WE'VE GOT MAIL

So this bug that's been chasing me for the last couple of weeks finally bit me hard enough to keep me in bed today and I've been sifting through my thoughts on the Drug Policy Alliance conference. I'm still struggling to build a cohesive narrative out the intense bombardment of information I was subjected to there and hope to offer an in-depth story for you this weekend. Meanwhile, the healthier and better organized in that crowd have already begun to check in as promised.

One of the things that really strikes me about these conferences, is the level of civility. All the people I've met have been unfailingly cordial and polite, and one of the most mannerly is Howard Wooldrige of LEAP. We had a somewhat lengthy conversation at the opening reception, and I of course remember every second of the interaction but otherwise we didn't really see other again. I was inordinately thrilled when he let me buy him a beer, and in moment of enthusiam I gave him my card and asked him to read the blog.

Howard, being a man of his word, emailed me this week because he had found the card in his wallet. To keep me humble however, he was checking in because he couldn't remember who I was and whether he had promised to do something for me. A lesser man would have simply thrown the card away.

Howard walks his talk, and I'll have more say about our conversation later but as I noted earlier, he is one of the strongest promoters of legalization. Personally, I think he's done more recently to open the debate on cannabis among the non-consuming public than all the rest of us put together. Let's face it, a retired cop has a lot more credibility with that crowd than any consumer/advocate can hope to attain and he's a charismatic speaker who took the dialogue right into middle America's living rooms, one at a time. That's the way you plant the seeds that turn into a grass roots movement. It's ironic that he's never actually smoked the herb and will not do so unless and until it's legalized.

* * * * *

AFTER NOTE

That being said, I did make one glaring omission in my count of major organizations at the conference who are on the forefront of this particular battle. My apologies to Nicolas Eyle and his hard-working organization ReconsiDer. I had the pleasure of spending some time with Nicolas but apparently not long enough to get the facts straight. These folks have been around for over a decade but being newly arrived in this scene, I was unaware of their work.

And it appears they've been busy. Nicolas notes, ReconsiDer has been using the "L" word,

"unashamedly since it's inception in 1992. I was at every one of LEAP's early board meetings and helped with the forming of that organization".

And they are certainly not resting on their laurels up there, he goes on to say,

ReconsiDer was the first reform organization to take the legalization message to the public when it organized a speakers bureau and started to speak to Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis Clubs, and other civic organizations. When we started that many reformers thought we were crazy... "They won't listen" they said... today our ranks swell with Rotarians from all over America. Our speakers bureau has made close to 1000 such presentations to date.

At our booth at the NY State Fair this year we garnered almost 2500 signatures on a petition calling for an end to drug prohibition (legalization). We've been working closely with a black minister here in Syracuse in forming a new organization called Families Against Injustice. Their mission statement labels the criminal justice system and its drug policy, "a factory for crime and violence in our community". To my knowlege, this is the first time in America a black, inner city, minister-led organization has been so bold. Their popularity is growing rapidly.

I like their motto too:

ReconsiDer is a grassroots not-for-profit membership organization that was incorporated by concerned citizens to provide a forum for discussing alternatives to one of America's greatest public policy failures...the war on drugs.

I'm sure this is not the only organization I don't know about friends and I ask to consider this. There's a lot of people working hard in this movement for your rights. They number in the thousands but represent only a small fraction of the consumers in this country, that would be the rest of us. They built us a forum, it's time for every one of us to take a seat and start talking.

* * * * *

TALKING IT OUT

Speaking of speaking out, BigLeftOutside has a comment board open on the new Salon Chignon project, Talk Radio Manifesto - Free Advice to a Project that Is Dying to Be Born. Check it out and while you're there, if you're not bored senseless with the Rush story, Al has an amusing take on the Limbaugher's immiment return to the world of cheesy logic.

I'm not going to listen to the broadcast myself for health reasons. I've never listened to Rush live, hell I couldn't even make it through half of O'Reilly factor. Pompous right wing windbags raise my blood pressure to dangerous levels.

* * * * *

I also heard from Dan Solano at Police Officers for Drug Law Reform in Detroit. Their site is down at the moment but I'm honored to announce that they will be linking to our humble blog when they revamp their page. Thanks for the support Dan.

We've been discussing the failed South Carolina high school bust. The reaction to this debacle has washed across the country like a tidal wave and as usual, your best source for the coverage is the archives at the Media Awarenss Project.

The MAP fundraising effort is still ongoing and seems to be stalled at half-way. This site provides an invaluable service to the reform community. Please give them whatever support you can.

* * * * *

Legalization has cropped up on the GNN forums this week as well. It's kind of unusual for this subject to get this much traffic over there, they're generally more interested in Middle East politics, and it's evolved into an enlightening discussion on what people outside of the reform movement are thinking. Click over and join the debate. You don't have to register to post.

* * * * *

SOROS SPEAKS

George Soros is the kind of guy that inspires a strong reaction in people. A lot of them suspect his agenda and fear his motives. Me, I love the guy. I have no idea what his master plan is, and a guy richer than some third world countries has got to have one. All I know is he is always cropping up supporting the causes I believe in and he's inarguably a great manager. We could do worse than having someone of his ilk taking control of the world economy.

I don't say that just because he is one of the primary funders of the reform movement. It's no secret he underwrites the work of Drug Policy Alliance. In effect it was ultimately Soros himself who made my attendance possible. If you happen to run into him, please extend my deep gratitude.

And if that's not reason enough to hold the man in high regard, he has committed $15.5 million of his personal fortune to deposing the Bush dynasty in 2004.

Last word goes to Mr. Soros.

“America, under Bush, is a danger to the world,” Soros said. Then he smiled: “And I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is.”

I'm with Soros.

---