Once again, the sheriff's department has stepped over the line between enforcing Nevada law and dictating private morality - as defined by Dahl and Gary. In their universe, "amoral" is any kind of music they don't approved of, or any new idea or business venture that might stumble mistakenly into our county. Anyone who doesn't agree with their preferences is branded a "communist" (a word that Gary Davis has also applied to our editor).

On Aug. 24, a Las Vegas promoter held an all night "rave" concert and UFO watch on private land in Rachel.

The event was a dud. Of the 4000 young people the organizers hoped to attract, fewer than 500 showed up. Most of these people arrived, saw how weak the party was and left shortly thereafter, so there was never more than 300 attendees in Rachel at once. Those who stayed were well behaved. There were no significant conflicts or incidents, although two people were cited for marijuana possession.

The way the Sheriff reported it to the county commission, however, the party was the worst case of debauchery since the reign of the emperor Caligula. Dahl should know, because he had about half of his police force patrolling the event. There were drugs and sex everywhere, Dahl reported, and Lincoln County should never again permit one of these events.

Dahl asked the commissioners to withhold the promoter's posted bond to pay for the unrequested police presence. Hearing only Dahl's side, the commissioners agreed. (Reported without skepticism in last week's Lincoln County Record.) Dahl concluded his report by seeking $25,000 in new radios for his department so he could better handle future subversive events.

Most Rachel residents had a different opinion. In general, the organizers had impressed people with their courtesy, and most of the town had pitched in to try to make this event a success. The many Rachelites who were manning the booths and providing paid security saw no sex or drugs although they did experience rock 'n' roll. The event was covered by the Times of London, the MSNBC network and several other publications, who found plenty of boredom but none of the criminal activity Dahl alleges.

Why is Dahl's appraisal so much different than that of Rachelites and the press?

The only Rachel residents who seemed bent out of shape were the owners of the Little A'Le'Inn, who for the first time saw a UFO event in Rachel that they did not control. It was the Inn that started the rumor that the party was going to be overrun by sex, drugs and gang violence. They were joined in this opinion by Sheriff Bradfield and by Undersheriff Gary Davis - who serves as the unappointed County Morality Officer. Gary confirmed his holier-than-Thou reputation by lecturing to Rachel residents that this was not the sort of event they wanted in their community.

What business is that of Gary's?

In the 1950s, Dahl and Gary would have ranted against Elvis Presley. (Look at the scandalous way he moves his hips!) In the 1960s, they'd be dead set against the Beatles. In the 1990s, the latest fad are these rave parties, which consist of loud music going "thump, thump, thump" all night and people dancing to it. We may not understand the tastes of these young people, but as long as it is a private event on private land that poses no obvious threat to the community, we have no right to impose our own morality upon it.

Dahl believes that he does have that right. At the Sept. 5 commissioner's meeting, he played a tape to illustrate just how offensive the music was. There weren't any audible words, but the beat was so... sinful! Dahl needed to play the tape to justify himself, since he had pulled out all the stops to try to find illegality and moral corruption at this otherwise benign event.

No one in Rachel believes, like Dahl, that security was "completely inadequate." Twenty local residents had been hired to police the event, supervised by a retired security officer from the Test Site. Proportionally, there were more private security guards at this event than at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, and they had no trouble keeping the tiny "crowd" under control.

But a ratio of one security guard to every 15 visitors was not enough for Dahl. Seeking to impose his own values on these outside visitors, he sent at least seven county officers to Rachel, including himself and Gary, to try to find something, anything, illegal about the proceedings. They were joined by two highway patrolmen and at least two BLM rangers, for a total of at least 11 officers looking desperately for crime. Although it became clear early in the evening that the event would flop, most of these officers hung around all night anyway, on county time, while spending most of the time chatting at their Rachel substation.

With all these cops at least an hour away in Rachel, the rest of the county was left largely unprotected. This would have been a fine night to rob a bank in Pioche! Once again, Dahl would rather pursue the alleged sins of outsiders than protect county residents who pay for his services.

The promoter had obtained all the required permits for the event, so the cops couldn't nail him on that regard. And despite Dahl's insistence that the event was rife with criminality, all those cops working all night long couldn't capture anything more illegal at the party than the two misdemeanor marijuana citations. In frustration, Lincoln County's Finest turned to the only thing they seem to know how to do: traffic stops.

It seems that nearly everyone driving through Lincoln County was pulled over that night, whether or not they had anything to do with the party. All those cops working the streets produced more than the usual number of searches and citations (a profit to the county!) - on roads that hardly ever see police otherwise.

All this "inconvenience" to the sheriff's department is now being cited by Dahl as proof that his dire predictions were true and as the excuse for seizing the promoter's bond for the sheriff's budget. This self-generated and self-fulfilling police activity also gives the sheriff an opportunity to ask for new equipment, because you never know when another crime wave like this might hit.

By making a mountain out of a molehill, Dahl also conveys the impression to voters and commissioners that his department is accomplishing things and protecting the public, which is not necessarily the case.

Curiously, not one cop showed up in Rachel the following weekend, when the Little A'Le'Inn held its own UFO conference. There the talk was of militia-type conspiracies, with plenty of alcohol consumed and gunfire heard during the weekend. The difference was, this was an "American" event, consistent with Dahl's and Gary's values, not a "communist" one like the rave party. Therefore, there was no need for the Morality Police.

The Business Implications...

Dahl and Gary have no interest in promoting business in Lincoln County, because they are living comfortably on the public dole and see no need for economic development. Those who must make a living here may not be so eager to discourage investment. As the state's tax subsidies dry up and traditional businesses face hard times, the county is doing little to develop its economy. Residents may not approve of rock 'n' roll, but the one night event put thousands of dollars into the pockets of local residents and businesses, with no costs to the county other than Dahl's overstaffing.

The concert promoter has no doubt learned his lesson and will never come back to Lincoln County, and the seizure of his deposit at the last commissioners meeting removes his incentive to pay his few remaining bills, so why shouldn't the county commission take him for all he's worth? Justice is one reason. Business is another.

Over the years, Lincoln County has built a justly deserved reputation as being anti-business. Time after time, investors and event promoters have come before the county commission, money in hand, wanting to support our businesses and residents and take advantage of the county's assets. Time after time, these projects have been sabotaged by the pettiness of our elected officials, whose egos come first.

A couple of years ago, a movie company was ready to film a Western in Pioche. They had money, wanted to hire locals and were prepared to post whatever bond was required. Commissioner Dave Kopelman killed that deal by making endless arbitrary demands, extending even to approval of the script. The matter was delayed in the commission month after month until the movie company gave up in frustration and went elsewhere.

Dozens of other businesses have considered locating here only to discover that petty politics and closed-minded attitudes make Lincoln County the last place you would want to risk an investment. If you come here with money and a business proposal, instead of being welcomed and encouraged, you are harassed by the police and ripped off by the commissioners.

If the county charges one businessman for unnecessary police protection - apart from any actual damages - it helps assure that no other business will ever invest here either. With so many other struggling rural counties competing for investment, Lincoln County is choosing to put itself at the end of the list.

Word gets around quickly in the business community: If you set foot in Lincoln County with any kind of new idea, the 'God Squad' is going to get you.