DC Forbids Silent Raves
Filed under: Etc. > Politik
This past weekend, about 1000+ people peacefully participated in a 'Silent Rave' in New York City's Union Square.
Unfortunately, if you 'Silent Rave' in DC there's a good chance your ass would get thrown in jail. That's a lesson a bunch of 'libertarians' just learned.
A group of about 20 people decided to get their 'Silent Rave' on at the Jefferson Memorial (in honor of Thomas Jefferson's birthday) on Saturday night. Unfortunately for them, their party was shut down immediately by National Park Rangers.
The 'incident' led to the arrest of one of the participants.
The Jefferson Memorial is open 24 hours to the public, so the 'ravers' were not trespassing.
You'd think that the people who helped run the city that symbolizes 'democracy' would be a little more tolerant! Sheesh!
Can't they groove alone to their headphones in peace????
Oh, and the irony is….
All of this happened at the Jefferson Memorial, in observance of Jefferson's birthday who was the most hardcore and anti-authoritarian of the Founding Fathers.
FIRST YESS
first
BALLS BALLS BALLS BIG HAIRY TESTICALS…BUTTER TITS……
FIRST!
third?
RYAN SHIT IN MY OVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jfiosjfsd
lame
firsttt.
sad
absolutely perez. what is this country coming to? i'm seeing some ominous parallels to us & nazi germany…
the "people" who run DC are different from the "people" who arrested the people at the monument. you can thank your elected representatives in congress for that– District residents don't have any representation in congress, but we do pay the highest taxes and foot the bill for all of the activities that y'all come here to engage in . . . the monuments are guarded by the feds, who make the rules about who can and can't be there.
So write your congressperson, ’cause I can't.
FIRST!!! And who cares about this??
FIRST BITCHES!!
1st
Welcome to the new American Police state!. Young people pay attention. Your country needs you right now to fight the authoritarian state and stand up for your freedom and right to assemble in a public place. This news is sickening. What kind of country are we living in? Jefferson would be disgusted! These young people should be commended for taking the time to honor one of the greatest Americans that ever lived. That's patriotic if you ask me. So you're gonna punish them for it? Ridiculous. Shame on the authorites who let this happen. shame… and thank you Perez for shedding the light on what most of us never hear about because our media SUCKS.
SECOND !
As a UVA student and a hardcore TJ fan (Thomas Jefferson for those in the know
, I know for sure he would totally approve of the silent dance party and/or spontaneous dance party. Boo DC.
ONE OF WARHOL'S OFFICES, WHICH WERE ALWAYS CALLED "FACTORIES,"
OVERLOOKED UNION SQUARE, WHICH IS FIERCE, BTW.
Honestly, I agree with this decision. This silent rave thing just sounds stupid (this from a 90s rave girl–so I am an open-minded person) and pointless. As a mother to young children, if I were on the mall as a tourist and my kids saw adults acting so strangely, I would be annoyed. I think such dumb behavior detracts from the experience tourists, especially those with children, would have of the memorial.
fascist states of america
i'm from dc and the police are super strict there
Perez, who told you about Thomas Jefferson? Because you definitely did not have that information stored in your own brain.
why do you post stories in which you copy word for word from the actual story you stole it from
unless they're dancing naked…. who cares?
Jefferson Memorial sits on federal land…the national park service police/rangers patrol this area of DC, so it falls under the federal government, not DC government jurisdiction.
Get it right.
Silent Raves may be the DUMBEST thing ever thought of to do w/ your time. How lame can you get? It's very middle school.
to clarify…. that means… let the silent rave go on, not that i don't care about the story!
What is there to forbid? People standing around listening to IPods?? That's asinine.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Jefferson simply wanted to create a different type of democracy, embedded in one's right to land and ownership of property. I wouldn't call Jefferson hardcore, more intellectual, unlike these silent raver idiots.
to the lady who thinks kids will be scared if they see these weird ravers,
WHen did kids get so fucking important? Adults work, pay the taxes, and keep the country going, Not Kids. There are plenty of people who don;t give a shit about kids!
