===== Electronic Music Defense and Education Fund =====
July 6th, 2002 - EM:DEF Newsletter
1. Senate "RAVE Act" on Fastrack to Becoming Law
2. Congress Congratulates Detroit for Creating Techno
3. FCC Censoring Music
4. Supporting EM:DEF
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1. Senate "RAVE Act" on Fastrack to Becoming Law
Legislation has been introduced in the Senate that would modify Title 21
U.S. Code Section 856 (aka the "crack house law") so that prosecutors
could more readily use the statute against venue owners, managers,
promoters, and others. Citing "mixed results" in the New Orleans case
and other cases, Senator Biden introduced S.2633 "to tailor [the crack
house] statute more precisely to the problem at hand" (i.e. target
raves.) Biden's legislation would expand the definition of what is
considered a criminal act under 21 U.S.C. 856 and add civil liability
damages ($250,000 minimum) to the existing criminal penalties (up to 20
years prison and/or $500,000 fine.) This legislation could have a
devastating effect on the electronic dance music scene.
Senate Bill 2633 has been put on the Legislative Calendar under General
Orders thus bypassing the usual period of debate and comment. The full
Senate could vote on the bill as early as Monday July 8th, 2002.
Act now and let your elected representatives know that you oppose this
legislation. For more info on S.2633 - including how to write your
Senators visit:
http://www.emdef.org/bills_us/2002/s2633_rave_act_2002.html
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2. Congress Congratulates Detroit for Creating Techno
On June 6, 2001 the U.S. Congress adopted Concurrent Resolution 80
congratulating the residents of Detroit for playing "an integral role in
developing the distinctly American sounds of jazz, rhythm and blues,
rock 'n roll, and techno."
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c107:H.CON.RES.80.ENR:
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3. FCC Censoring Music
In June of 2001 the FCC tested new Decency Standards for the radio. The
new law allows the FCC to regulate the content of music which contains
"offensive sexual references". The FCC set out to prove it's point -
first fining an independent radio station in Colorado for playing
Eminem's top selling "The Real Slim Shady", and second, an independent
radio station in Oregon for playing Sarah Jones' "Your Revolution".
After protest by Eminem's Interscope Records, the FCC reversed it's fine
against the Colorado station. Meanwhile, Sarah Jones, who released the
song on independent Ninja Tunes Records is now involved in a lawsuit
against the FCC. According to legal briefs filed by Portland's K-BOO
FM, Sarah's song, in tribute to her working colleague Gil Scott-Heron,
is "a feminist attack on attempts to equate political revolution with
promiscuous sex" - the opening lyric is, "Your revolution will not
happen between these thighs". While the song is provocative, it
attempts to provoke images of self respect for women and of decency for
men. KBOO called the song "one of the most important feminist hip-hop
songs of the last decade".
"The Real Slim Shady" features Eminem rapping about Pamela Anderson
getting her ass whupped, Christina Aguilera giving blowjobs and then
giving Eminem V.D., telling Will Smith to go f*ck himself, mentioning
women's clitorises and fantasizing about pinching asses, jerking off
with Jergens hand cream and humping dead mooses. As noted, the FCC
reversed it's decision restricting airplay of Eminem's song.
You can write FCC Commissioner Michael Powell at: mpowell@fcc.gov
To learn more about this story visit:
http://www.airbubble.com/your_revolution.html
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4. Supporting EM:DEF
In 2001 the government attempted to cripple the electronic dance
movement by using federal narcotics laws to prosecute promoters, venue
managers, and club owners who were involved with electronic dance music
events. The government's use of the "crack house" law against an
internationally respected rave promoter and two managers of an
entertainment facility used for raves brought drug reform activists,
civil libertarians, and music industry professionals together to create
EM:DEF. Across the country promoters and club owners joined together
and created regional "late night coalitions" to defend and protect local
electronic dance music interests.
The efforts of these groups and others - supported by the electronic
dance music community as a whole - prevented three innocent men from
going to prison and stopped any further plans to prosecute other rave
promoters on similar charges (at least temporarily.) But the war is not
over, the government is just re-grouping and taking a pause to re-write
the rules of engagement. EM:DEF will continue to defend the electronic
dance community to the best of our abilities and resources but we need
your help to do so. To make a donation to EM:DEF click on the link
below (all donations are tax-deductible.)
http://www.emdef.org/contribute.html
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EM:DEF - Electronic Music Defense and Education Fund
* visit us: <http://www.emdef.org>
* email us: emdef@emdef.org>
* donate: <http://www.emdef.org/contribute.html>
* link: <http://www.emdef.org/contribute.html#LinkToUs>
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