text:
TOKYO, Japan (CNN)  -- Had this custody drama played out in the United States, Christopher Savoie might be considered a hero -- snatching his two little children back from an ex-wife who defied the law and ran off with them.

A Tennessee court awarded Christopher Savoie custody of his son, Isaac, and daughter, Rebecca.

But this story unfolds 7,000 miles away in the Japanese city of Fukuoka, where the U.S. legal system holds no sway.

And here, Savoie sits in jail, charged with the abduction of minors. And his Japanese ex-wife -- a fugitive in the United States for taking his children from Tennessee -- is considered the victim.

"Japan is an important partner and friend of the U.S., but on this issue, our points of view differ," the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said Tuesday. "Our two nations approach divorce and child-rearing differently. Parental child abduction is not considered a crime in Japan."

The story begins in the Nashville suburb of Franklin, Tennessee, with the January divorce of Savoie from his first wife, Noriko, a Japanese native. The ex-wife had agreed to live in Franklin to be close to the children, taking them to Japan for summer vacations.

Savoie in March requested a restraining order to prevent his ex-wife from taking the children to Japan, saying she had threatened to do so, according to court documents obtained by CNN affiliate WTVF and posted on the station's Web site. A temporary order was issued, but then lifted following a hearing.

"If Mother fails to return to Tennessee [after summer vacation] with the children following her visitation period, she could lose her alimony, child support and education fund, which is added assurance to Father that she is going to return with the children," Circuit Court Judge James G. Martin III noted in his order on the matter.

After that ruling, Christopher Savoie tried to have Martin recuse himself, as he was a mediator in the case prior to becoming a judge, said Marlene Eskind Moses, Noriko Savoie's attorney. But that request was denied, as Savoie earlier said he had no concerns about Martin hearing the matter.

Following the summer trip, Noriko Savoie did return to the United States, and Christopher Savoie then took the children on a vacation, returning them to his ex-wife, his attorney, Paul Bruno, told CNN.  Watch latest report on Savoie's situation Â»

But days later, on the first day of classes for 8-year-old Isaac and 6-year-old Rebecca, the school called Savoie to say his children hadn't arrived, Bruno said. Police checked Noriko Savoie's home and did not find the children.

Concerned, Savoie called his ex-wife's father in Japan, who told him not to worry.

"I said, 'What do you mean -- don't worry? They weren't at school.' 'Oh, don't worry, they are here,' " Savoie recounted the conversation to CNN affiliate WTVF earlier this month. "I said, 'They are what, they are what, they are in Japan?' "

The very thing that Savoie had predicted in court papers had happened -- his wife had taken their children to Japan and showed no signs of returning, Bruno said.

After Noriko Savoie took the children to Japan, Savoie filed for and received full custody of the children, Bruno said. And Franklin police issued an arrest warrant for his ex-wife, the television station reported.

But there was a major hitch: Japan is not a party to the 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction. The international agreement standardizes laws, but only among participating countries.

So while Japanese civil law stresses that courts resolve custody issues based on the best interest of the children without regard to either parent's nationality, foreign parents have had little success in regaining custody.

Japanese family law follows a tradition of sole custody divorces. When a couple splits, one parent typically makes a complete and lifelong break from the children.

In court documents filed in May, Noriko Savoie denied that she was failing to abide by the terms of the couple's court-approved parenting plan or ignoring court-appointed parent coordinators. She added she was "concerned about the stability of Father, his extreme antagonism towards Mother and the effect of this on the children."

Noriko Savoie could not be reached by CNN for comment.

Bruno said he helped Christopher Savoie pursue legal remedies to recover the children, working with police, the FBI and the State Department.

"We tried to do what we could to get the kids back," Bruno said. "There was not a whole lot we can do."

"Our court system failed him," said Diane Marshall, a court-appointed parent coordinator who helped Savoie make decisions about the children. "It's just a mess."

But Moses, Noriko Savoie's attorney, told CNN that the children's father had other legal options.

The International Association for Parent-Child Reunion, formed in Japan this year, claims to know of more than 100 cases of children abducted by non-custodial Japanese parents.

And the U.S. State Department says it is not aware of a single case in which a child taken from the United States to Japan has been ordered returned by Japanese courts -- even when the left-behind parent has a U.S. custody decree.

Facing such statistics and the possibility of never seeing his kids again, Savoie took matters into his own hands.

He flew to Fukuoka. And as his ex-wife walked the two children to school Monday morning, Savoie drove alongside them.

He grabbed the kids, forced them into his car, and drove off, said police in Fukuoka.  Watch CNN panel discuss Savoie's legal options Â»

He headed for the U.S. consulate in that city to try to obtain passports for Isaac and Rebecca.

But Japanese police, alerted by Savoie's ex-wife, were waiting.

Consulate spokeswoman Tracy Taylor said she heard a scuffle outside the doors of the consulate. She ran up and saw a little girl and a man, whom police were trying to talk to.

Eventually, police took Savoie away, charging him with the abduction of minors -- a charge that carries a jail sentence of up to five years.

Bruno said if the situation were reversed and a Japanese parent had abducted a Japanese child and fled to America, U.S. courts would "correct that problem, because it's a crime."

He said he has "concerns about Japan ... providing a place for people to abduct children and go to. The parent left behind does not have recourse." He added, "the president and his administration should do something to correct this."

The consulate met with Savoie on Monday and Tuesday, Taylor said. It has provided him with a list of local lawyers and said it will continue to assist.

Meanwhile, the international diplomacy continues. During the first official talks between the United States and Japan's new government, the issue of parental abductions was raised.

But it is anybody's guess what happens next to Savoie, who sits in a jail cell.

CNN's Kyung Lah in Tokyo, Japan, and Aaron Cooper, Saeed Ahmed and Carolina Sanchez in Atlanta, Georgia, contributed to this report.

text: TOKYO

text: Japan

text: CNN

text: Had

text: this

text: custody

text: drama

text: played

text: out

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Christopher

text: Savoie

text: might

text: be

text: considered

text: a

text: hero

text: snatching

text: his

text: two

text: little

text: children

text: back

text: from

text: an

text: ex

text: wife

text: who

text: defied

text: the

text: law

text: and

text: ran

text: off

text: with

text: them

text: A

text: Tennessee

text: court

text: awarded

text: Christopher

text: Savoie

text: custody

text: of

text: his

text: son

text: Isaac

text: and

text: daughter

text: Rebecca

text: But

text: this

text: story

text: unfolds

text: miles

text: away

text: in

text: the

text: Japanese

text: city

text: of

text: Fukuoka

text: where

text: the

text: U.S.

text: legal

text: system

text: holds

text: no

text: sway

text: And

text: here

text: Savoie

text: sits

text: in

text: jail

text: charged

text: with

text: the

text: abduction

text: of

text: minors

text: And

text: his

text: Japanese

text: ex

text: wife

text: a

text: fugitive

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: for

text: taking

text: his

text: children

text: from

text: Tennessee

text: is

text: considered

text: the

text: victim

text: Japan

text: is

text: an

text: important

text: partner

text: and

text: friend

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: but

text: on

text: this

text: issue

text: our

text: points

text: of

text: view

text: differ

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Embassy

text: in

text: Tokyo

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: Our

text: two

text: nations

text: approach

text: divorce

text: and

text: child

text: rearing

text: differently

text: Parental

text: child

text: abduction

text: is

text: not

text: considered

text: a

text: crime

text: in

text: Japan

text: The

text: story

text: begins

text: in

text: the

text: Nashville

text: suburb

text: of

text: Franklin

text: Tennessee

text: with

text: the

text: January

text: divorce

text: of

text: Savoie

text: from

text: his

text: first

text: wife

text: Noriko

text: a

text: Japanese

text: native

text: The

text: ex

text: wife

text: had

text: agreed

text: to

text: live

text: in

text: Franklin

text: to

text: be

text: close

text: to

text: the

text: children

text: taking

text: them

text: to

text: Japan

text: for

text: summer

text: vacations

text: Savoie

text: in

text: March

text: requested

text: a

text: restraining

text: order

text: to

text: prevent

text: his

text: ex

text: wife

text: from

text: taking

text: the

text: children

text: to

text: Japan

text: saying

text: she

text: had

text: threatened

text: to

text: do

text: so

text: according

text: to

text: court

text: documents

text: obtained

text: by

text: CNN

text: affiliate

text: WTVF

text: and

text: posted

text: on

text: the

text: station

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: A

text: temporary

text: order

text: was

text: issued

text: but

text: then

text: lifted

text: following

text: a

text: hearing

text: If

text: Mother

text: fails

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: Tennessee

text: after

text: summer

text: vacation

text: with

text: the

text: children

text: following

text: her

text: visitation

text: period

text: she

text: could

text: lose

text: her

text: alimony

text: child

text: support

text: and

text: education

text: fund

text: which

text: is

text: added

text: assurance

text: to

text: Father

text: that

text: she

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: return

text: with

text: the

text: children

text: Circuit

text: Court

text: Judge

text: James

text: G.

