Pubdate: Thu, 01 May 2003 Source: Metroland (NY) Copyright: 2003 Lou Communications, Inc. Contact: http://www.metroland.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1199 Author: Travis Durfee BUDDING PROTESTORS Pot is still illegal in all forms in New York -- and just about everywhere else in the world, except Amsterdam -- but tomorrow (Friday, May 2), hundreds will gather in Albany looking to change that. Albany's rally, organized in coordination with the Global March for Cannabis Liberation, will feature a variety of speakers, bands and information tables discussing a number of marijuana-related issues, including the legalization of marijuana for medicinal purposes, decriminalization and the war on drugs. The perennial push for cannabis liberation, now 31 years old, is being carried out this year in more than 200 cities across the globe--from Abbotsford, British Columbia, to Zurich, Switzerland. The New York state drug-policy reform group ReconsiDer organized the local rally. "The war on drugs is America's most costly and longest-running public policy failure," said ReconsiDer member Michael Roona. "We need to promote discussions of policy alternatives, and this rally is a forum to do just that. We're not endorsing any particular position on medical marijuana or sentencing reform or any other issue, but we've created a forum for everyone who has a perspective, so they can speak to the issues as they see them." The rally will begin at the Capitol at noon and will go until 6 PM, with open-mike segments between the scheduled speakers and bands. Participants will be allowed to sign up to perform or make personal statements on marijuana-related topics and the drug war. One of the day's scheduled speakers is Warren Redlich, an Albany lawyer and a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives 21st Congressional District in 2004. Redlich's message is for marijuana users to end the finger-pointing and engage in more constructive forms of social change to meet their ends. "My message to the people who agree that the drug war is wrong is that we have to stop placing blame on people like our president and the police," said Redlich. "The ultimate responsibility comes down to the people and voters who keep voting for them and allowing them to be doing what they are doing. "It's great to hold a rally and talk to a bunch people that agree with us, but we need to talk to people that don't agree with us," Redlich said. "We have to talk to our fellow churchgoers and our neighbors to try to change minds." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens