From: bernhard@bbtt.com (Bernhard Beutler)
Subject: The spirit is still alive!
Date: Thu, 17 Aug 1995 04:37:30 +0100

Hi you all,

I'd just like to tell something I experienced at a Berlin techno club - erm, it was about two months ago, I guess. I just felt like telling this coz lots of people - and I include myself - complain about this scene turning worse.

There was a young woman sitting in a wheelchair; she looked like suffering from multiple sclerosis coz she was *very* thin and hardly able to move at all. Her friends had moved the wheelchair upon the dancefloor where I noticed it while I was dancing.

I hardly knew how to deal with this situation coz it always makes me uncertain; I never know how to react to handicapped persons. So I started to look at the people around her - and I hardly trusted my eyes.

Everyone around her danced to her, moved to her, smiled to her in wordless communication: You are here. You're handicapped, but we like you and we accept you. It's okay. We're family.

She smiled. I saw that woman move in her chair, I think she was dancing and I am absolutely sure she had one of the greatest times since her illness started. She was happy.

When I went off the dancefloor, I felt grateful and happy myself. Is there any place in the "civilized" world where you could move someone in a wheelchair upon a dancefloor - and get acceptance and help instead of uncertainty (blame myself) or even bad remarks?

That's what raving is for. And this is why I told you all this: The spirit is what counts, and the spirit is still alive.

PLUR
Bernhard

From: Andy Piper <andy@hgu.mrc.ac.uk>
Subject: Re: The spirit is still alive!
Date: Fri, 25 Aug 1995 10:50:06 GMT

THIS is the attitude everyone should have, stop any petty bitching, apathy etc. and go dance!

Personally, I was going full-speed last night at Lift in Edinburgh - without any speed or otherwise (but I'll admit to a few beers :) ) I was dancing so hard, I did my foot in: its bruised on the sole or something. Never stopped smiling either...

And as far as being comfortable around handicapped people, it comes with time. I was the same with homosexuals for a while, but it doesn't bother me at all now.

PLUR
--
AnDy aka The Shambling Techno Beast

From: manning@helium.gas.uug.arizona.edu (Nicole Manning)
Subject: Re: The spirit is still alive!
Date: 29 Aug 1995 06:28:13 GMT

WOW... the girl in teh wheelchair.... that was BAD fuqin ASSI
was up in Phoenix AZ at the Lollapalooza After Hours Dance Event called Enit...

I was dancing n lookin at the projections.. I turned to the left and there was a girl on a wheelchair...

I had always thought of why I had never seen someone with such handicaps at a 'rave' ...

She was totally getting into it... and it was SO beautiful... the vibe she gave out was so good... it enhanced the party SO much...

So, yeah I thought that was really cool... I love our scene cause it is so great n accepts everyone... thats what brings so many people into it...