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There's that old phrase that youth is wasted on the young.Someone should have that to the mass of youth that have descended upon D.C.to "Stand Up for Freedom." The young people attending this conference would pass a civil liberties test with flying colors, and aren't wasting their youth. They are making the most of it byequipping themselves to fight the civil liberties battles that theywill fight now and into the future.

They ask brilliant questions showing that they are informed about theworld in which they live. How did these folks become soaware? I blame rap music.

These are the kind of young people that listen to music that inspiresthem to action. These are the young people who don't judgepeers because of their sexual orientation. More importantly,these are the kind of young people who know not only should they not beashamed of their orientation, they should be proud.They know that asking questions is the best way to learn.They also know that the most patriotic act is protecting the libertiesof their peers in the face of popular opinon and governmentoppression. Youth isn't wasted on them and they certainly arenot wasting their youth.

I figure I have about a good 35 years of civil liberties work left inme. (Of course, I fully expect the death penalty to beabolished way before 35 years.) These students have an entire lifetimeof freedom fighting ahead of them. They are the type of youngpeople I like to believe that I was once. I wasn't. Iwas never as cool as they are. They are fun to talk to andfun to learn from.

Now that I think about it, since we will end capitalpunishment within the 35 working years I have left, I'm going to need ajob. These students will be my future employers.Pardon me, I have to go network with my future bosses.