Phish should be BANNNED at all colleges...
Shane O'Reilly
to Monday night's show in Normal, Illinois.
Here is the complete editorial (spelling mistakes included), copied and
pasted without permission. It can also be found at
http://www.pjstar.com/frontpage/editorials/pjs5216a.html
You can reply to the following editorial (PLEASE DO!) by e-mailing
<com...@pjstar.com>
Force Pfish from campuses
10/7/1999
O ther than Tony Bennett, there arenít many septuagenarian
singers with enough fans among
the young to pack a college auditorium and pose no threat
whatsoever to campus tranquillity or
the law. Bob Dylan and any number of his followers are pushing
60, and itís not just the Marlboro
man you smell at his concerts.
Nonetheless, for whatever reason, some entertainers bring out
the worst in their fans, a problem
aggravated by the fact that they often attract the worst kinds
of fans. This is not a reflection on
everybody who attended the Pfish concert at Redbird Arena
Monday, but it reflects miserably on
some of them.
Concert-goers threw rocks and bottles at undercover police
officers trying to make a drug arrest
outside the arena. They kicked doors and broke windows in two
campus residence halls. One
threatened to sic his dog on an officer, police said. The
drugs confiscated included LSD and other
hallucinogens. Before the night was out, 100 extra police were
called for possible riot control and
13 people were arrested.
This apparently was not an isolated occurrence. A Pfish
concert Friday in Ames, Iowa, turned
similarly disastrous; police there made 26 arrests and the
chief said heíd ask the university to
ban the group from campus.
Illinois schools shouldnít wait for a riot to make the same
decision.
Yes, it may be unjust to blame a rock band for what its fans
do. But it is also unjust to subject
students - the dorms under attack housed students; apparently
no students were arrested - to
the risk of violence they neither caused nor welcomed. Thereís
no justice in LSD usage. And there
isnít much justice to be found in making taxpayers fund a
riot-control force.
Pfishís pfuture?
Pfinished.
The original news article (not the above responding editorial) can be
found at the following URL;
http://www.pjstar.com/frontpage/topnews/pjs9660a.html
Below is the article copied without permission. The local author can be
reached at <keg...@aol.com>.
Phish fans get physical at show
Police attacked by bottle-throwing concertgoers; illegal drugs
seized
10/6/1999
By KEITH E. GOTTSCHALK of the Journal Star with Associated
Press reports
of the Journal Star
NORMAL - Dodging bottles and rocks, outnumbered Illinois State
University police spent Monday
night keeping more than 10,000 fans of the rock group Phish at
bay.
ISU police arrested 13 people in connection with activities
outside the sold-out show at Redbird
Arena. Those activities included drug dealing, assaults on
police and attacks on two campus
residence halls.
More than 100 extra police were called in for possible riot-
control duty after undercover officers
were attacked by about 150 rock- and bottle-throwing
concertgoers as they tried to make a drug
arrest outside the arena prior to the start of the concert,
according to ISU Police Chief Ronald
Swan.
Police reports indicate one of the unruly fans threatened to
sic his dog on an officer, and
uniformed police had to go in and rescue the plainclothes
officers, according to Swan.
"It was anything but calm and peaceful," said Swan. "It was
highly volatile."
The police chief said the attack convinced him he had a
potentially serious situation on his
hands. Added to the fans inside the area, Swan said there were
"many hundreds" of fans who
stayed outside during the concert.
Swan called on assistance from Normal and Bloomington police
as well as the McLean County
Sheriff's Department and the state police in anticipation of a
possible riot after the show.
Despite initial concerns, concert goers left the arena mostly
peaceably and the riot police weren't
used, said Swan. None of Swan's officers were hurt, but a
Normal police officer was treated for a
head laceration and for inhaling pepper spray. Normal police
also made several arrests of people
from the concert in nearby locations after the show, most of
them for drugs.
In the course of the evening, ISU police confiscated 54 hits
of LSD, "numerous" tabs of the drug
"ecstasy," four bottles of liquid LSD, 145 grams of marijuana,
21 grams of psilocybin mushroom
(a hallucinate), 46 capsules containing unknown substances,
and $3,969 in cash, according to
Swan.
Most of the 13 arrested were for drug violations but some were
arrested for aggravated assaults
on police and resisting arrest. Those arrested were primarily
18-22 year olds from out of state.
Swan said ISU students were not involved in the melee nor the
arrests.
Swan said he tried to defuse the situation by not staging a
show of force. "My intention was to
prepare for the worst case scenario," said Swan. "I kept
everyone in riot gear out of sight (of the
arena)."