The rave is still stupid as hell, though.
i was at the silent rave in nyc and it was awesome! if u love to dance and have a good time it was a great experience. police were there just watching and everyone was just there to have a good time. that sucks that dc wont let it happen.
Silent Rave? My god that is fucking stupid. I would love to take an employment poll at a silent rave.
Listen folks, standing out and being different isn't all its cracked up to be.
i think this kind of thing happens far more often then we as normal americans are aware of. its wrong, its illegal and nothing gets down about it. police break the laws that they are supposed to be upholding.
Just like $cientology picketers getting arrested and charged for peacefully protesting..
I wish I had been there. I'm a hardcore libertarian….DAMN THE MAN
They weren’t kids, they were all adults, it was not spontaneous, and it was planned using facebook. Also I’m not sure how this got reported in this particular article as silent. There was nothing silent about the group, they had a radio and were dancing and singing to celebrate the TJ’s birthday. They were told to leave because the monuments are supposed to be kept silent, and when they didn’t, one was arrested. It did make the news in our area (DC), especially as the girl arrested is from a political family and a family friend of our current First Family. And Thomas Jefferson was very vocal about people obeying the law! I don’t think he would have approved of people knowingly breaking the law and then disobeying the Park Police.
Mark this date down, kids. I believe this is the first time Perez Hilton has used the word 'libertarian' publicly. Ah, these Ides of April, where anarchist and fascist do battle again.
Fun times. And interesting.
Re: kellied –
Good to have another on board. And DC Grad, it was a silent rave, and it invloved less than 10 people. It occured in the middle of the night, so it wasn't exactly bustling with tourists. DC cops just get mean, kinda like Houston and Dallas.
That's so sad.
As a DC resident and frequenter of our country's monuments… this is appalling. What is going to be taken away from us now? Actually… the arrest was made by National Park Police, which news agencies videotaped numerous employees taking naps on the job. Guess they were upset that these guys woke them from their naps.
they don't allow silent raves, but they're okay when huge groups of college students get high on 4/20?
This is freakin' scary!!! When on earth did it become illegal in the US to peacefully assemble??? To Sammy: As a mom of two young kids, myself, I would have been so psyched to be presented with such a teachable moment!!! Wow, what a way to show your kids how lucky they are to have been born into a country that allows you to express your thoughts and opinions at any time. Well, that's what I thought we were able to do in this country!!! WTF????
Thanks Perez!! You ROCK!!
What a shock. Hello, people, we don't live in a free, democratic country anymore. At least not the one people like Jefferson envisioned.
Jefferson simply wanted to create a different type of democracy, embedded in one's right to land and ownership of property. I wouldn't call Jefferson hardcore, more intellectual, unlike these silent raver idiots. he had admitted sth on ~mixedfriends.com~ i understand him.
Hey Perez, you know you're a week late on this? You said on "Saturday" it was actually LAST Saturday… Old TJ's Bday is 13 April 1743. And to those who said they had a radio, you are totally off, they were all listening to ipods on ear phones. There are a few videos on youtube, so check it out…
Hello, The Greek Giant here dancing about my palatial estate to the smooth tunes of superior European rave DJs Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren while you impoverished American bums repeatedly play your pop music like clueless cows in a pasture.
I, The Greek Giant, have eaten some ecstacy to go with my latest shipment of pure Bolivian cocaine. I have five freshy chopped lines on the back of Cabana Boy #2, who is wearing black vinyl hot pants and howling on the top of his voice due to the thorough pummeling of his asshole. That is all.
the silent rave thing is stupid but I do think people should be able to congregate peacefully wherever they want.
Re: sammy –
what's with libertarians being in quotes? we have feelings too!
and as for your beliefs sammy, i don't see what's more dangerous to your kids - seeing some people dance with ipods on or growing up in an america that's outlawing more things than ever before.
