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[pf] An Activist's Youthful Indiscretion
by Tom Wheeler
18 November 2000 15:52 UTC

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http://web.archive.org/web/20030424010916/http://p3.omaha.com/index.atp?u_div=3&u_hdg=4&u_fuse=column&u_sid=37552

Published on Saturday, November 18, 2000 in the Omaha Herald
An Activist's Youthful Indiscretion
by E.J. Montini of the Arizona Republic

PHOENIX - Lorain Kadish tells me she's going to get herself arrested again
and wants to know what I think about it. We have history in such matters.
Back in 1988, I wrote an article about Lorain when she was among 24
protesters arrested for trespassing outside the Federal Building in downtown
Phoenix. The group was rounded up while carrying a 30-foot sign that read,
"U.S. troops out of Honduras."

Lorain and other protesters were tried, convicted and each ordered to pay a
$69 fine. She refused, along with others in the group, and was sentenced to
one day in the slammer.

It was a heady and romantic time. But people change. They mature. Or so
you'd think. Lorain plans to join another protest that may again result in
her arrest and incarceration. She plans to travel this week to Fort Benning,
Ga., where she'll join thousands expected to spend the weekend protesting
the U.S. Army's School of the Americas, which trains foreign military
personnel in combat, counterinsurgency, counter-narcotics and more.

"This is just a terrible thing for our government to be doing," she says.
"So many innocent people have been killed by those we've trained there. If I
have to risk getting arrested again, well, that's the way it'll have to be."

Still, she wants to know what I think of her decision.

"Twelve years ago," I tell her, "I was willing to write off your reckless
behavior as youthful indiscretion. But you're 87 years old now."

She laughs.

"You'd think I'd know better, don't you?" she said. "But, I'm still young."

Lorain was just a whippersnapper - barely in her 60s - when she started
getting into trouble, once chaining herself to the doors of the Arizona
Public Service building to protest the Palo Verde Nuclear Generating
Station.

Lorain figures she has a vested interest in trying to "inflict peace," since
she is a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She and her husband, Frank, recently celebrated their 65th wedding
anniversary. She has seen a lot.

To her, the Bush-Gore fight for the presidency is silly. A six-of-one,
half-dozen-of-the-other argument.

"I'm a Nader supporter," she said. "I hope and believe the Green Party will
get stronger and stronger."

Lorain takes no medication and describes herself as healthy as a horse. For
the protest at Fort Benning, however, she's bringing along a walker. She
plans to festoon it with small American flags.

"I don't need a walker, of course," she said. "I get around fine. But, it
makes me look older than I am. Which might help get the message out that
this school, which has been supported by Democrats and Republicans alike,
should be closed down."

She makes no apologies for such mischievous behavior. But then, she's only
87. Maybe she'll grow out of it.


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