This weekend I attended the SSDP SE regional conference at William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. On Sunday, about a dozen of us piled into a pancake house (they're 3 to a block down there) and perhaps we stuck out a bit because an older gentleman, mid 60's and conservative-looking, approached our group. He says something like:

Excuse me. I couldn't help but wonder…I always take interest in groups of people. If you don't mind my asking, what brings you folks together?

Maybe it was our mixed ages or the obvious absence of church clothes. He probably eats there every Sunday afternoon. Anyway, we all pause collectively, glancing at each other knowingly. Finally, Lennice Werth of Virginians Against Drug Violence breaks the silence, exclaiming, "Oh, you're gonna love this!"

Lennice and Michael Krawitz give the nice man a quick crash course in drug policy reform and he quickly expresses his support. Doug McVay presents him with a copy of Drug War Facts and the man returns to his frustrated wife, who clearly wishes he wouldn't talk to so many strangers. What fun.

I wish our politicians knew how easy it is to have a sensible conversation about drug policy.