What happened to the first amendment right to peaceably assemble?
I smell a lawsuit coming on…
Vice President — Michelle "James Brown" Obama
Secretary of State — Al Sharpton (Ambassador to Queens, Kings,
Premiers, Presidents, Prime Ministers)
Secretary of the Treasury — Wesley Snipes (Handles All Our Money)
Secretary of Defense — Louis Farakhan (Will Rid World Of All
International Whites)
Attorney General — Star Jones ( "She Said She's A Lawyer"; from
Crazytown, USA)
Secretary of the Interior — Don King (All Around Good Ole Crazy Guy)
Secretary of Agriculture — Snoop Dawg (He Will Be In Charge Of "Growing Stuff")
Secretary of Commerce — Kanye West (Can't Get Along With Nobody,
Pissed he's Not The Prez)
Secretary of Labor — K-Fed (Token Honkey—Never Works , But Looks Good)
Secretary of Health and Human Services — Mike Tyson (Knocks People
Out; Bites Their Ears Off)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development — Michael Jackson (Knows
About Houses & Kids & Stuff)
Secretary of Transportation — 50 cent (That's How He Rolls)
Secretary of Energy — Barry Bonds (Keeps Cabinet Supplied With
Steroids & Cocaine)
Secretary of Education — Reverend James Meeks (Will Rid World Of All
Homosexuals AND notions of Homosexuality)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs — Jesse Jackson (Cause He's The Oldest,
And Has To Be Something)
Secretary of Homeland Security — Reverend Jeremiah Wright (Will Rid
World Of All Domestic Whites)
Of course they have more cops and security in DC. It's the capital of our country for Christ's sake! If anyone wanted to do harm to our country, they'd go there. I'm sure 20 people gathered in the middle of the night for no reason around a momument looked suspicious. But it's not like they got arrested for being there! If so, ALL of them would have been arrested. So all you people saying they're taking away our rights and all that are just dumb! If some idiot wants to mouth off to a cop, they're gonna get arrested- no matter what city they're in.
They didn't get arrested for being there…or they would have ALL been arrested. If some idiot wants to mouth off to a cop, he's gonna get arrested no matter what city he's in.
It is obvious these so called kids are whacked out of their gords on drugs. Back in my day we were off in Vietnam killig god damn commies and not dancing around with fucking flowers in our hair.
Law enforcement simply has to form a line and mount an assualt on "Petey Peacemunger" Hippy sticks a swinging knocking Wavy Gravy into outer space "man"
These dead beats should be off looking for a job instead smoking pot and turning off or whatever the fuck they call it. Put them all on an island somewhere in the middle of the ocean and let them dance dance dance. Best of all send them over to Iraq to fight those god damn sand commies.
Otherwise conform to the laws that have been set and abide or face the wrong end of my oak stick you lazy dirty hippy bastards.
And the right of peaceful assembly went where?
Pusser is right. These lazy do-nothings need a kick in the ass. They don't understand nor do they listen. Kids today have everything handed to them and don't know/care what hard work is. They expect to come out of University and make 6 figures and if they don't they bitch and moan about how daddy hugged them a little too long, get on the meds and complain in any available coffee shop.
The Army should have been called in to suppress the situation and knock some skulls. Johnny Patriot needs to follow our lead and polish up the oak stick and "deal accordingly" with rabble rousers. Smoke on that you dirty ass hippies!
