Touching Up My Roots for Tomorrow's Court Appearance

We had a meeting with our pro-bono attorney today from the fantastic and oh-so-awesome Drake Legal Clinic.  "We" being all of those who were arrested two Sundays ago who are interested in having legal representation at the court date tomorrow, where a good number of us will be formally charged with "Trespass".  I cannot speak for everyone, I can only speak for me - and by default, my 15 year old daughter - who TODAY received her court summons in the mail to appear in Juvenile Court on November 2nd - two days before her 16th birthday.  

Speaking on behalf of Heaven and myself, I hereby give the spoiler that we plan to plea NOT GUILTY because, you know what, WE'RE NOT GUILTY!  The State of Iowa does not have the right to tell me or my daughter when and where we are allowed to peacefully protest - period.  The state will assert that Heaven and I were on state grounds against their self proclaimed curfew.  While their "curfew" is not posted, even if it was, I do not believe that it should be enforceable in a Democracy when applying the practice to protests.  Said curfews did not work in Egypt or Libya, why should they be enforceable in the United States?

I was very surprised to see a summons from the Polk County Juvenile Court System in the mailbox today.  Not merely because the Postal Service Sucks (which it does) but because Heaven was told that she would be given only a warning.  Heaven was allowed to leave with my husband around 1:00 AM on October 10th without even signing any kind of citation or even release forms.  The sticking point with Heaven's citation now is that should she be convicted of "Trespass", as they charge, she could very well be kicked off the East High School Debate Team and any other extracarricular activities in which she participates.  This is the GREAT IRONY.  Heaven is a fantastic student who participates in several extracarriculars in order to remain a well rounded teen and add to her college application.  At a tough school like East High School, where 30% of the student body DROPS OUT before graduation, Heaven is a STAND OUT.  But should the system fail her because she thought her Constitutional Right to Freedom of Speech trumped the state of Iowa's curfew - Heaven could very well be thrown into the same category of a football player who commits a rape and is not allowed to participate in any extracarricular or sports program.  UNF*CKINGBELIVABLE!

Again, it will be REALLY interesting to see how this thing plays out!  Court tomorrow at 1:00 PM - Demonstration and Press Conference at 11:00 AM.  

SEND HAPPY THOUGHTS MY WAY!  Wednesday is also a potentially HUGE, HUGE, SUPER HUGE day for work!  Court and work - both hinge on tomorrow - hence why I am touching up my roots right now.  Must Go Rinse ...