A Rant From Tash Lodge
Courtesy of Alan Lodge [photographer]
Wednesday
Hello all,
Haven't been in this list long. But watching some of the recent mails go past.
Think I've got a handle on what's what.
Personally, I come from a free festivals and travelling background. Travellers
etc. A number of sayings have helped guide my life over time. Like....
Bring what you expect to find? If no you, who? If not now, when? If not here,
where?
In sum, this means self-reliance. It means gigs are ALWAYS better, when people
attending don't just attend , but are a main put of the act. It is obvious to
all those there, when this magic happens.
This is actually where I came in 1972 windsor, stonehenge etc..... These were
my motives then. And remain so now. Of course the authorities have difficulty
with a system that means they are not in sole charge, hence all the law and
violence since the beanfield etc......
Over time, I have been involved I raising awareness about the law changes and
their implications to us all.
Public order act - Criminal justice and public order act - Noise act - Barry
leggs: places of entertainments (increased penalty) act - Security services
act...
And now all the acts going through parliament NOW - with the words "conduct
by a large number of persons in pursuit of a common purpose" being a new
definition of serious crime!!! With the new definition of serious crime, then
enable to use of some 'heavier' police departments to be applied against us.
And will be the end of all the rts and similar gigs. Shame eh?
Now, in 'rave mode', I have spent time with the Velvet Revolution and All Systems
gigs, I had written 'sound advice' and 'the right to party' - to try and raise
these matters in peoples minds.
Well, we have lost each of the matters I'm on about here. Whoever you vote
for, the government gets in!
What I am absolutely positive about though, is that people involved in the
scene, DID NOT DO ENOUGH ABOUT ANY OF IT AS IT HAPPENED AND NOW IS STILL GOING
ON.
People have to realise that self-interest and their own immediate happiness
( hedonism?), is not enough to make a festival, party rave, traveller site,
gathering. Important, but not enough Some folks on this list will be too young,
to have had any objection to these changes as they have happened over recent
years. But many of you will be.
The way parties are now organised, between those trying to conform with some
pretty onerous conditions, (ie half to 2/3 of a ticket price to 'self-police'
and pay for your own public order management and drug search.!)and those involved
with the 'free' end of things but at continued 'personal' rather than 'sheared'
risks.
This division is of course orchestrated by the other side.
This old hippy / raver? Is now of the opinion that folk have now got the party
they deserve.
Discuss........
Love Tash
Ps. I maintain an internet site, where I go into all this in more depth, please
do take a look.
