Valencia County wants to pass a new anti-rave ordinance — titled in the legal section of the newspaper, “An ordinance relating to ‘Prohibiting rave parties in Valencia County.’”

It’s intended to curtail the high-intensity dances that popped up several times this summer near Rio Communities.

A ban is fine, if that’s what commissioners choose to do, even though there are better solutions. But let’s do at least one thing — stop referring to them as “rave parties.”

As someone pointed out at a commission meeting a couple of months ago, the purpose of a rave isn’t just for teens to have some fun in a boring county. It’s also to be there in spite of parents who don’t want them to be there.

Add to that a prohibitive law, and it could be more enticing. Youth will take their illicit raves further underground, in spite of the law.

Then add one more thing: the term rave parties.

Saying rave parties is redundant, and to the ears and eyes of young people, reinforces what they’ve always believed: you old folks are out of touch.

This page was published on September 28, 2009 at 12:13pm and is filed under Valencia County. You may copy and paste this page's link to email it.