text: Martin

text: III

text: noted

text: in

text: his

text: order

text: on

text: the

text: matter

text: After

text: that

text: ruling

text: Christopher

text: Savoie

text: tried

text: to

text: have

text: Martin

text: recuse

text: himself

text: as

text: he

text: was

text: a

text: mediator

text: in

text: the

text: case

text: prior

text: to

text: becoming

text: a

text: judge

text: said

text: Marlene

text: Eskind

text: Moses

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: 's

text: attorney

text: But

text: that

text: request

text: was

text: denied

text: as

text: Savoie

text: earlier

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: no

text: concerns

text: about

text: Martin

text: hearing

text: the

text: matter

text: Following

text: the

text: summer

text: trip

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: did

text: return

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Christopher

text: Savoie

text: then

text: took

text: the

text: children

text: on

text: a

text: vacation

text: returning

text: them

text: to

text: his

text: ex

text: wife

text: his

text: attorney

text: Paul

text: Bruno

text: told

text: CNN

text: Watch

text: latest

text: report

text: on

text: Savoie

text: 's

text: situation

text: Â

text: But

text: days

text: later

text: on

text: the

text: first

text: day

text: of

text: classes

text: for

text: old

text: Isaac

text: and

text: old

text: Rebecca

text: the

text: school

text: called

text: Savoie

text: to

text: say

text: his

text: children

text: had

text: n't

text: arrived

text: Bruno

text: said

text: Police

text: checked

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: 's

text: home

text: and

text: did

text: not

text: find

text: the

text: children

text: Concerned

text: Savoie

text: called

text: his

text: ex

text: wife

text: 's

text: father

text: in

text: Japan

text: who

text: told

text: him

text: not

text: to

text: worry

text: I

text: said

text: What

text: do

text: you

text: mean

text: do

text: n't

text: worry

text: They

text: were

text: n't

text: at

text: school

text: Oh

text: do

text: n't

text: worry

text: they

text: are

text: here

text: Savoie

text: recounted

text: the

text: conversation

text: to

text: CNN

text: affiliate

text: WTVF

text: earlier

text: this

text: month

text: I

text: said

text: They

text: are

text: what

text: they

text: are

text: what

text: they

text: are

text: in

text: Japan

text: The

text: very

text: thing

text: that

text: Savoie

text: had

text: predicted

text: in

text: court

text: papers

text: had

text: happened

text: his

text: wife

text: had

text: taken

text: their

text: children

text: to

text: Japan

text: and

text: showed

text: no

text: signs

text: of

text: returning

text: Bruno

text: said

text: After

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: took

text: the

text: children

text: to

text: Japan

text: Savoie

text: filed

text: for

text: and

text: received

text: full

text: custody

text: of

text: the

text: children

text: Bruno

text: said

text: And

text: Franklin

text: police

text: issued

text: an

text: arrest

text: warrant

text: for

text: his

text: ex

text: wife

text: the

text: television

text: station

text: reported

text: But

text: there

text: was

text: a

text: major

text: hitch

text: Japan

text: is

text: not

text: a

text: party

text: to

text: the

text: Hague

text: Convention

text: on

text: international

text: child

text: abduction

text: The

text: international

text: agreement

text: standardizes

text: laws

text: but

text: only

text: among

text: participating

text: countries

text: So

text: while

text: Japanese

text: civil

text: law

text: stresses

text: that

text: courts

text: resolve

text: custody

text: issues

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: best

text: interest

text: of

text: the

text: children

text: without

text: regard

text: to

text: either

text: parent

text: 's

text: nationality

text: foreign

text: parents

text: have

text: had

text: little

text: success

text: in

text: regaining

text: custody

text: Japanese

text: family

text: law

text: follows

text: a

text: tradition

text: of

text: sole

text: custody

text: divorces

text: When

text: a

text: couple

text: splits

text: one

text: parent

text: typically

text: makes

text: a

text: complete

text: and

text: lifelong

text: break

text: from

text: the

text: children

text: In

text: court

text: documents

text: filed

text: in

text: May

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: denied

text: that

text: she

text: was

text: failing

text: to

text: abide

text: by

text: the

text: terms

text: of

text: the

text: couple

text: 's

text: court

text: approved

text: parenting

text: plan

text: or

text: ignoring

text: court

text: appointed

text: parent

text: coordinators

text: She

text: added

text: she

text: was

text: concerned

text: about

text: the

text: stability

text: of

text: Father

text: his

text: extreme

text: antagonism

text: towards

text: Mother

text: and

text: the

text: effect

text: of

text: this

text: on

text: the

text: children

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: could

text: not

text: be

text: reached

text: by

text: CNN

text: for

text: comment

text: Bruno

text: said

text: he

text: helped

text: Christopher

text: Savoie

text: pursue

text: legal

text: remedies

text: to

text: recover

text: the

text: children

text: working

text: with

text: police

text: the

text: FBI

text: and

text: the

text: State

text: Department

text: We

text: tried

text: to

text: do

text: what

text: we

text: could

text: to

text: get

text: the

text: kids

text: back

text: Bruno

text: said

text: There

text: was

text: not

text: a

text: whole

text: lot

text: we

text: can

text: do

text: Our

text: court

text: system

text: failed

text: him

text: said

text: Diane

text: Marshall

text: a

text: court

text: appointed

text: parent

text: coordinator

text: who

text: helped

text: Savoie

text: make

text: decisions

text: about

text: the

text: children

text: It

text: 's

text: just

text: a

text: mess

text: But

text: Moses

text: Noriko

text: Savoie

text: 's

text: attorney

text: told

text: CNN

text: that

text: the

text: children

text: 's

text: father

text: had

text: other

text: legal

text: options

text: The

text: International

text: Association

text: for

text: Parent

text: Child

text: Reunion

text: formed

text: in

text: Japan

text: this

text: year

text: claims

text: to

text: know

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: cases

text: of

text: children

text: abducted

text: by

text: non

text: custodial

text: Japanese

text: parents

text: And

text: the

text: U.S.

text: State

text: Department

text: says

text: it

text: is

text: not

text: aware

text: of

text: a

text: single

text: case

text: in

text: which

text: a

text: child

text: taken

text: from

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: to

text: Japan

text: has

text: been

text: ordered

text: returned

text: by

text: Japanese

text: courts

text: even

text: when

text: the

text: left

text: behind

text: parent

text: has

text: a

text: U.S.

text: custody

text: decree

text: Facing

text: such

text: statistics

text: and

text: the

text: possibility

text: of

text: never

text: seeing

text: his

text: kids

text: again

text: Savoie

text: took

text: matters

text: into

text: his

text: own

text: hands

text: He

text: flew

text: to

text: Fukuoka

text: And

text: as

text: his

text: ex

text: wife

text: walked

text: the

text: two

text: children

text: to

text: school

text: Monday

text: morning

text: Savoie

text: drove

text: alongside

text: them

text: He

text: grabbed

text: the

text: kids

text: forced

text: them

text: into

text: his

text: car

text: and

text: drove

text: off

text: said

text: police

text: in

text: Fukuoka

text: Watch

text: CNN

text: panel

text: discuss

text: Savoie

text: 's

text: legal

text: options

text: Â

text: He

text: headed

text: for

text: the

text: U.S.

text: consulate

text: in

text: that

text: city

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: obtain

text: passports

text: for

text: Isaac

text: and

text: Rebecca

text: But

text: Japanese

text: police

text: alerted

text: by

text: Savoie

text: 's

text: ex

text: wife

text: were

text: waiting

text: Consulate

text: spokeswoman

text: Tracy

text: Taylor

text: said

text: she

text: heard

text: a

text: scuffle

text: outside

text: the

text: doors

text: of

text: the

text: consulate

text: She

text: ran

text: up

text: and

text: saw

text: a

text: little

text: girl

text: and

text: a

text: man

text: whom

text: police

text: were

text: trying

text: to

text: talk

text: to

text: Eventually

text: police

text: took

text: Savoie

text: away

text: charging

text: him

text: with

text: the

text: abduction

text: of

text: minors

text: a

text: charge

text: that

text: carries

text: a

text: jail

text: sentence

text: of

text: up

text: to

text: five

text: years

text: Bruno

text: said

text: if

text: the

text: situation

text: were

text: reversed

text: and

text: a

text: Japanese

text: parent

text: had

text: abducted

text: a

text: Japanese

text: child

text: and

text: fled

text: to

text: America

text: U.S.