Those concerns heightened during the intermission of the
concert when Swan said groups of Phish
fans attacked the Haynie Hall and Wilkins Hall dormitories
where front doors were kicked and
glass windows were smashed. No one was reported injured in
those incidents.
According to Swan, 45 officers assembled in riot gear near the
ISU police station, which at one
point was locked for fear of attack, and 70 officers were
assembled in riot gear at the Oakdale
Elementary School parking lot just south of the arena.
Swan said he is thankful the riot-equipped police weren't
needed, and he bristled at the
suggestion that he overreacted to the situation.
"We had a great concern that they would go after the students
in the residence halls," said Swan.
"I have a responsibility to protect the students of this
university, and I had to take all necessary
precautions."
The last time ISU police were confronted by a similar
situation was during a concert by shock-rock
artist Marilyn Manson in the spring of 1997. Although ISU
police had to deal with unruly fans then,
Swan said the Manson concert "paled in comparison" to what
happened with Phish.
A Phish concert at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, on
Friday night had similar results with
police there making 26 arrests.
Ames Police Chief Dennis Ballantine said Monday that drug use
and lawlessness outside the
concert was so bad he would ask the university to ban Phish
from campus.
Swan said while he would not go that far, he would advise
university officials of the seriousness of
the situation so they could decide what to do, if anything.
University spokesman Jay Groves said the concert was booked by
a promoter who received
assistance from the university's entertainment committee.
"It was basically a police matter," said Groves of the unrest.
"The arena is a place a lot of
different groups use to perform."
Groves said the ISU entertainment committee, made up of
students and faculty, would review the
outcome of the concert.
Copyright © Peoria Journal
Star
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BayardA
Yet more people trying to make something seem much larger than it is. Is anyone
else bored with all this nonsense?
Burndawg
Capnslap
Bored? Bored with the fact that next time I go to show, minding my own
business and staying out of trouble that me or my gal could be arrested or hurt
just because of police paranoia (which is a given at any time) revolving around
bullshit events that no phans tried to do anything about except a few that
decided to make them worse? I'm amazed with the the amount of claimed
conciousness in this "phamily" and the way it turns to complete apathy when
faced with a real situation. Do people feel uncool for siding with the police
>ugh...I feel sick< in situations where people are doing illegal activity
(guess what? If you get arrested it's because you were doing something illegal
and you got caught...it happens) and are receiving the consequences of their
RISKY actions? The police and the press may be blowing things out of
proportion, but the fact is that people are on alert now...they expect everyone
to carry the Woodstock virus with them-most of Amerika is ignorant, there is
nothing we can do about this. The police compared us with Marilyn Manson
fans...but not as bad!!! What's going on here? When these situations arise
are people who want things to stay calm and nice just keeping their mouths shut
and letting what they believe in die? It was even a small skirmish which could
have been prevented had a fellow fan actually intervened...you can't physically
defend someone who is being arrested for something illegal! Why doesn't anyone
stop this?...it's like the Hullabalooza where everyone got on Homer cos they
thought he was a narc. You can't beat the cops people, but you can make your
voice heard the most efficient way around here...if you want to stop seeing
people you know arrested for pot, etc...get out there and vote for a 3rd party,
write your congressman, protest peacefully but strong. I don't know what else
to say, this shit really puts an obstacle course in front of the damn Phish
show. How come this stuff doesn't happen out here? I remember poster saying
some lot kids wouldn't take his Budweiser because they funded the war on
drugs...they're trying to keep their business, it's your congressmen and
lawmakers that are bought. I'm not saying buy it...but it seems people are
being really hostile, and very out of character for what is generally a really
nice mellow scene. This anger is misdirected and brings about a "fuck the
police" attitude. Not a good attitude to have when someone gets hurt or some
of your shit gets stolen and you need the police to actually do their job and
help you. I'm not a fan of the police, I try to support the more positive
aspects of law enforcement and I'm against the war on drugs...but what is going
on? Why isn't anyone stepping in to try to calm these situations down? You
bet your ass I would if it were taking place near me and potentially
endangering me. I've even read a post about someone who was just next to some
vendors and he happened to be convenient...the police prescence only rears
itself when they feel it is needed, and thanks to the ignorance and flat out
stupidity of some of these fans, they definitely feel it necessary. I have no
problem with Phish not returning to places they are unwelcome...who would want
to go there? But we're making ourselves unwelcome before we even get there.
be concious of your surroundings, speak up.