God Bless The USA
The United States - the land where the people kid themselves that they are living in a true democracy with all the rights that go with it - including free speech and the right to assemble peaceably. Also, didn't Jefferson have slaves? His idea of equality meant equality amongst white men. The behaviour of the United States against other countries when its own interests are threatened (particularly oil supplies and corporate interests) also demonstrates that its definition of democracy does not extend to other countries. How many corrupt regimes has it supported because it suited the US? Why is the US in Iraq? No wonder people all over the rest of the world treat the United States with suspicion and fear. Not only do they have a very rubbery definition of the term democracy, but they are not backward in using their huge military might when it suits. Then there is Guantanimo Bay where people languish without even being charged. Maybe the people of the United States should take it upon themselves to see how many other countries do democracy so much better…
Hey Voice Of Reason … you stupid bastard. When is the last time an ancharist did anything more than complain to his equally inebt friends …. lots of we should do this, we should do that kind of talk. Awww fuck it lets smoke a bowl. Then we can order a pizza on my dads credit card. Anarchy has not existed in America since the 20's and even then people still had some pride and actually took the shttiest jobs to put food on the table. The common man was looked down on for taking food stamps.
And don't use the 60's as an example because those "people with ideas" sold out when they realized the free handouts were over.
Here is a concept….accept it and get on with life and stop going to mommy and daddy for rent money and ahem help
Silent raves are possibly the gayest thing I ever heard of! just dance in your room with your i pod on like every other normal person!!!!
I think this concept of the silent rave is totally cool, doesn't look dangerous and is a place people can have some fun; because the government took all the other fun stuff for young people to do with all of the cutbacks!!! That's effed up, DC, for banning some kids with Ipods on their heads dancing around not hurting anybody!!!
that sucks! after hearing about the ny one i totally wanted to go to one in dc…
sorry folks, park's closed.
For those on their soapbox, settle down campers. In order to stage a protest, demonstration, event at the National Mall, Capital building or any of the monuments (as well as any of the squares in DC) you have to obtain a free permit. These aren't hard to get, you just actually have to submit an application and get one. No permit? No gathering. There are very few areas of DC which are off limits to gatherings. So regardless of whether they used this excuse or not to cart them off, the Park Police (note: these are NOT DC cops) are VERY bored. The most excitement they get at the monument is standing around watching tourists take photos and yelling at people not to pick the cherry blossoms. Hopefully someone from the ACLU will step in. LOL
I thought this was America.
America is a republic - not a democracy!
The United States Constitution does not contain the word democracy. It does "guarantee to every State in this Union a republican form of government…." Also, when we recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag, we say, "to the Republic for which it stands," and not "to the Democracy."
Don't be deceived. America is a republic - not a democracy!
This country continues to get on its knees and suck oppressively conservative ballsack. Way. To. Go.
Let's get something straight here. Athens symbolizes democracy, not Washington. Sheesh, Americans act like they invented the word. Perez, Greeks invented the concept and the word (demos=people, kratos=government; hence, "government by the people"). Also, as another astute poster mentioned, the USA is a republic, not a democracy.
don't forget, all you fucking idiots who voted for bush and will soon vote for mccain are responsible for this. what a fucking joke. there is no america. there is nazi land. fuck you fascists.
here's hoping we get you retards weeded out sooner rather than later.
damn perez way to post this so soon. i only heard about it a few days ago. Stupid fag.
these happen all the time in london and go smoothly. too bad it was ruined coz of the uptight rangers.
WOW. total infringement of their rights. every person in America has the right to peaceful protest. what those policement did was unconstitutional. where is the justice?!
Maybe I'm just getting old here, well let's be honest I am, this strikes me as a huge annoyance. Especially the part where the organizer says it's not a disturbance, which is EXACTLY why you have one at Paddington Station at rush hour in London. I'm all for getting your rave on, but lets not be p#ssys and start breaking into deserted warehouses again instead of ruining everyone's commute to their sh%ty jobs they don't want to go to anyway. I have spoken.
I thought there was freedom of assembly and freedom of speech in America. When the hell did that go out the window? How there isn't a revolution in your country, I'll never know. Are you all kept numb on drugs? Do you not notice what's happening to the once powerful USA? Young people in the US "seem" more interested in how they look, and not one bit interested in the state of their country! Just the way the government wants it! Grow a friggin backbone!
