Posted on 03/30/2006 7:38:10 PM PST by Northwesterner
Thursday, March 30, 2006
No rave crackdown coming Teen rules wouldn't have stopped tragedy, officials say
By ANGELA GALLOWAY AND D. PARVAZ P-I REPORTERS
Faced with the senselessness of last week's slaughter of six young people hours after an all-night, all-ages dance party, many parents want not only answers -- but also accountability.
That has some in Seattle's "rave" scene worried about a government crackdown reminiscent of the controversial and now defunct "Teen Dance Ordinance."
But it's more likely that the only new restrictions on raves here will be self-imposed -- with at least two events scheduled for this weekend already canceled.
City Hall has no plans to intervene in the often dark, loud, occasionally outlandish rave scene where the 28-year-old Kyle Huff met his victims, including two girls about half his age.
Politicians, and even Seattle's best-known defender of underage dance restrictions, former City Attorney Mark Sidran, said such laws do nothing to prevent the kind of carnage unleashed by Huff. He accumulated a sizable arsenal long before the rampage and went to the party in a pickup truck loaded with guns and hundreds of bullets.
"Some tragedies defy any sort of rational response in terms of regulation because they're completely irrational events you can't really predict or prevent," said Sidran, who defended the Teen Dance Ordinance, which was enacted in the mid-1980s.
The ordinance prevented minors and adults from patronizing the same dance clubs, and many music industry professionals complained that it crippled their business. With Mayor Greg Nickels' support, the City Council repealed the ordinance nearly six years ago.
Sidran still believes teens are in harm's way without stricter rules. But, he said, "this kind of homicidal psychopathic violence is not what the Teen Dance Ordinance was about and is just a terrible tragedy."
Nickels added that people searching for a reason behind the killings can't blame the rave scene -- a world known for gyrating techno-music, strange costumes and, sometimes, drug use.
"This is not about music, this is not about a party. This was about a guy who decided he was going to kill people and he had the firepower to do it," Nickels said.
Huff met his victims through a zombie-themed rave called "Better Off Undead" at the Capitol Hill Arts Center, or CHAC. Folks there invited Huff to an after-rave gathering at a nearby rental home.
Shortly after 7 a.m. Saturday, Huff retrieved guns and ammunition from his pickup truck and began firing at his new acquaintances. He fatally shot six young people and wounded two more before shooting himself to death when confronted by a Seattle police officer.
On Wednesday, Sandra Williamson, the mother of shooting victim Christopher "Deacon" Williamson, launched a personal campaign to ensure that raves and other organized dance events continue in the city.
"I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that those raves continue," said Williamson, who met with some who were at the party during Huff's killing spree. "That is what I am going to do for Chris."
Williamson had visited one rave at the Stadium Exhibition Center with her son and said she was impressed by how much security there was.
"They are a family there," Williamson said of the community, which Chris was trying to break into as a DJ. "And if parents or the city take that away from them, they are going to have more trouble. They need that outlet."
Williamson does not understand parents who call for putting an end or tighter restrictions on the all-ages events.
"What, they want their children out on the street in a gang, out spray-painting graffiti or just staying home being bored with their parents? It is much safer at one of these dances," Williamson said.
It's natural for people to seek some sort of quick action in the wake of such a "massacre," said City Councilwoman Jean Godden. "Everybody seems to want to pin it onto something," she said. But, "I want to make sure it's the right response, an appropriate response -- not a totally irrelevant one."
City Councilman Richard Conlin added that the city should focus on conveying its sympathy for the victims' families, not seeking a quick fix. "We don't regulate what happens inside people's houses," he said. "I know everyone would kind of like to say, 'What can we do to prevent such things in the future?' "
But, he said, "I don't think there's an easy answer."
Meanwhile, two raves with connections to last Friday's show have been canceled. DJ Adman Sin, who spun at Friday's show, has called off his show planned for this Friday night in South Seattle. He posted on an Internet site that he couldn't "take this Seattle drama anymore."
And CHAC has canceled this weekend's "Underground Existence."