I've sAid my peace
-John
"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your
philosophy"
Check out my DAT list at
http://www.tapetrading.com/lists/c/a/capn...@aol.com.html
lose the hat to respond
BayardA
Keep in mind that there are those of us who do practice what we preach but our
actions speak much louder than our words. The way of the dharma is not to
preach but to lead. I respect your opinions and your views, however I feel that
this energy is better spent on doing and acting, not preaching. I understand
your frustrations, believe me I do, but the answer does not lie in discussion
or words, it lies in actually doing. Patience.
Burndawg
Dave
Pfinished.
This guy must be slow!
SBboy14
>Yet more people trying to make something seem much larger than it is. Is
>anyone
>else bored with all this nonsense?
>Burndawg
>
Hey, I'm bored with it! I say we put a BAN on these silly posts dealing with
the latest Phish riot/beating/verbal lashing from local sheriff. what do you
think? Peace :)
Jason
Jason
Do tigers sleep in lily patches?
Capnslap
the latest Phish riot/beating/verbal lashing from local sheriff. what do you
think? Peace :)<<
I think this post is a post dealing with the latest Phish riot/beating/verbal
lashing from local sheriff. Should we ban your opinion too? I would feel
horrible if I BANNED you from making your voice heard. Point taken here...but
I have an opinion on it. Sorry.
EmHC01
>the latest Phish riot/beating/verbal lashing from local sheriff. what do you
>think? Peace :
We can't just push this issue to the side and ignore it. This needs to be
addressed. If we let it go and ignore it then it is only a matter of time
before Phish is not welcome anywhere. I can understand the anger of being
aressted, but why destroy other people's shit. It is simply not cool. I have
always had peaceful experiences at shows I do not want to fear the parking lot
scene. Please people think before you act and take responsibility for your
actions. Here is to hoping the December tour goes more smoothly.
Peace,
EM
BayardA
right here and right now: I believe in karma, I believe in generating good
karma by doing good. I still believe that will eventually be the way to end
these things. I also believe that all the talk is good because it is good to
hear others who think that such behavior is disgusting, but talk is talk.
Action speaks in much louder volumes than talk. Are we not talking here about
Actions? I have said this before and will say it once more. Violence begets
violence, love begets love. Walk in the way of the dharma and break the cycle.
In short: be smart, be alert, do all the good you can when you can, stand up
for your righs, stand up for your fellow man, stand up in unity over this
dischord! But do it peacefully and with love.
Burndawg
RENS 76
couldnt have been said any better, my brother, we all know by now what
happened, know lets do something about it, instead of feeding the negativity
that happened, lets stop situations like this before they start effecting us.
peace out
Darian Johnston
coworkers, who knew I was going on a four show run to see this band, how
this incredible group and the wonderfully peaceful and nice fans I had been
raving about could be responsible for what went down in Normal. Needless to
say I was incredibly embarrassed, not just for the band and the great fans I
know are out there, but because I couldn't come up with a good argument why
they shouldn't be banned. When people start assaulting police officers and
vandalizing then how can you possibly defend them. This is a real sad time
to be a phan.
Darian
john...@mtco.com
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PHISH JAM TIMING PAGE
http://www.mtco.com/~johnston/phish.html
Shane O'Reilly wrote in message <37FCDE41...@davesworld.net>...
Morrison70
article was pretty typical though, Peoria is a conservative town although
probably not as much as Ames. Maybe Phish could just play in random cleared
out cornfields in Illnois.
Scott
Darian Johnston
went to school for 5 years in Ames and kind of liked it. The sheriff there
seems to forget that Phish came to Ames in 96 with no problems at all. This
26 odd arrest number he keeps spouting as reasoning for banning Phish was I
believe less then the arrest total for the Rolling Stones concert in Ames
but no one suggested banning them. After graduating I moved to Peoria and
it's quite a switch. Just to give you all an idea, the BIG controversy in
Peoria right now is that a Hooters restaurant might come to town (THE
HORROR). Argghh, I have to move someplace cool.
Darian
john...@mtco.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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http://www.mtco.com/~johnston/phish.html
Morrison70 wrote in message
<19991007192510...@ng-cm1.aol.com>...
John Bollin
RENS 76 wrote:
At this point I'd asy it is a little late. This issue made national news, there
was a story on Rolling Stone online this morning. I'd say it is already
effecting the community in a big way. I just can't wait for the riot police to
bash my headi n because some FUCKING IDIOT threw a bottle at them.
Later, Johnny
Capnslap
there
was a story on Rolling Stone online this morning. I'd say it is already
effecting the community in a big way. I just can't wait for the riot police to
bash my headi n because some FUCKING IDIOT threw a bottle at them.
Later, Johnny<<
Johnny,
You're probably right, it's too late. Don't bother doing anything or
contributing to others doing something. Oh well. You're just going to have to
take that riot police beating like a man! :)