No offense, but I respect all Americans' freedoms, but in all honesty, I never understood the whole "protest" thing…don't these people have jobs & families to care for on a daily basis? I know I don't have time to take a stroll just anywhere and protest…I have responsiblities and things to get done…
In regards to someone's comments about "Taxation without Representations" in D.C., the reason the situation is what it is because the damn city can't run itself. The so-called elected officials are either drug-users or as criminal as can be…sorry…but there comes a time when being responsible truly does matter…
And Bravo to MaddyBoy for setting the story straight here…it is federal property…not D.C. property…try again gang…
What do you think the Founding Fathers would think of some overweight pickle-kisser who draws dicks on people's faces for a living?
Re: DIVINE JUSTICE – Yep…go ahead blame us…that's what all you pathetic limousine-liberals do. You can NEVER take responsibility for your own actions…its ALWAYS "blame others as you would never blame yourselves"…that's because YOU are are so far beyond reproach that you would NEVER make mistakes, right??? Get over yourself, and get off that soapbox, and hopefully you'll vote this November, but just a reminder…Clinton & Barack HUSSEIN Obama are NO better…why can't you get than in your head. ALL politicians are the same…total ego-maniacs…just b/c they carry your particular belief banner, doesn't make them any better…
Big brother is watching and pretty soon the entire country will become a police state. When you can't congregate peacefully in a public place .. and NOT even out of protest.. just having fun…what are they going to do next? start arresting people for having backyard barbecues? if people gathering in a public place is such a problem then why do they have so many political rallies? hundreds and thousands of people in one place.. being very LOUD mind you.. aren't getting arrested because there's a politician in the midst? the constitution is there for a reason.. its a shame that the politicians are shitting all over it. no more freedom of speech, no more right to gather peacefully, BUT theres's still the right to bear arms and shoot each other…makes perfect sense.
this might be an issue regarding a permit to assemble.
ahh. i was walking by ther and wondering wtf are they doing?!? hahh now i know
BUSH is essentially a MARXIST and must go. WE are a REPUBLIC.
America is a Republic, a constitutional Republic of a democratic (one man - one vote) nature. However, we are not a democracy where the majority rules. That is government propaganda designed to condition you to accept their injustice and believe that there is nothing that you can do about it. The difference between a Democracy and a Republic is that in a Republic there are certain things that can never be done no matter how many people want to do it ! The rights of no individual or group can ever be removed or diminished (because that group may be currently unpopular (for whatever reason)), regardless of how many people vote to do so. In a Republic, even if the vote is 250 million to 1, that one cannot be thrown into slavery. In a pure democracy 51% of the men can vote the other 49% back into slavery if they wish. Or, they can vote to steal your property (sound familiar), but not in a Republic (if the Constitution or the law forbids it, which ours DOES). Our founding fathers hated democracy, recognizing that it is nothing more than social slavery to the poular hysteria of the masses (sound familiar). They wanted a representative (democratic) system, but not a pure democracy, and they did not establish a democracy in the Constitution, they established a Republic, a Constitutional Republic.
Okay then? Understand now? Good deal.
BOOOOO-D.C.
Happy belated Birthday, T.J.!!
The rules for national parks are different than any other public property.
There are a lot of things that are restricted there. You can't play frisbee on the capital lawn for instance. These rules are not in place for "big brother" because the rangers are "fascist" or to take away anyone's rights. They are there because these monuments are to be enjoyed by all with reverence and respect for those who are honored there. A silent rave would be ridiculous at the vietnam memorial. People from all walks of life go to DC to see the heart of our country. I'd like to blame W but I just can't.
It is what it is. Keep your raves to basement clubs or public squares if you must, but don't think that just because it's a "free country" you can just do whatever you want. The park rangers make it safe for you and a lot of soldiers have sacrificed time with their families if not their life for these "freedoms" you complain about.
Re: f the kids – LOL
DC cops are such assholes. And they suck at their job. Lets try finding the person who stole my purse instead of busting these people for doing nothing!
scared lil bush-Not that I'm a fan, but how is Bush a Marxist? Do you know what "Marxist" means?
