9/27/2002 06:06:00 PM

CNN.com - Hundreds arrested at IMF protests - Sep. 27, 2002 via Daniel.Miller

sarah and i read through some of the net coverage of the D.C. anti-IMF protests. i was fascinated by sarah's immediate reaction and her very cunning, if dangerous, response. upon hearing about the 3200 police present and seeing the faces and reading the stories of some of the 650 people arrested she was aghast at the brutality and presumption involved in arresting so many people for jay walking and loitering that she said, "i would slap that policeman right in the face." i said, "well then you would certainly be arrested for assaulting an officer." she snapped back without a moments hesitation, "NO! they could not send me to juvie because i am not 10 yet. all they could do is send me home!" she then said, "i am so mad i could cuss!"

to say that i am surprised at her response would be to misconstrue my feelings. sarah has always been a vehement activist. i remember her choosing a candidate in the last presidential election (not my choice by the way) and making up slogans that she then wrote on posters that she plastered on the pillars in our community's mail stop. i remember at an even younger age (say 4ish) her shock when she observed an adult throw garbage out of their car window. at 4 there was no gradation of offensive actions so she reacted as if this guy had just killed someone right in front of her. all of that to simply say that she has always had strong opinions and the courage to put them into the public domain. what surprised me about her reaction in the IMF incident that happened today is her rather cunning manipulation of the law to allow her to communicate in the most forceful way possible her offense at what she perceives as a government trampling her and all american's right to assemble and speak out.

sarah, the torch will soon be yours. don't lose your passion or vision. american needs you.