text: courts

text: would

text: correct

text: that

text: problem

text: because

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: crime

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: has

text: concerns

text: about

text: Japan

text: providing

text: a

text: place

text: for

text: people

text: to

text: abduct

text: children

text: and

text: go

text: to

text: The

text: parent

text: left

text: behind

text: does

text: not

text: have

text: recourse

text: He

text: added

text: the

text: president

text: and

text: his

text: administration

text: should

text: do

text: something

text: to

text: correct

text: this

text: The

text: consulate

text: met

text: with

text: Savoie

text: on

text: Monday

text: and

text: Tuesday

text: Taylor

text: said

text: It

text: has

text: provided

text: him

text: with

text: a

text: list

text: of

text: local

text: lawyers

text: and

text: said

text: it

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: assist

text: Meanwhile

text: the

text: international

text: diplomacy

text: continues

text: During

text: the

text: first

text: official

text: talks

text: between

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Japan

text: 's

text: new

text: government

text: the

text: issue

text: of

text: parental

text: abductions

text: was

text: raised

text: But

text: it

text: is

text: anybody

text: 's

text: guess

text: what

text: happens

text: next

text: to

text: Savoie

text: who

text: sits

text: in

text: a

text: jail

text: cell

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Kyung

text: Lah

text: in

text: Tokyo

text: Japan

text: and

text: Aaron

text: Cooper

text: Saeed

text: Ahmed

text: and

text: Carolina

text: Sanchez

text: in

text: Atlanta

text: Georgia

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who tries to snatch children from his ex-wife?

answer: Christopher Savoie

text: Christopher Savoie

question: What did the attorney say?

answer: children's father had other legal options.

text: children's father had other legal options.

question: What was the father charged with?

answer: the abduction of minors.

text: the abduction of minors.

question: Who has legal custody in the U.S?

answer: Christopher Savoie

text: Christopher Savoie

question: Ex-wife of who?

answer: Christopher Savoie

text: Christopher Savoie

question: Where is the wife living?

answer: Fukuoka,

text: Fukuoka,


text:
(CNN) -- Judge Sonia Sotomayor knew she wanted to go into law from an early age.

Sonia Sotomayor says the nomination is the "most humbling honor " of her life.

As a child, she aspired to be like Nancy Drew, the detective in the popular children's mystery series. But at the age of 8, she was diagnosed with diabetes and told she would not be able to pursue that line of work.

Sotomayor said it was another fictional character that inspired her next choice.

"I noticed that [defense attorney] Perry Mason was involved in a lot of the same kinds of investigative work that I had been fascinated with reading Nancy Drew, so I decided to become a lawyer," Sotomayor told the American Bar Association publication in 2000. "Once I focused on becoming a lawyer, I never deviated from that goal."  See Sotomayor's life in photos Â»

Sotomayor's parents came to New York from Puerto Rico during World War II. Her father worked in a factory and didn't speak English.

She was born in the Bronx and grew up in a public housing project, not too far from the stadium of her favorite team -- the New York Yankees. Her father died when she was 9, leaving her mother to raise her and her younger brother on her own. Related: Sotomayor well known in sports

Her mother, whom Sotomayor describes as her biggest inspiration, worked six days a week to care for her and her younger brother, and instilled in them the value of an education.  Background on Sotomayor Â»

Sotomayor later graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and went on to attend Yale law school, where she was editor of the Yale Law Journal.

In her three-decade career, she has worked at nearly every level of the judicial system, and on Tuesday she became President Obama's pick to replace retiring Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court.  Watch Sotomayor accept the nomination Â»

Sotomayor thanked Obama for "the most humbling honor of my life."

"I hope that as the Senate and American people learn more about me, they will see that I am an ordinary person who has been blessed with extraordinary opportunities and experiences. Today is one of those experiences," she said.

The 54-year-old judge, if confirmed, would become the first Hispanic to serve on the high court. She would also be the third female named to the Supreme Court, and the second on the current court.  See who's already on the Supreme Court Â»

Sotomayor is touted by supporters as a justice with bipartisan favor and historic appeal.

She currently serves as a judge on the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The liberal-leaning justice was named a district judge by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 and was elevated to her current seat by President Clinton.

Supporters say her appointment history, along with what they describe as her moderate-liberal views, will give her some bipartisan backing in the Senate.

Sotomayor presided over about 450 cases while on the district court. Prior to her judicial appointments, Sotomayor was a partner at a private law firm and spent time as an assistant district attorney prosecuting violent crimes.

Robin Kar, who clerked for Sotomayor from 1998 to 1999, described her as a "warm, extraordinarily kind and caring person."  Watch Kar recall his work with Sotomayor Â»

"She has an amazing story, but she's also just an amazing person," he said, adding that she has a knack for getting to know those around her. "She was the judge who, in the courthouse for example, knew all of the doormen, knew the cafeteria workers, who knew the janitors -- she didn't just know all of the other judges and the politicians. She really went out of her way to get to know everyone and was well loved by everyone."

Conservatives argue Sotomayor has a "hard-left record" and believes that judges should consider experiences of women and minorities in their decision-making. They also described her as a "bully" who "abuses lawyers."

Asked about allegations that she tends to be prickly with her colleagues, Kar said, "I would say no to that. What I would say is that she has a reputation for being prickly on the bench, which is a bit different."

Kar said if attorneys have with a weak argument, "she's very quick ... and intellectually demanding."

"They'll have a hard time if they show up in her court without really doing their homework," he said.

Margarita Rosa, a Princeton classmate of Sotomayor, said she's always known the high court nominee to be "measured and methodical" in her decision-making.

"She really looks at the facts and she is, I think, very evenhanded and fair -- but does bring to the table a very valuable understanding of the challenges and experiences, I think, of average people," she said.

Obama has said he hopes confirmation hearings will be held in July, with the confirmation completed before Congress leaves for the summer.  Sotomayor was confirmed to her current seat by the Senate in 1998, a process that took more than a year. The final vote was 67-29.

Though a majority of Senate Republicans opposed her nomination, she did win several key Republican votes that year, which could prove critical in this year's confirmation fight.

In 1998, the New York judge won the support of 25 Republicans, including eight senators who still serve. If Sotomayor is able to maintain the support of just a few of those GOP senators this year, Senate Republicans would face an almost impossible task in defeating her nomination, even by filibuster, which requires 40 votes. Currently, Republicans hold 39 senate seats.

All 29 votes against her 1998 nomination were from Republicans, 11 of whom still serve.

CNN's Kristi Keck and Robert Yoon contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Judge