Perezzers…. you can't hold a demonstration of ANY kind on a federal or state memorial. THAT is what was illegal. If they'd held this in a public park it would have been fine. –Some people from my college tried to do football cheers at the Alamo & we got chased off, too — but it was explained to us nicely & no one was arrested.
Re: sammy – Yea Sammy, let's lock up people who aren't breaking the law because YOU wouldn't want your kids to look at them. Take responsibility for your own goddamn kids you worthless hack.
Freedom of assembly? anyone? anyone?
Re: Wee – It wasn't a demonstration, you fool. No politics were involved, no signs were there, there was no chanting, there was no demonstration. It was a dance party. There is a big difference.
O yes, let's show the millions of international tourists how STUPID americans are by dancing on a monument. Give me a break. It's the Thomas Jefferson Memorial–not a DC club. Monuments should be respected, hence the silence.
Way to go, Perez. I haven't visited your sight in a while, so its great to see you've started using your power for good.
Stick it to the man!
Stupid bastards. When I was 18 the only dancing I did was with a hootchie kootchie girl in god damn Saigon. Yes I was fighting dirty commies so the youth of today can go and dance like a bunch of gall darn fools. Maybe they should be practicing "working for a living" or better yet; visiting a local recruitment office to sign up for battle against those evil sand commies.
Buford Pusser delcares 4-20 National Oak Stick Day meaning I can legally take my oak stick out and smash some hippy heads in "man" legally and at then end of the day sit down in the lazy-boy and enjoy a bourbon while the wifey serves me up a fine meal.
Those DC cops had every logical right to mace the anarchists and load them up for a long stay in the county jail. God bless those boys in blue but the Liberal laws won't allow them to show who's boss. The country is going down the shitter because of every person under 35. What with your prescriptions to make you right in the head because you are off because your uncle slipped you the tongue or what have you. Go to CHURCH every Sunday and tell the lord all about it then go home and start swinging an axe chopping some damn firewood. Hard work is therapy you ingrates. Whenever my missus starts whining a good back hand puts seems to straighten her out nicely.
Remember guns don't kill people…people kill people
Haha looks it's me! in the picture! Wha Wha! im on perez hilton. Oh and yeah man those people suck, silent raves are just what the american people need, to feel free and break out of their disgusting pretenious shells.
Re: DC grad student –
You have no idea what your talking about. She works for CEI and the reason it got so much press is because the person who organized it contacted the media to raise awareness and money for her legal defense.
I live in a building accross the street where the rave took place in NYC. For the most part it was safe, considerate and fun but when I emerged from the subway hub in union square only a few feet from the rave I saw a man get stabbed in the stomach and a whole mess of other non-peaceful activities. Did people forget how to have fun. Leave the drama behind boys!!!
that sucks. as long as they weren't doing drugs, destroying property, dancin nakey, or being loud I don't see what the problem is.
Re: Buford Pusser –
1. u r a dumbass
2. u r sick
3. nobody cares what ur OLD ASS thinks
SO SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!!!!!!!
sure makes ME proud to be an american. not
re: Jenn
You are an ignorant little girl who has obviously been raised by a single mother who bore you whilst still a teen. The mother dumped you off at granny's on the weekends so she could continue her whoring ways. Surely you must have a few bastard half siblings…again with no known father.
You are a vile foul mouth disrepectful girl who needs that slapped out of you. I don't advocate violence against woman but some times when your kind cross the line a little strong arming settles things down real nice.
Now your salvation is to give up the heathin' ways you were born into. First step is to apologize to me for what you have written. Second you apologize to the LORD for being a whore and make a nice chastity vow. Third thing is to get a job…something menial as you are a woman. Along the lines of cleaning or maybe a nice factory job screwing nuts to bolts. You know nothing that will give your little femal brain a cramp. Meet a good Christan man, settle down and get married then pump out a bunch of god fearing chitlins.
Why?
BECAUSE BUFORD FUCKING SAYS SO!