16Sept13
Shooting in Washington at the Navy Yard
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/us/shooting-reported-at-washington-navy-yard.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
http://nyti.ms/17SvDxG
Shooting in Washington at the Navy Yard
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/17/us/shooting-reported-at-washington-navy-yard.html?pagewanted=1&_r=0
http://nyti.ms/17SvDxG
NYTimes: Drug Deaths Threaten Rising Business of
Electronic Music Fests
A string of drug-related deaths at big music festivals
has highlighted the risks not only to fans, but to the businesses looking to
profit from the craze.
This is a very interesting story that I have witnessed first hand. I have been to concerts/festivals like those cited, and have seen the use of these "party drugs". This a major concern but I do not think that destroying the techno market is the best option. Drugs abusers will do drugs no matter what. If they aren't using them at the concert they will be doing it somewhere else. These concerts just attract the users and thats why you see the overdoses in large quantities. In my opinion, the best option is for the promoters and musicians to push awareness for drug use and discourage it. The music isnt the problem the drug is and the only way to get rid of the drug is to push people away from it.
ReplyDeleteI've been to concerts where I've seen a lot of drinking and some drugs but not to the levels of these concerts. I would agree that the people who are going to do the drugs are going to do them no matter what. Just because the music isn't there doesn't mean the drugs won't be be,I feel like that idea is naive. I get that there is obviously a connection between these concerts and festivals and the drugs but I don't think that they are the cause.
ReplyDeleteThere was a shooting this morning that happened at the Washington Navy yard and so far there have been seven people declared dead. Two of these deaths being D.C. police officers. There are three suspected shooters and one of them has been declared dead. The other two of them have not yet been found. They are both wearing military style clothing. Many schools and other military facilities have been put on lock down in the area.I think that when things like this happen it makes people paranoid about whats going to happen knowing that people like this are out there.
ReplyDeleteSomething I found of interest in the Navy Yard shooting,was the navy yard was considered to have very good security. I feel that Americans want to feel safe and these shooting are going to lead to more questions about the public's safety in the future. Since the shooting at Sandy Hook there has been talk about how to make our schools safer, although, now a secure building has also fallen victim to shootings.
ReplyDeleteWhat I found particularly interesting about the navy yard incident is that this man had previously been charged and arrested for shooting indirectly at another woman for complaining that he was too loud. Yet, the man was still able to acquire an AK-47. In my opinion I think he got pissed off for being discharged so he planned a way to get back at them. This was his way of getting revenge. When you look at his history, he is a very vengeful person who either is not concerned or doesn't understand consequences. Many times when situations like this happen, we say the shooter has a psychological issue, and I usually agree with that judgment; but in this case I do not think that is the issue. There is a slim chance he has antisocial personality disorder (Sx: reckless behavior, no comprehension of consequences, no concern for anyone's safety. Often called a sociopath or psychopath) but obviously we'll never know since he was killed. Anyway, I'm mainly concerned with HOW he was able to acquire the AK-47 though..
ReplyDeleteHe definitely had some psych issues. If you read articles about his past you will see that he went to the vet hospital several times for concerns of psych issues. Also, I think the main concern here is that the company that does the background checks for the Navy missed his prior arrests. How many other military men are there with criminal records? He was allowed a pretty high security clearance and had access to weaponry. The navy needs to investigate how they missed his prior arrests to ensure something like this doesnt happen again.
DeleteI agree with my colleague Petina concerning the concert. I personally have never atteneded any concert and I understand that people are drinking at these concerts as well as doing drugs beforehand, but I don't necessarily think that these festival are causing the audience to want to do drugs. Drugs are going to be done regardless if there is music or no music. It's a decision that is made by the person and I don't believe that music is a factor.
ReplyDeleteI agree with kim, and patina, aswell. I have been to my fair share of concerts, and with or without the music the drugs get done, but I agree that while the drugs at concerts have a correlation, the concert is not the causation of the drug taking, for as kim said, drug taking will happen with or without music. you don't hear about the cocaine addict who died in a gutter, but when it happens in public forums, it's all over the news. drugs have been around for along time, they make boring times fun, and fun times awesome, so while the concert may not be the reason behind someone taking the drug, it was sure a pro. unfortunately, this is not the only public forum that I know people have abused certain illegal substances. I'm just waiting till this happens in a movie theater or something, and then the world realizes how widespread drug use is.
ReplyDeleteI have attended many concerts in my life of various genres and I have been present at concerts where these drugs were not only used, but readily available. I could not walk twenty feet without someone discussing their high or seeking more substances. I do not think that the concerts/music industry are promoting this drug use, but it does stem back to the lifestyle that teenagers and young adults strive for- the carefree, wild, reckless behavior that is portrayed by artists, but not all the time actually lived. drugs and music festivals have coexisted for years, but drugs will always be around and so will music. as unfortunate as it, drug use is more wide spread in my generation that most people realize. maybe these deaths will be the wake up call people need?
ReplyDeleteI have only attended two concerts in my life both of them involving well known hip-hop artist (Lil Wayne and Wiz Khalifa). At both of these concerts drug were been used by most of the people of the crowd. I stood next to five people who were smoking marijuana, and also trying to sell it to other people. I don't think that the two artist were promoting the use of drugs neither was the labels they represented.
ReplyDeleteThe incident involving the shooting at the Navy Yard was a grotesque act of violence on an innocent group of individuals. I'm not sure if these things have always been occurring at the rate they are now or if there is more news coverage surrounding the events, but there is a definite trend emerging. I could be going out on a limb by saying this but it seems to me that the more attention these shootings get the more prone they are to happen. Some people crave attention and are determined to have a place for them reserved in the history books, no matter what it is they're remembered for. These people see all the attention these shootings are getting and they think if they do the same they will get the same treatment. I'm not saying this is how all mass shootings are but it could be a possible motive. These stories need to be covered but they usually just turn into an argument for gun control instead of a remembrance of those who were killed.
ReplyDeleteI generally disagree when people try to blame social problems on drugs. The club scene does have a long-standing history of encouraged/available drug use, but no one is forced to do these drugs, and those who do should at the very least be informed as to what they are taking, and how much they can handle.
ReplyDeleteMany of these "clubkids" are dying not by the drugs themselves, but due to dehydration from dancing for hours on end in a hot club while on drugs such as MDMA or "Moly".
The businesses are in most cases trying to operate legitimately, and shouldn't have to suffer due to the careless choices of a select few patrons.