text: Sonia

text: Sotomayor

text: knew

text: she

text: wanted

text: to

text: go

text: into

text: law

text: from

text: an

text: early

text: age

text: Sonia

text: Sotomayor

text: says

text: the

text: nomination

text: is

text: the

text: most

text: humbling

text: honor

text: of

text: her

text: life

text: As

text: a

text: child

text: she

text: aspired

text: to

text: be

text: like

text: Nancy

text: Drew

text: the

text: detective

text: in

text: the

text: popular

text: children

text: 's

text: mystery

text: series

text: But

text: at

text: the

text: age

text: of

text: she

text: was

text: diagnosed

text: with

text: diabetes

text: and

text: told

text: she

text: would

text: not

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: pursue

text: that

text: line

text: of

text: work

text: Sotomayor

text: said

text: it

text: was

text: another

text: fictional

text: character

text: that

text: inspired

text: her

text: next

text: choice

text: I

text: noticed

text: that

text: defense

text: attorney

text: Perry

text: Mason

text: was

text: involved

text: in

text: a

text: lot

text: of

text: the

text: same

text: kinds

text: of

text: investigative

text: work

text: that

text: I

text: had

text: been

text: fascinated

text: with

text: reading

text: Nancy

text: Drew

text: so

text: I

text: decided

text: to

text: become

text: a

text: lawyer

text: Sotomayor

text: told

text: the

text: American

text: Bar

text: Association

text: publication

text: in

text: Once

text: I

text: focused

text: on

text: becoming

text: a

text: lawyer

text: I

text: never

text: deviated

text: from

text: that

text: goal

text: See

text: Sotomayor

text: 's

text: life

text: in

text: photos

text: Â

text: Sotomayor

text: 's

text: parents

text: came

text: to

text: New

text: York

text: from

text: Puerto

text: Rico

text: during

text: World

text: War

text: II

text: Her

text: father

text: worked

text: in

text: a

text: factory

text: and

text: did

text: n't

text: speak

text: English

text: She

text: was

text: born

text: in

text: the

text: Bronx

text: and

text: grew

text: up

text: in

text: a

text: public

text: housing

text: project

text: not

text: too

text: far

text: from

text: the

text: stadium

text: of

text: her

text: favorite

text: team

text: the

text: New

text: York

text: Yankees

text: Her

text: father

text: died

text: when

text: she

text: was

text: leaving

text: her

text: mother

text: to

text: raise

text: her

text: and

text: her

text: younger

text: brother

text: on

text: her

text: own

text: Related

text: Sotomayor

text: well

text: known

text: in

text: sports

text: Her

text: mother

text: whom

text: Sotomayor

text: describes

text: as

text: her

text: biggest

text: inspiration

text: worked

text: six

text: days

text: a

text: week

text: to

text: care

text: for

text: her

text: and

text: her

text: younger

text: brother

text: and

text: instilled

text: in

text: them

text: the

text: value

text: of

text: an

text: education

text: Background

text: on

text: Sotomayor

text: Â

text: Sotomayor

text: later

text: graduated

text: summa

text: cum

text: laude

text: from

text: Princeton

text: University

text: and

text: went

text: on

text: to

text: attend

text: Yale

text: law

text: school

text: where

text: she

text: was

text: editor

text: of

text: the

text: Yale

text: Law

text: Journal

text: In

text: her

text: three

text: decade

text: career

text: she

text: has

text: worked

text: at

text: nearly

text: every

text: level

text: of

text: the

text: judicial

text: system

text: and

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: she

text: became

text: President

text: Obama

text: 's

text: pick

text: to

text: replace

text: retiring

text: Justice

text: David

text: Souter

text: on

text: the

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: Watch

text: Sotomayor

text: accept

text: the

text: nomination

text: Â

text: Sotomayor

text: thanked

text: Obama

text: for

text: the

text: most

text: humbling

text: honor

text: of

text: my

text: life

text: I

text: hope

text: that

text: as

text: the

text: Senate

text: and

text: American

text: people

text: learn

text: more

text: about

text: me

text: they

text: will

text: see

text: that

text: I

text: am

text: an

text: ordinary

text: person

text: who

text: has

text: been

text: blessed

text: with

text: extraordinary

text: opportunities

text: and

text: experiences

text: Today

text: is

text: one

text: of

text: those

text: experiences

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: old

text: judge

text: if

text: confirmed

text: would

text: become

text: the

text: first

text: Hispanic

text: to

text: serve

text: on

text: the

text: high

text: court

text: She

text: would

text: also

text: be

text: the

text: third

text: female

text: named

text: to

text: the

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: and

text: the

text: second

text: on

text: the

text: current

text: court

text: See

text: who

text: 's

text: already

text: on

text: the

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: Â

text: Sotomayor

text: is

text: touted

text: by

text: supporters

text: as

text: a

text: justice

text: with

text: bipartisan

text: favor

text: and

text: historic

text: appeal

text: She

text: currently

text: serves

text: as

text: a

text: judge

text: on

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Circuit

text: Court

text: of

text: Appeals

text: The

text: liberal

text: leaning

text: justice

text: was

text: named

text: a

text: district

text: judge

text: by

text: President

text: George

text: H.W.

text: Bush

text: in

text: and

text: was

text: elevated

text: to

text: her

text: current

text: seat

text: by

text: President

text: Clinton

text: Supporters

text: say

text: her

text: appointment

text: history

text: along

text: with

text: what

text: they

text: describe

text: as

text: her

text: moderate

text: liberal

text: views

text: will

text: give

text: her

text: some

text: bipartisan

text: backing

text: in

text: the

text: Senate

text: Sotomayor

text: presided

text: over

text: about

text: cases

text: while

text: on

text: the

text: district

text: court

text: Prior

text: to

text: her

text: judicial

text: appointments

text: Sotomayor

text: was

text: a

text: partner

text: at

text: a

text: private

text: law

text: firm

text: and

text: spent

text: time

text: as

text: an

text: assistant

text: district

text: attorney

text: prosecuting

text: violent

text: crimes

text: Robin

text: Kar

text: who

text: clerked

text: for

text: Sotomayor

text: from

text: to

text: described

text: her

text: as

text: a

text: warm

text: extraordinarily

text: kind

text: and

text: caring

text: person

text: Watch

text: Kar

text: recall

text: his

text: work

text: with

text: Sotomayor

text: Â

text: She

text: has

text: an

text: amazing

text: story

text: but

text: she

text: 's

text: also

text: just

text: an

text: amazing

text: person

text: he

text: said

text: adding

text: that

text: she

text: has

text: a

text: knack

text: for

text: getting

text: to

text: know

text: those

text: around

text: her

text: She

text: was

text: the

text: judge

text: who

text: in

text: the

text: courthouse

text: for

text: example

text: knew

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: doormen

text: knew

text: the

text: cafeteria

text: workers

text: who

text: knew

text: the

text: janitors

text: she

text: did

text: n't

text: just

text: know

text: all

text: of

text: the

text: other

text: judges

text: and

text: the

text: politicians

text: She

text: really

text: went

text: out

text: of

text: her

text: way

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: know

text: everyone

text: and

text: was

text: well

text: loved

text: by

text: everyone

text: Conservatives

text: argue

text: Sotomayor

text: has

text: a

text: hard

text: left

text: record

text: and

text: believes

text: that

text: judges

text: should

text: consider

text: experiences

text: of

text: women

text: and

text: minorities

text: in

text: their

text: decision

text: making

text: They

text: also

text: described

text: her

text: as

text: a

text: bully

text: who

text: abuses

text: lawyers

text: Asked

text: about

text: allegations

text: that

text: she

text: tends

text: to

text: be

text: prickly

text: with

text: her

text: colleagues

text: Kar

text: said

text: I

text: would

text: say

text: no

text: to

text: that

text: What

text: I

text: would

text: say

text: is

text: that

text: she

text: has

text: a

text: reputation

text: for

text: being

text: prickly

text: on

text: the

text: bench

text: which

text: is

text: a

text: bit

text: different

text: Kar

text: said

text: if

text: attorneys

text: have

text: with

text: a

text: weak

text: argument

text: she

text: 's

text: very

text: quick

text: and

text: intellectually

text: demanding

text: They

text: 'll

text: have

text: a

text: hard

text: time

text: if

text: they

text: show

text: up

text: in

text: her

text: court

text: without

text: really

text: doing

text: their

text: homework

text: he

text: said

text: Margarita

text: Rosa

text: a

text: Princeton

text: classmate

text: of

text: Sotomayor

text: said

text: she

text: 's

text: always

text: known

text: the

text: high

text: court

text: nominee

text: to

text: be

text: measured

text: and

text: methodical

text: in

text: her

text: decision

text: making

text: She

text: really

text: looks

text: at

text: the

text: facts

text: and

text: she

text: is

text: I

text: think

text: very

text: evenhanded

text: and

text: fair

text: but

text: does

text: bring

text: to

text: the

text: table

text: a

text: very

text: valuable

text: understanding

text: of

text: the

text: challenges

text: and

text: experiences

text: I

text: think

text: of

text: average

text: people

text: she

text: said

text: Obama

text: has

text: said

text: he

text: hopes

text: confirmation

text: hearings

text: will

text: be

text: held

text: in

text: July

text: with

text: the

text: confirmation

text: completed

text: before

text: Congress

text: leaves

text: for

text: the

text: summer

text: Sotomayor

text: was

text: confirmed

text: to

text: her

text: current

text: seat

text: by

text: the

text: Senate

text: in

text: a

text: process

text: that

text: took

text: more

text: than

text: a

text: year

text: The

text: final

text: vote

text: was

text: Though

text: a

text: majority

text: of

text: Senate

text: Republicans

text: opposed

text: her

text: nomination

text: she

text: did

text: win

text: several

text: key

text: Republican

text: votes

text: that

text: year

text: which

text: could

text: prove

text: critical

text: in

text: this

text: year

text: 's

text: confirmation

text: fight

text: In

text: the

text: New

text: York

text: judge

text: won

text: the

text: support

text: of

text: Republicans

text: including

text: eight

text: senators

text: who

text: still

text: serve

text: If

text: Sotomayor

text: is

text: able

text: to

text: maintain

text: the

text: support

text: of

text: just

text: a

text: few

text: of

text: those

text: GOP

text: senators

text: this

text: year

text: Senate

text: Republicans

text: would

text: face

text: an

text: almost

text: impossible

text: task

text: in

text: defeating

text: her

text: nomination

text: even

text: by

text: filibuster

text: which

text: requires

text: votes

text: Currently

text: Republicans

text: hold

text: senate

text: seats

text: All

text: votes

text: against

text: her

text: nomination

text: were

text: from

text: Republicans

text: of

text: whom

text: still

text: serve

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Kristi

text: Keck

text: and

text: Robert

text: Yoon

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: Who elevated them to their current seat?

answer: by President Clint

text: by President Clint

question: What did Sotomayor say?

answer: the nomination is the "most humbling honor

text: the nomination is the "most humbling honor

question: What is Sotomayor's age?

answer: he 54-year-o

text: he 54-year-o

question: Where was Sotomayor born?

answer: the Bronx

text: the Bronx

question: Where was she born?

answer: in the Bronx

text: in the Bronx

question: Where was Sonia Sotomayor born?

answer: in the Bronx

text: in the Bronx

question: Where did he grow up?

answer: in a public housing project,

text: in a public housing project,


text:
ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Gregory Maguire absently cleans his glasses with his tie as he talks about pushing someone down the stairs.

