Insomniac Events CEO 表示:沒有一個活動可以寬容與會者使用藥物
自從發生了八仙事件之後, 台灣許多的音樂活動在申辦過程都受到政府的多方阻擾, 甚至有網友在網路上發起要求政府停止江蕙演唱會的活動進行, 不過近幾個禮拜美國與加拿大似乎也為了電子音樂派對的事情鬧得滿城風雨。
除了《Chasing Summer Festival 發生加拿大史上最嚴重藥物安全事件》之外針對 Hard Summer Festival 驚傳兩位青少年死亡案件, 當地媒體也以大量負面字眼用於報導上, 導致 LA County Board of Supervisors 不得不出面說兩句, 並且不排除可能禁止相關活動舉行的傳聞也隨之而來。
發跡在洛杉磯同時也是 Insomniac Events 創辦人兼執行長 Pasquale Rotella 就在 Instagram 發表了自己的看法:
I’ve been incredibly saddened by yet another loss of life that’s been attributed to our culture, and I have spent the last week reflecting on how the story has played out in the media. First and foremost, my heart goes out to the friends and family of those two young women. We don’t condone or tolerate drug use, but the problem here isn’t raves or dance music, or even festivals in general. The health impact of drug abuse in our country extends far beyond what happens at our events. I lost five friends to drug overdoses at a young age, none of which occurred at dance music festivals; most of them weren’t even fans of the genre. No one wrote about them.
Dance culture has survived for decades and has never been more popular. Banning these events at facilities where we are able to provide first-rate medical care and emergency services is not the answer. I hope that policymakers and the media do not turn their backs on a cultural movement that is thriving and brings so much happiness to a generation that, quite frankly, needs an environment where they can feel loved and accepted. Most just want healthy interaction with their peers. I know that if I didn’t have access to this community growing up, my life would have taken a much different turn.
I see nothing but great opportunity within large gatherings—the opportunity to promote health, happiness, individuality, and human connection. If we’re trying to create a safe and secure environment for these passionate fans, sending them back into the unregulated underground isn’t a step in the right direction. We all need to do our part in creating a national dialogue that educates our youth and encourages them to be accountable for their choices—especially when it comes to drugs.
Pasquale Rotella 表示我們不能忍受活動中出現藥物使用者, 許多活動也積極宣導藥物的安全性也與相關單位積極合作, 發生這樣的事情是誰也不願意見到的, 但是我們不能夠因為個人的因素就由整個活動來去承擔相關責任。
其實許多國際知名派對都有傳出遊客嗑藥死亡的案件, 不少的社會輿論壓力紛紛指向活動本身, 不過這的確是非常不理智的行為, 即使主辦單位在入口處安排安管人員但並不代表它們有權力對遊客進行搜身與個人物品檢查的動作, 就算是警方也不能隨意執行相關動作, 所以在執行上確實有其困難之處。
圖 / Insomniac Events