SKATING FOR JUSTICE

Proving that drug law reformers are not suffering from amotivational
syndrome, 10 members of the Students for Sensible Drug Policy skated all or
most of the 49 miles from Binghamton to Ithaca, NY (06/22/03) in the second
annual Skate for Justice event, calling for an end to the War on Drugs.

Braving sporadic rain, steep hills and lots of traffic while reaching
speeds of up to 40 miles per hour, the skaters carried signs decrying the
war, wore t-shirts emblazoned with "Skate For Justice", and handed out
"StopTheDrugWar" stickers along the route. "I think that actions like these
are effective not only for public view, but for the ambition of the
activists involved," said event organizer Justin Holmes, member of the SSDP
at Broome Community College in Binghamton. "We had lots of waves and beeps
and thumbs-up. Many people knew what was going on, and the reaction was
extremely positive."

"By traveling on the roads all day and passing thousands of motorists and
pedestrians, we were able to raise awareness that drug policy reform is an
important contemporary issue," said Tom Angell, a member of the board of
directors of the National SSDP, and who was representing the University of
Rhode Island SSDP on the journey. "We proved that we have the motivation to
push our bodies to the limit to raise awareness for what we believe in."

For Angell, who called the SFJ "a pilgrimage with justice as the
destination," the most emotional part of the day was when the participants
walked to the top of the largest hill along the route in silence, in honor
of all the activists who have lost their lives while fighting to end the
War. Arriving at their final destination, Ithaca's Lost Dog Cafe, to a
stirring round of applause, the skaters settled in for a half-priced dinner
and made plans for an even bigger and better event next year.