"I use children's stories as kind of a snare and temptation and illusion to draw in readers," Gregory Maguire says.

"I wonder if you've ever stood at the top of the stairs behind someone who's really annoying and just imagined putting your foot out and planting your boot in somebody's objectionable behind?" he asks. "You know, I think that thought is a fairly common human thought."

Maybe for the author of "Wicked," who looks more like a college English professor than someone who spends his days writing about the world of Oz. Maguire often imagines evil, and how those without self-control respond to it.

Maguire's "Wicked" series puts a spin on the classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" tale, bringing in corruption, political prisoners and war. His first book, "Wicked," has sold more than 2.5 million copies, and the musical based on the book reportedly has been seen by more than 3.75 million people in New York alone. National tours have been huge successes.

Maguire's newest book in the series, "A Lion Among Men," tells the story of the Cowardly Lion -- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in "Wicked."  Watch Maguire roar about "Lion" Â»

CNN talked to Maguire about the book's main character, his life before "Wicked" and why he has never written realistic adult fiction. The following is an edited version of that interview:

CNN: To someone who's never read your books before, how would you describe your style?

Gregory Maguire: I would describe [my books] as being, not quite allegories, but commentaries on contemporary society -- and indeed politics to some extent -- enshrouded in, and disguised by, the guise of children's stories.

In other words, I use children's stories as kind of a snare and temptation and illusion to draw in readers who say this is going to be easy ... and it's going to be fun. And indeed I hope it is fun. But once I get people involved in the plot, I hope to also communicate some of the questions I have about the way we live our lives in the 21st century.

CNN: Talk to me about Brrr. What's his personality like? What is he going through?

Maguire: Well, Brrr is the name that I've given to the cowardly lion who is the main character -- the protagonist -- in this novel called "A Lion Among Men." And I gave him that name for two reasons: One, because it does sound like a shiver, and he is always slightly spooked by the world; and the second reason, because the two letters in it B-r-r-r are both letters from the name of Bert Lahr, who played the Cowardly Lion so famously in the 1939 MGM film.

His character arises in the hollow space in our perceptions between that giant roaring lion at the MGM logo ... the ideal lion, and the kind of sad, sacked, out of work, vaudeville performer in lion pajamas that we see when Dorothy actually runs into the lion on the Yellow Brick Road.

In other words, there's a huge disconnect between the image we project of ourselves -- the best we might ever hope to possibly be -- and the way we feel about ourselves at our absolute worst -- when we're the most down in the dumps. There's a huge space in between there. So the novel's really in some ways about character and taking control of the destiny of your own character.

CNN: Everyone knows of your success with "Wicked" -- it's huge. But what was your life like before you wrote that book?

Maguire: I had written children's books for 14 years before I published "Wicked." And none of them were poorly reviewed, and none of them sold enough for me to be able to buy a bed.

I was the traditional artist in the garret, expecting to live that way or maybe to give up writing soon because I would eventually have to get a job that was going to pay me some kind of retirement package. Silly thought, that, these days.

CNN: You often take the point of view of the "wicked" or "evil" characters in your books. How do you get inside their heads?

Maguire: Well, I like to think I'm a pretty good-natured guy and pretty civil and probably not ever truly guilty in any serious way of any legal infractions. But I do seem to have an unconscionable, easy time of thinking about how people might do wrong, of what they might feel like and how they might behave if they had less self-control than I do.

And then also, how they would have to deal with the weight of being called evil. If everyone was always calling you a bad name, how much of that would you internalize? How much of that would you say, all right, go ahead, I'll be everything that you call me because I have no capacity to change your minds anyway so why bother. By whose standards should I live?

In a way, all three of my adult books come down to that question -- by whose standards should I live? Can I find my own standards? Can I recognize them? Can I value them if I can name them? And are they good enough, are they strong enough, standards by which to live?

CNN: You talked about writing children's books. How is writing for children different than writing for adults?

Maguire: Well, for one thing children are intensely more impatient than adults. So you have to start out active, you have to start out strong and you cannot be, for a moment, self-indulgent.

Everything has to be a sound bite or something that the children can visualize as if they're running a little Super 8 projector in their mind. Now I date myself with ancient technology, but you know what I mean ... write the scene that you want Steven Spielberg to film, which means every sentence has to give us something to see. Make it intensely visual and this is, I think, the main rule for writing for children.

But in no way do I make it less thoughtful. I just actually have to work harder. Writing for children is like the difference between writing a sonnet and writing a gossip column. I mean you have a lot more restrictions so you have to work a lot harder.

I'm not saying that a gossip column can't be intensely rewarding, but I dare say it's easier to write.

CNN: Have you ever considered writing anything that's not magical, or more real life?

Maguire: I have, but I never seem to get very far. In a way, and I don't mean to talk myself down, but sometimes I look at the mysteries of other people and I think, "How do I know if they think anything like I think?"

I can only guess who you might be. You might see the world in a whole different range of colors than I do. You might be super sensitive to nuances of body language or music or ... I just don't know.

So I always feel when I try to write realistic fiction for adults, that maybe I don't have enough life experience, even though I'm 54. I'm not sure I trust it.

But when I write something that has a magic base to it, I put in everything I do know about the infinite varieties and subtleties and ambivalences in adult behavior, but nobody can call me out and say, "You don't even know who human beings are" because I've couched it.

I suppose it's a kind of safety net for myself, or a security blanket. If I'm writing magic, nobody can say I got it wrong because we all know magic doesn't exist.

