit for the Montana chapter of the National Organization
for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Students for Sensible
Drug Policy (SSDP). One of the biggest reasons the Drug Policy
Alliance waged a national campaign to stop the RAVE Act was that we
feared it would be used to shut down political events like this.

On the day the fundraiser was set to take place a Billings-based DEA
agent presented the venue owners with a copy of the RAVE Act warning
them that they could face a fine of $250,000 if illicit drugs were
found in the premises. The bands - most of which regularly played at
the venue - were also approached and warned that their participation
in the event could result in a fine.

Rather than risk the possibility of enormous fines, the venue decided
to cancel the event. This blatant intimidation by the DEA was
obviously designed to shut down the marijuana reform fundraiser.
Unless the American people speak out against this attack on free
speech, the DEA will be emboldened to use the law against other events
they do not like, such as all-night dance parties, hip hop concerts,
hemp festivals, and circuit parties.

Join the Drug Policy Alliance, National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and numerous other
organizations in our campaign to pressure the DEA to stop using the
RAVE Act to shut down political events.

ACTIONS TO TAKE

1) Fax the DEA. Urge Acting Administrator William Simpkins to stop
using the RAVE Act to harass innocent business owners and stifle free
speech.
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=2008

2) Forward this alert to friends and family. Send it to e-mail lists
and post it in chat rooms.

BACKGROUND

Sponsored by Senator Biden (D-DE), the RAVE Act (also known as the
Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act) was first introduced last year.
It proved so controversial then that two of its original co-sponsors
withdrew their support because they feared it would send innocent
business owners to jail. Business owners collected over 20,000
signatures in opposition to the bill. Protests against it were held
around the country and tens of thousands of voters urged their elected
official to oppose it. Controversy over the bill stalled it last year,
but Senator Biden attached it to the popular "Amber Alert" bill
without public debate or a vote of Congress earlier this year and
snuck it into law.

The RAVE Act expands federal law to make it easier to jail and
imprison event organizers and property owners that fail to stop drug
offenses from occurring on their property - even in cases when they
take serious steps to reduce drug offenses. It applies to "any place",
including bars and nightclubs, hotels, apartment buildings, and homes.
Legal experts warned that the law was so broad that it could be used
to shut down not only raves and electronic music events, but also Hip
Hop, rock, and country music concerts, sporting events, gay and
lesbian fundraisers, political protests, and any other event federal
agents do not like.

On May 30th an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told
managers of the Eagle Lodge in Billings, Montana that the Lodge could
be fined $250,000 if anyone smoked marijuana during a planned benefit
to raise money for a campaign to change Montana's medical marijuana
law. After consulting their attorneys, the Eagle Lodge canceled the
event.
For more information on the RAVE Act see: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=1989

For more information on the DEA and the Eagle Lodge see: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=1990

For problems, please contact Jeanette Irwin at jirwin@drugpolicy.org.

Please consider joining the Drug Policy Alliance: http://www.drugpolicy.org/join/index.cfm?ms=footer
_________________
█ Please read the Board Rules and Posting, and you
█ Radio Free Amsterdam
People who know truth, speak truth.
Those who don't, quote scriptures.

[Ferre]

DEA Uses RAVE Act to Stop a Benefit to Raise Money for Marijuana
Reform

**Fax the DEA and Tell Acting Administrator William Simpkins to Stop
Using the RAVE Act Against Political Events http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=2008

Only two months after the RAVE Act was passed by Congress it has been
used by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to
intimidate the owners of a Billings, Montana, venue into canceling a
combined benefit for the Montana chapter of the National Organization
for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) and Students for Sensible
Drug Policy (SSDP). One of the biggest reasons the Drug Policy
Alliance waged a national campaign to stop the RAVE Act was that we
feared it would be used to shut down political events like this.

On the day the fundraiser was set to take place a Billings-based DEA
agent presented the venue owners with a copy of the RAVE Act warning
them that they could face a fine of $250,000 if illicit drugs were
found in the premises. The bands - most of which regularly played at
the venue - were also approached and warned that their participation
in the event could result in a fine.

Rather than risk the possibility of enormous fines, the venue decided
to cancel the event. This blatant intimidation by the DEA was
obviously designed to shut down the marijuana reform fundraiser.
Unless the American people speak out against this attack on free
speech, the DEA will be emboldened to use the law against other events
they do not like, such as all-night dance parties, hip hop concerts,
hemp festivals, and circuit parties.

Join the Drug Policy Alliance, National Organization for the Reform of
Marijuana Laws, Students for Sensible Drug Policy, and numerous other
organizations in our campaign to pressure the DEA to stop using the
RAVE Act to shut down political events.

ACTIONS TO TAKE

1) Fax the DEA. Urge Acting Administrator William Simpkins to stop
using the RAVE Act to harass innocent business owners and stifle free
speech.
http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=2008

2) Forward this alert to friends and family. Send it to e-mail lists
and post it in chat rooms.

BACKGROUND

Sponsored by Senator Biden (D-DE), the RAVE Act (also known as the
Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act) was first introduced last year.
It proved so controversial then that two of its original co-sponsors
withdrew their support because they feared it would send innocent
business owners to jail. Business owners collected over 20,000
signatures in opposition to the bill. Protests against it were held
around the country and tens of thousands of voters urged their elected
official to oppose it. Controversy over the bill stalled it last year,
but Senator Biden attached it to the popular "Amber Alert" bill
without public debate or a vote of Congress earlier this year and
snuck it into law.

The RAVE Act expands federal law to make it easier to jail and
imprison event organizers and property owners that fail to stop drug
offenses from occurring on their property - even in cases when they
take serious steps to reduce drug offenses. It applies to "any place",
including bars and nightclubs, hotels, apartment buildings, and homes.
Legal experts warned that the law was so broad that it could be used
to shut down not only raves and electronic music events, but also Hip
Hop, rock, and country music concerts, sporting events, gay and
lesbian fundraisers, political protests, and any other event federal
agents do not like.

On May 30th an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) told
managers of the Eagle Lodge in Billings, Montana that the Lodge could
be fined $250,000 if anyone smoked marijuana during a planned benefit
to raise money for a campaign to change Montana's medical marijuana
law. After consulting their attorneys, the Eagle Lodge canceled the
event.
For more information on the RAVE Act see: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=1989

For more information on the DEA and the Eagle Lodge see: http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/ctt.asp?u=37593&l=1990

For problems, please contact Jeanette Irwin at jirwin@drugpolicy.org.

Please consider joining the Drug Policy Alliance: http://www.drugpolicy.org/join/index.cfm?ms=footer
_________________
█ Please read the Board Rules and Posting, and you
█ Radio Free Amsterdam
People who know truth, speak truth.
Those who don't, quote scriptures.

[Rokerijdude11]

beat me to the post lol i was just gonna put this up
great minds think alike eh?lol
disturbing tidbit of news isnt it ?