A Netraver
by James E. Devlin
Hi,
My name is James.
I'm the sweaty guy with Michael, my wife Heather, and
friend James Newton in the top left picture on michael's web site. I attach
a pic and wanted you to know how nice and wonderful a person Michael was.
So kind and gentle. So understanding and empathetic. I knew him well and
will miss him much.
It's of Michael
and friend Matthew from DC at a party called Feminine Melody
in Baltimore in March, 96. He got to ride back to NYC with Heather Heart
that next morning. I've never seen him so happy!
Michael liked to
go to raves, but not for the drugs, a reason wrongfully promoted
by the police industrial establishment. He went to raves because he loved
techno music and loved the fact that at raves he could find his virtual
neighbors in the same geographic place. Raves were living, breathing proof
to Michael that netizenry promoted citizenry, that telepolis nurtured
metropolis, that one didn't exist without the other and that their
cumulative total made life more precious and worthwhile.
Over the past 3
years, raves have become much more mainstream and the
netraver presence far more diluted. This has largely occurred for the same
reasons that make the net now appear more like its soulless step-cousin,
the television - commercialization. And now Michael is dead! I can't help
but think that American society's blind, uncaring economic greed played a
part in Michael's premature departure.
Oh Michael! Safe
travels back to the underground, back to the darkness. May
you rave in peace!
With deep gratitude
for knowing Michael,
Jammin' James
E.