text: ATLANTA

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: Gregory

text: Maguire

text: absently

text: cleans

text: his

text: glasses

text: with

text: his

text: tie

text: as

text: he

text: talks

text: about

text: pushing

text: someone

text: down

text: the

text: stairs

text: I

text: use

text: children

text: 's

text: stories

text: as

text: kind

text: of

text: a

text: snare

text: and

text: temptation

text: and

text: illusion

text: to

text: draw

text: in

text: readers

text: Gregory

text: Maguire

text: says

text: I

text: wonder

text: if

text: you

text: 've

text: ever

text: stood

text: at

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: stairs

text: behind

text: someone

text: who

text: 's

text: really

text: annoying

text: and

text: just

text: imagined

text: putting

text: your

text: foot

text: out

text: and

text: planting

text: your

text: boot

text: in

text: somebody

text: 's

text: objectionable

text: behind

text: he

text: asks

text: You

text: know

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: thought

text: is

text: a

text: fairly

text: common

text: human

text: thought

text: Maybe

text: for

text: the

text: author

text: of

text: Wicked

text: who

text: looks

text: more

text: like

text: a

text: college

text: English

text: professor

text: than

text: someone

text: who

text: spends

text: his

text: days

text: writing

text: about

text: the

text: world

text: of

text: Oz

text: Maguire

text: often

text: imagines

text: evil

text: and

text: how

text: those

text: without

text: self

text: control

text: respond

text: to

text: it

text: Maguire

text: 's

text: Wicked

text: series

text: puts

text: a

text: spin

text: on

text: the

text: classic

text: The

text: Wonderful

text: Wizard

text: of

text: Oz

text: tale

text: bringing

text: in

text: corruption

text: political

text: prisoners

text: and

text: war

text: His

text: first

text: book

text: Wicked

text: has

text: sold

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: copies

text: and

text: the

text: musical

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: book

text: reportedly

text: has

text: been

text: seen

text: by

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: people

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: alone

text: National

text: tours

text: have

text: been

text: huge

text: successes

text: Maguire

text: 's

text: newest

text: book

text: in

text: the

text: series

text: A

text: Lion

text: Among

text: Men

text: tells

text: the

text: story

text: of

text: the

text: Cowardly

text: Lion

text: the

text: motherless

text: cub

text: defended

text: by

text: Elphaba

text: in

text: Wicked

text: Watch

text: Maguire

text: roar

text: about

text: Lion

text: Â

text: CNN

text: talked

text: to

text: Maguire

text: about

text: the

text: book

text: 's

text: main

text: character

text: his

text: life

text: before

text: Wicked

text: and

text: why

text: he

text: has

text: never

text: written

text: realistic

text: adult

text: fiction

text: The

text: following

text: is

text: an

text: edited

text: version

text: of

text: that

text: interview

text: CNN

text: To

text: someone

text: who

text: 's

text: never

text: read

text: your

text: books

text: before

text: how

text: would

text: you

text: describe

text: your

text: style

text: Gregory

text: Maguire

text: I

text: would

text: describe

text: my

text: books

text: as

text: being

text: not

text: quite

text: allegories

text: but

text: commentaries

text: on

text: contemporary

text: society

text: and

text: indeed

text: politics

text: to

text: some

text: extent

text: enshrouded

text: in

text: and

text: disguised

text: by

text: the

text: guise

text: of

text: children

text: 's

text: stories

text: In

text: other

text: words

text: I

text: use

text: children

text: 's

text: stories

text: as

text: kind

text: of

text: a

text: snare

text: and

text: temptation

text: and

text: illusion

text: to

text: draw

text: in

text: readers

text: who

text: say

text: this

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: easy

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: fun

text: And

text: indeed

text: I

text: hope

text: it

text: is

text: fun

text: But

text: once

text: I

text: get

text: people

text: involved

text: in

text: the

text: plot

text: I

text: hope

text: to

text: also

text: communicate

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: questions

text: I

text: have

text: about

text: the

text: way

text: we

text: live

text: our

text: lives

text: in

text: the

text: century

text: CNN

text: Talk

text: to

text: me

text: about

text: Brrr

text: What

text: 's

text: his

text: personality

text: like

text: What

text: is

text: he

text: going

text: through

text: Maguire

text: Well

text: Brrr

text: is

text: the

text: name

text: that

text: I

text: 've

text: given

text: to

text: the

text: cowardly

text: lion

text: who

text: is

text: the

text: main

text: character

text: the

text: protagonist

text: in

text: this

text: novel

text: called

text: A

text: Lion

text: Among

text: Men

text: And

text: I

text: gave

text: him

text: that

text: name

text: for

text: two

text: reasons

text: One

text: because

text: it

text: does

text: sound

text: like

text: a

text: shiver

text: and

text: he

text: is

text: always

text: slightly

text: spooked

text: by

text: the

text: world

text: and

text: the

text: second

text: reason

text: because

text: the

text: two

text: letters

text: in

text: it

text: B

text: r

text: r

text: r

text: are

text: both

text: letters

text: from

text: the

text: name

text: of

text: Bert

text: Lahr

text: who

text: played

text: the

text: Cowardly

text: Lion

text: so

text: famously

text: in

text: the

text: MGM

text: film

text: His

text: character

text: arises

text: in

text: the

text: hollow

text: space

text: in

text: our

text: perceptions

text: between

text: that

text: giant

text: roaring

text: lion

text: at

text: the

text: MGM

text: logo

text: the

text: ideal

text: lion

text: and

text: the

text: kind

text: of

text: sad

text: sacked

text: out

text: of

text: work

text: vaudeville

text: performer

text: in

text: lion

text: pajamas

text: that

text: we

text: see

text: when

text: Dorothy

text: actually

text: runs

text: into

text: the

text: lion

text: on

text: the

text: Yellow

text: Brick

text: Road

text: In

text: other

text: words

text: there

text: 's

text: a

text: huge

text: disconnect

text: between

text: the

text: image

text: we

text: project

text: of

text: ourselves

text: the

text: best

text: we

text: might

text: ever

text: hope

text: to

text: possibly

text: be

text: and

text: the

text: way

text: we

text: feel

text: about

text: ourselves

text: at

text: our

text: absolute

text: worst

text: when

text: we

text: 're

text: the

text: most

text: down

text: in

text: the

text: dumps

text: There

text: 's

text: a

text: huge

text: space

text: in

text: between

text: there

text: So

text: the

text: novel

text: 's

text: really

text: in

text: some

text: ways

text: about

text: character

text: and

text: taking

text: control

text: of

text: the

text: destiny

text: of

text: your

text: own

text: character

text: CNN

text: Everyone

text: knows

text: of

text: your

text: success

text: with

text: Wicked

text: it

text: 's

text: huge

text: But

text: what

text: was

text: your

text: life

text: like

text: before

text: you

text: wrote

text: that

text: book

text: Maguire

text: I

text: had

text: written

text: children

text: 's

text: books

text: for

text: years

text: before

text: I

text: published

text: Wicked

text: And

text: of

text: them

text: were

text: poorly

text: reviewed

text: and

text: of

text: them

text: sold

text: enough

text: for

text: me

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: buy

text: a

text: bed

text: I

text: was

text: the

text: traditional

text: artist

text: in

text: the

text: garret

text: expecting

text: to

text: live

text: that

text: way

text: or

text: maybe

text: to

text: give

text: up

text: writing

text: soon

text: because

text: I

text: would

text: eventually

text: have

text: to

text: get

text: a

text: job

text: that

text: was

text: going

text: to

text: pay

text: me

text: some

text: kind

text: of

text: retirement

text: package

text: Silly

text: thought

text: that

text: these

text: days

text: CNN

text: You

text: often

text: take

text: the

text: point

text: of

text: view

text: of

text: the

text: wicked

text: or

text: evil

text: characters

text: in

text: your

text: books

text: How

text: do

text: you

text: get

text: inside

text: their

text: heads

text: Maguire

text: Well

text: I

text: like

text: to

text: think

text: I

text: 'm

text: a

text: pretty

text: good

text: natured

text: guy

text: and

text: pretty

text: civil

text: and

text: probably

text: not

text: ever

text: truly

text: guilty

text: in

text: any

text: serious

text: way

text: of

text: any

text: legal

text: infractions

text: But

text: I

text: do

text: seem

text: to

text: have

text: an

text: unconscionable

text: easy

text: time

text: of

text: thinking

text: about

text: how

text: people

text: might

text: do

text: wrong

text: of

text: what

text: they

text: might

text: feel

text: like

text: and

text: how

text: they

text: might

text: behave

text: if

text: they

text: had

text: less

text: self

text: control

text: than

text: I

text: do

text: And

text: then

text: also

text: how

text: they

text: would

text: have

text: to

text: deal

text: with

text: the

text: weight

text: of

text: being

text: called

text: evil

text: If

text: everyone

text: was

text: always

text: calling

text: you

text: a

text: bad

text: name

text: how

text: much

text: of

text: that

text: would

text: you

text: internalize

text: How

text: much

text: of

text: that

text: would

text: you

text: say

text: all

text: right

text: go

text: ahead

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: everything

text: that

text: you

text: call

text: me

text: because

text: I

text: have

text: no

text: capacity

text: to

text: change

text: your

text: minds

text: anyway

text: so

text: why

text: bother

text: By

text: whose

text: standards

text: should

text: I

text: live

text: In

text: a

text: way

text: all

text: three

text: of

text: my

text: adult

text: books

text: come

text: down

text: to

text: that

text: question

text: by

text: whose

text: standards

text: should

text: I

text: live

text: Can

text: I

text: find

text: my

text: own

text: standards

text: Can

text: I

text: recognize

text: them

text: Can

text: I

text: value

text: them

text: if

