Legal advocate. Former journalist. Feisty. Passionate. Following a path shaped by circumstances. Adaptive. Sharp and intelligent. Focused. Careful in her choice of issues. Making a difference rather than pursuing lost causes. Resilient. A formidable ally. An unenviable opponent.
I’d met Karin quite by chance. A wrong turn. Sort of. Drawn away from the usual tourist tat on the main street. Down into a small alley. Craft shops mostly. Curious. She’d spoken first. Engaging. Conversation flowed. Drawn to a close only by my need to do a few jobs. Return to my campsite before dark. I’d suggested a sociable coffee the next day. She’d accepted.
Not afraid to challenge boundaries. Or be constrained by borders. Arbitrary divisions. Dual national. Two Western nations. Affinity rather than allegiance. Much of her life spent elsewhere. Europe. Asia. Amongst very differing societies. Australia now for a while. Contemplating her next move. Writing a book about some of her earlier experiences tackling a very personal injustice.
Conversation with breadth and depth. Refreshing. Politics. Sarah Palin. After Obama. Democratic models. Religious fundamentalists. Education of the masses. Ruling elites. Porous borders. Journalists. Writing for discrete, subscription only publications. Notions of Justice. Wikileaks release of diplomatic cables. Right to know or an inhibitor of frank exchange of views. Twists and turns. But always respecting the opinions of others. And not hopeless idealism. Rather, views shaped by a healthy cynicism. Reflecting a very international outlook.