"We decided to cancel the event because we thought it was disrespectful and tacky," said CHAC spokesperson Amy Baranski.
Although Baranski said her group is willing to work with officials on any concerns regarding all-ages parties, some politicians said last week's shooting instead highlighted the need for gun regulations and social issues such as stricter parental oversight.
"I want to stay focused on gun violence and issues of mental illness or whatever caused the shooter to do what he did," said City Councilman David Della.
Councilman Peter Steinbrueck added he was "really incredulous over young teenaged girls going out all night unsupervised and mixing with much older people."
"I think girls are particularly more vulnerable but I wouldn't let my 13-year-old son do anything close to that -- there's no way."
Lane Storli, an 18-year-old who was at Saturday morning's party but left before the shooting, got into rave dances after eight years of studying ballet, said his mother, Carolann Storli.
The key to keeping Lane safe was to keep close tabs on him, she said.
"He was dropped off and picked up at 2 in the morning," said Storli, a lawyer. "The deal was that if he was there to meet us when we went to pick him up, then maybe we'd let him go again."
Allowing teens to go to events where promoters often have education about the effects of drugs and operate with proper permits is safer, Storli says, than "having your kids at the parking lot with a keg."
Warren Henrickson's daughter, now 20, has been going to raves since she was a teen and the family moved to Seattle from Sequim two and half years ago.
"Nicole didn't fit in when she was younger," Henrickson said. "She dressed like a Goth and was really artistic. There was a lot of pressure on us to make her dress normally and put her in a box.
"We figured out that doesn't work too well." Henrickson added that until he and his wife decided to ease up on Nicole, there was a lot of tension in their home.
Henrickson, a music director for Northwest Church in Federal Way, said he's met many of Nicole's friends from the rave community and they are "great kids who look a little different and are misunderstood."
Several members of the City Council did allow that the tragedy might lead to more modest changes in city laws.
"Given the gravity of this horrible thing that happened, we've got to look at the whole night into the morning hours, and I'm sure that there will be that kind of examination," Steinbrueck said.
These raves have been known for underage sex and massive drug use in what is claimed by city officials and police to be a safe and friendly environment for minors with adults. Only two words here [b] Corruption and Cover-ups! /[b]
I'm hopeful that the silver lining in this tragedy is the fact that the general public is now becoming fully aware of the dangers with the poorly written All Ages Dance Ordinance and amendments may soon follow - I can only hope.
I believe in freedom, including the right to choose wrong for yourself.
To hell with this law.
Gee, you must mean like every concert back in the 60's.
Every generation has stuff like this. You can't and shouldn't have some old farts trying to 'save' everyone from themselves. Complaining about raves is Grandma nonsense.
I, like most people, don't like gov getting in my business - but if you be violating others and cop looks the other way for political reason - In my opinion, that's a problem not a right.
I, like most people, don't like gov getting in my business - but if you be violating others and cop looks the other way for political reason - In my opinion, that's a problem not a right.
Well parents, YOU should be held accountable. I want to hear your reasons why you shouldn't be held accountable. Your children do not belong in the streets after 10PM.Where are your brains?
No kidding, 'where are your brains?' indeed. "They are safer there than on the streets!!" hah. And that mom who is fighting FOR the rave parties to memorialize her son --- whooooeeeee, there's sick for you.
But if you be violating?
Whatever.
A rave in and of it's self violates nobody. If they want to arrest someone for violence or drugs, that's a different issue entirely. Shutting down a rave is not the answer.
It would be like shutting down a lot of jazz dances in the 30's, only difference is we've romanticized the past to the point where we think it's different.
Why was a guy in his late 20's going to a rave that seems like it was designed for teens?
This thing could have been a whole lot worse. A local radio station (KVI) has reported that also in his trunk was two 5-gal cans of gasolene. What was he planning? My guess starting a fire at the rave which had about 500 people, and mayby shooting people as they tried to escape. Could the tight security they had there caused him to change his plans so instead went to one of the after party houses?
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