text: I

text: can

text: name

text: them

text: And

text: are

text: they

text: good

text: enough

text: are

text: they

text: strong

text: enough

text: standards

text: by

text: which

text: to

text: live

text: CNN

text: You

text: talked

text: about

text: writing

text: children

text: 's

text: books

text: How

text: is

text: writing

text: for

text: children

text: different

text: than

text: writing

text: for

text: adults

text: Maguire

text: Well

text: for

text: one

text: thing

text: children

text: are

text: intensely

text: more

text: impatient

text: than

text: adults

text: So

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: start

text: out

text: active

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: start

text: out

text: strong

text: and

text: you

text: can

text: not

text: be

text: for

text: a

text: moment

text: self

text: indulgent

text: Everything

text: has

text: to

text: be

text: a

text: sound

text: bite

text: or

text: something

text: that

text: the

text: children

text: can

text: visualize

text: as

text: if

text: they

text: 're

text: running

text: a

text: little

text: Super

text: projector

text: in

text: their

text: mind

text: Now

text: I

text: date

text: myself

text: with

text: ancient

text: technology

text: but

text: you

text: know

text: what

text: I

text: mean

text: write

text: the

text: scene

text: that

text: you

text: want

text: Steven

text: Spielberg

text: to

text: film

text: which

text: means

text: every

text: sentence

text: has

text: to

text: give

text: us

text: something

text: to

text: see

text: Make

text: it

text: intensely

text: visual

text: and

text: this

text: is

text: I

text: think

text: the

text: main

text: rule

text: for

text: writing

text: for

text: children

text: But

text: in

text: no

text: way

text: do

text: I

text: make

text: it

text: less

text: thoughtful

text: I

text: just

text: actually

text: have

text: to

text: work

text: harder

text: Writing

text: for

text: children

text: is

text: like

text: the

text: difference

text: between

text: writing

text: a

text: sonnet

text: and

text: writing

text: a

text: gossip

text: column

text: I

text: mean

text: you

text: have

text: a

text: lot

text: more

text: restrictions

text: so

text: you

text: have

text: to

text: work

text: a

text: lot

text: harder

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: saying

text: that

text: a

text: gossip

text: column

text: ca

text: n't

text: be

text: intensely

text: rewarding

text: but

text: I

text: dare

text: say

text: it

text: 's

text: easier

text: to

text: write

text: CNN

text: Have

text: you

text: ever

text: considered

text: writing

text: anything

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: magical

text: or

text: more

text: real

text: life

text: Maguire

text: I

text: have

text: but

text: I

text: never

text: seem

text: to

text: get

text: very

text: far

text: In

text: a

text: way

text: and

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: mean

text: to

text: talk

text: myself

text: down

text: but

text: sometimes

text: I

text: look

text: at

text: the

text: mysteries

text: of

text: other

text: people

text: and

text: I

text: think

text: How

text: do

text: I

text: know

text: if

text: they

text: think

text: anything

text: like

text: I

text: think

text: I

text: can

text: only

text: guess

text: who

text: you

text: might

text: be

text: You

text: might

text: see

text: the

text: world

text: in

text: a

text: whole

text: different

text: range

text: of

text: colors

text: than

text: I

text: do

text: You

text: might

text: be

text: super

text: sensitive

text: to

text: nuances

text: of

text: body

text: language

text: or

text: music

text: or

text: I

text: just

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: So

text: I

text: always

text: feel

text: when

text: I

text: try

text: to

text: write

text: realistic

text: fiction

text: for

text: adults

text: that

text: maybe

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: enough

text: life

text: experience

text: even

text: though

text: I

text: 'm

text: I

text: 'm

text: not

text: sure

text: I

text: trust

text: it

text: But

text: when

text: I

text: write

text: something

text: that

text: has

text: a

text: magic

text: base

text: to

text: it

text: I

text: put

text: in

text: everything

text: I

text: do

text: know

text: about

text: the

text: infinite

text: varieties

text: and

text: subtleties

text: and

text: ambivalences

text: in

text: adult

text: behavior

text: but

text: nobody

text: can

text: call

text: me

text: out

text: and

text: say

text: You

text: do

text: n't

text: even

text: know

text: who

text: human

text: beings

text: are

text: because

text: I

text: 've

text: couched

text: it

text: I

text: suppose

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: kind

text: of

text: safety

text: net

text: for

text: myself

text: or

text: a

text: security

text: blanket

text: If

text: I

text: 'm

text: writing

text: magic

text: nobody

text: can

text: say

text: I

text: got

text: it

text: wrong

text: because

text: we

text: all

text: know

text: magic

text: does

text: n't

text: exist

question: What is "A Lion Among Men," about?

answer: -- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in "Wicked."

text: -- the motherless cub defended by Elphaba in "Wicked."

question: What did Maguire write for 14 years?

answer: children's books

text: children's books

question: How many Maguire books of Wicked has he sold?

answer: 2.5 million copies,

text: 2.5 million copies,

question: How long has Maguire been writing childrens's books?

answer: 14 years

text: 14 years

question: What is the name of Gregory's new book?

answer: "A Lion Among Men,"

text: "A Lion Among Men,"

question: How many years did Maguire write children's books?

answer: 14

question: How many copies has "Wicked" sold?

answer: 2.5 million

text: 2.5 million

question: How many times did the novel 'Wicked' sell?

answer: "Wicked," has sold more than 2.5 million copies,

text: "Wicked," has sold more than 2.5 million copies,

question: What is Gregory Maguire's new book about?

answer: tells the story of the Cowardly Lion

text: tells the story of the Cowardly Lion


text:
Washington (CNN) -- Fears that Haitian earthquake survivors would engage in a massive and deadly ocean migration to South Florida have thus far been unfounded, according to federal and local government officials, who say they continue to plan for such an exodus only as a precaution.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has witnessed only normal maritime traffic around Haiti, and it has not intercepted any Haitians attempting illegal crossings into U.S. waters. Nor does it see people preparing for voyages .

Florida officials have asked for federal government funding to shelter 10,000 refugees, but said that was done only as a precaution.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force continues daily flights of its EC-130J Commando Solo aircraft -- a radio station in the sky -- which is broadcasting warnings to would-be migrants, as well as information about where people can find food and aid.

List of missing, found people in Haiti

The plane is broadcasting a recorded message from Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, saying: "Listen, don't rush on boats to leave the country. Because I'll be honest with you: If you think you will reach the U.S. and all the doors will be wide open to you, that's not at all the case. And they will intercept you right on the water and send you back home where you came from."

State Department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said the message is "part of the U.S. effort to help keep Haitians safe."

"We don't want people to endanger their lives by taking risk to try to get to the U.S. at this time," he said.

The U.S. military will be distributing special radios to Haitians this week in an effort to get messages and news spread as far as possible.

Some 50,000 portable solar-powered and windup radios will be distributed by the U.S. military joint task force that is deploying troops in Haiti's capital, Port-au-Prince, and other severely stricken parts of the country.

Government officials say past migrations from Cuba and Haiti were the result of large geopolitical events, circumstances that differ significantly from those in Haiti now. Further, there is a large U.S. government presence in Haiti and offshore -- factors that will make any migration easier for the government to detect.

"At this point, we are not expecting a massive influx of Haitian individuals," said Mike Stone, spokesman for the Florida Emergency Operations Center. Immediately after the January 12 quake, the state "dusted off" a preparedness plan known as Operation Vigilant Sentry "just in case," he said.

The plan has been in place since 2003.

David Halstead, director of Florida's Division of Emergency Management, said the state's request for "safe housing" for 10,000 Haitian survivors was based on the plan. That is the maximum number Florida officials believe the state could support in any mass migration, and only for a limited period, he said. It is based on the expectation that people would first be housed at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba and federal immigration detention centers.

"I think right now, with everyone watching Haiti ... for any boat or ship to be able to get out of there illegally would be a miracle upon itself," Halstead said Tuesday.

The U.S. Coast Guard said it has seen "nothing out of the ordinary" off Haiti's coast in recent days. Ferry vessels have been crowded, "but they're not going anyplace we wouldn't expect them to," Lt. Cmdr. Christopher O'Neil said.

Haitians have migrated to the United States by boat in relatively small numbers for at least the past 30 years, with several notable spikes. An estimated 25,000 Haitians were among the mass migration of more than 150,000 asylum seekers, primarily Cubans, during the Mariel boatlift in 1980. In the early 1990s, tens of thousands of Haitians migrated to the United States after the coup d'etat deposing President Jean-Bertrand Aristide.

CNN Pentagon Producer Mike Mount contributed to this report.

text: Washington

text: CNN

text: Fears

text: that

text: Haitian

text: earthquake

text: survivors

text: would

text: engage

text: in

text: a

text: massive

text: and

text: deadly

text: ocean

text: migration

text: to

text: South

text: Florida

text: have

text: thus

text: far

text: been

text: unfounded

text: according

text: to

text: federal

text: and

text: local

text: government

text: officials

text: who

text: say

text: they

text: continue

text: to

text: plan

text: for

text: such

text: an

text: exodus

text: only

text: as

text: a

text: precaution

text: The

text: U.S.

