CONNER PARK RALLY AND DEMONSTRATION IS PEACEFUL

Conner Park in Tulia was the place used Sunday evening by national
organizations working to legalize drugs, and to stop the war on drugs in
the United States.

Saying their objective is drug policy reform, Mothers of the Disappeared
spokesperson Mazinova Varick of New York City said that treatment was the
answer to the drug problem.

She refused to acknowledge a difference between the criminal element
dealing drugs to support its habit by addicting young children, and others
who do not sell drugs, though they use them. She felt all should be treated
the same, with very short sentences and through treatment centers. She said
a two year sentence was a very long sentence.

Kevin Zeese, president of Common Sense for Drug Policy, of Washington,
D.C., advocated legalization of drugs.

Others contended that the war on drugs is racist because of the number of
blacks caught up in the legal system.

Although national organizations dominated the speaker's rostrum, several
local people spoke, too.

One of the local speakers focused his comments more on racial justice than
on drugs. Ed Watters of Tulia spoke toward racial discrimination in general.

"It should not be a crime to be born black," he said.

Alan Bean was given a plaque recognizing his efforts with the self-styled
"Friends of Justice."

At 12:20 a.m. Monday the group arrived at the courthouse square, having
marched up Broadway from the park. They conducted a candlelight vigil to
show support for those convicted on drug charges.

Kevin Zeese is quoted on the November Coalition website: "Vigils are
something that can be done in every city. We need to show that the
injustice of the drug war is not only impacting those incarcerated but also
their friends and families. People gathering in public to highlight the
harms of drug war policies is a visible way to urge an end to the drug war."

The November Coalition is an organization composed of prisoners, their
families, and other sympathizers, according to their "About Us" website page.

Estimates of the number attending were from 150 to 250 people. Many of
those in attendance were not from Swisher County, but were brought to Tulia
from Austin in two chartered buses, which leaders termed a "Freedom Ride."

The crowd was peaceful and there were no reports of disturbances.

A picture of Kevin Zeese accompanies the article with the caption, "Kevin
Zeese of Common Sense for Drug Policy, Washington, D.C., was a speaker at
the Never Again Rally and is a proponent of drug legalization.

Cited websites:

November Coalition http://www.november.org/

The Friends of Justice http://www.drugsense.org/foj

Common Sense For Drug Policy www.csdp.org