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: said

text: it

text: has

text: witnessed

text: only

text: normal

text: maritime

text: traffic

text: around

text: Haiti

text: and

text: it

text: has

text: not

text: intercepted

text: any

text: Haitians

text: attempting

text: illegal

text: crossings

text: into

text: U.S.

text: waters

text: Nor

text: does

text: it

text: see

text: people

text: preparing

text: for

text: voyages

text: Florida

text: officials

text: have

text: asked

text: for

text: federal

text: government

text: funding

text: to

text: shelter

text: refugees

text: but

text: said

text: that

text: was

text: done

text: only

text: as

text: a

text: precaution

text: Meanwhile

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Air

text: Force

text: continues

text: daily

text: flights

text: of

text: its

text: Commando

text: Solo

text: aircraft

text: a

text: radio

text: station

text: in

text: the

text: sky

text: which

text: is

text: broadcasting

text: warnings

text: to

text: would

text: be

text: migrants

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: information

text: about

text: where

text: people

text: can

text: find

text: food

text: and

text: aid

text: List

text: of

text: missing

text: found

text: people

text: in

text: Haiti

text: The

text: plane

text: is

text: broadcasting

text: a

text: recorded

text: message

text: from

text: Raymond

text: Joseph

text: Haiti

text: 's

text: ambassador

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: saying

text: Listen

text: do

text: n't

text: rush

text: on

text: boats

text: to

text: leave

text: the

text: country

text: Because

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: honest

text: with

text: you

text: If

text: you

text: think

text: you

text: will

text: reach

text: the

text: U.S.

text: and

text: all

text: the

text: doors

text: will

text: be

text: wide

text: open

text: to

text: you

text: that

text: 's

text: not

text: at

text: all

text: the

text: case

text: And

text: they

text: will

text: intercept

text: you

text: right

text: on

text: the

text: water

text: and

text: send

text: you

text: back

text: home

text: where

text: you

text: came

text: from

text: State

text: Department

text: deputy

text: spokesman

text: Gordon

text: Duguid

text: said

text: the

text: message

text: is

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: U.S.

text: effort

text: to

text: help

text: keep

text: Haitians

text: safe

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: want

text: people

text: to

text: endanger

text: their

text: lives

text: by

text: taking

text: risk

text: to

text: try

text: to

text: get

text: to

text: the

text: U.S.

text: at

text: this

text: time

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: U.S.

text: military

text: will

text: be

text: distributing

text: special

text: radios

text: to

text: Haitians

text: this

text: week

text: in

text: an

text: effort

text: to

text: get

text: messages

text: and

text: news

text: spread

text: as

text: far

text: as

text: possible

text: Some

text: portable

text: solar

text: powered

text: and

text: windup

text: radios

text: will

text: be

text: distributed

text: by

text: the

text: U.S.

text: military

text: joint

text: task

text: force

text: that

text: is

text: deploying

text: troops

text: in

text: Haiti

text: 's

text: capital

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: and

text: other

text: severely

text: stricken

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: Government

text: officials

text: say

text: past

text: migrations

text: from

text: Cuba

text: and

text: Haiti

text: were

text: the

text: result

text: of

text: large

text: geopolitical

text: events

text: circumstances

text: that

text: differ

text: significantly

text: from

text: those

text: in

text: Haiti

text: now

text: Further

text: there

text: is

text: a

text: large

text: U.S.

text: government

text: presence

text: in

text: Haiti

text: and

text: offshore

text: factors

text: that

text: will

text: make

text: any

text: migration

text: easier

text: for

text: the

text: government

text: to

text: detect

text: At

text: this

text: point

text: we

text: are

text: not

text: expecting

text: a

text: massive

text: influx

text: of

text: Haitian

text: individuals

text: said

text: Mike

text: Stone

text: spokesman

text: for

text: the

text: Florida

text: Emergency

text: Operations

text: Center

text: Immediately

text: after

text: the

text: January

text: quake

text: the

text: state

text: dusted

text: off

text: a

text: preparedness

text: plan

text: known

text: as

text: Operation

text: Vigilant

text: Sentry

text: just

text: in

text: case

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: plan

text: has

text: been

text: in

text: place

text: since

text: David

text: Halstead

text: director

text: of

text: Florida

text: 's

text: Division

text: of

text: Emergency

text: Management

text: said

text: the

text: state

text: 's

text: request

text: for

text: safe

text: housing

text: for

text: Haitian

text: survivors

text: was

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: plan

text: That

text: is

text: the

text: maximum

text: number

text: Florida

text: officials

text: believe

text: the

text: state

text: could

text: support

text: in

text: any

text: mass

text: migration

text: and

text: only

text: for

text: a

text: limited

text: period

text: he

text: said

text: It

text: is

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: expectation

text: that

text: people

text: would

text: first

text: be

text: housed

text: at

text: Guantanamo

text: Bay

text: Naval

text: Base

text: in

text: Cuba

text: and

text: federal

text: immigration

text: detention

text: centers

text: I

text: think

text: right

text: now

text: with

text: everyone

text: watching

text: Haiti

text: for

text: any

text: boat

text: or

text: ship

text: to

text: be

text: able

text: to

text: get

text: out

text: of

text: there

text: illegally

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: miracle

text: upon

text: itself

text: Halstead

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: The

text: U.S.

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: said

text: it

text: has

text: seen

text: nothing

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: ordinary

text: off

text: Haiti

text: 's

text: coast

text: in

text: recent

text: days

text: Ferry

text: vessels

text: have

text: been

text: crowded

text: but

text: they

text: 're

text: not

text: going

text: anyplace

text: we

text: would

text: n't

text: expect

text: them

text: to

text: Lt

text: Cmdr

text: Christopher

text: O'Neil

text: said

text: Haitians

text: have

text: migrated

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: by

text: boat

text: in

text: relatively

text: small

text: numbers

text: for

text: at

text: least

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: with

text: several

text: notable

text: spikes

text: An

text: estimated

text: Haitians

text: were

text: among

text: the

text: mass

text: migration

text: of

text: more

text: than

text: asylum

text: seekers

text: primarily

text: Cubans

text: during

text: the

text: Mariel

text: boatlift

text: in

text: In

text: the

text: early

text: tens

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: Haitians

text: migrated

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: after

text: the

text: coup

text: d'etat

text: deposing

text: President

text: Jean

text: Bertrand

text: Aristide

text: CNN

text: Pentagon

text: Producer

text: Mike

text: Mount

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: How many extra people has Florida asked for Federal funding to house

answer: 10,000 refugees,

text: 10,000 refugees,

question: Are Haitians trying to cross into the U.S.?

answer: attempting illegal crossings

text: attempting illegal crossings

question: What is the maritine traffic around Haiti like according to the USCG

answer: normal maritime

text: normal maritime

question: Where are Coast Guard?

answer: Haiti,

text: Haiti,

question: Has the coast guard intercepted Haitians trying to cross illegally into US waters?

answer: not

text: not


text:
RIVERDALE, Georgia (CNN)  -- In his darkest moment, Kenneth Brown lost it all. His wife and kids, the housebroken dog, the vacation home on Cape Cod all vanished when he was sent to prison for an arson in 1996.

Kenneth Brown, a former inmate, learned to meditate during his nine years in prison.

Trapped in his gloomy cell and serving a 20-year sentence that felt like an eternity, Brown, then 49, found himself stretched out on the floor. He was silent. His eyes were shut. His body did not move.

Brown, a man raised as a Baptist and taught to praise the Lord and fear the devil, was meditating.

"I try to focus on the space between two thoughts, because it prevents me from getting lost," said Brown, who discovered meditation, yoga and Buddhist teachings three months into his sentence.

"This helped me stay on track and get me through prison," he said.

Eastern religions encompassing meditation techniques have captivated hippies, 20-somethings and celebrities like actor Richard Gere. But since the 1960s, the art of meditation also has found a growing number of unlikely followers behind prison bars.

The inmates say meditation -- an ancient practice that develops mental awareness and fosters relaxation -- is teaching them how to cope in prison.

"Mostly, the people in Buddhist community are going into the prisons, providing programs, and word of mouth gets from one inmate to another," explained Gary Friedman, communications chairman for the American Correctional Chaplains Association. "It's a break from all the hustle and noise of the prison environment."

There is no group tracking the number of inmates converting to Buddhism or engaging in meditation practices. But programs and workshops educating inmates about meditation and yoga are sprouting up across the country.

Meditation can help the convicts find calmness in a prison culture ripe with violence and chaos. The practice provides them a chance to reflect on their crimes, wrestle through feelings of guilt and transform themselves during their rehabilitative journey, Buddhist experts say.

In the past five years, books like the "Prison Chaplaincy Guidelines for Zen Buddhism" and "Razor-Wire Dharma: A Buddhist Life in Prison" have emerged.

"This is transformative justice, as opposed to punitive," said Fleet Maull, founder of the Prison Dharma Network, one of the largest support networks helping inmates learn meditation and Buddhist teachings.

Since its inception in 1989, Prison Dharma Network has grown from one person -- Maull -- teaching Buddhist principles to more than 75 member organizations corresponding with 2,500 individuals, many of them inmates.

For the past seven years, Maull's group has taught a weekly meditation class in Boulder County Jail in Colorado.

Some inmates follow Zen Buddhism, a practice that originated in China, and meet weekly to focus their minds. Others practice Vipassana, a Buddhist practice founded in India, which consists of completing hundreds of hours of meditation in a short period of time.

Buddhism has gained momentum in the United States over the past 25 years, becoming the third most popular religion in America behind Christianity and Judaism, according to the 2008 report from the the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. About 1.7 million Americans call themselves Buddhists, and many of them are converts, the study said. According to the American Religious Identification Survey in 2008, there were 1.2 million self-identified Buddhists.

Some inmates, like Brown, may not label themselves official Buddhists, but they meditate, practice yoga and follow Buddhist principles on truth, responsibility and suffering.

The practice of meditation seeped into the heart of the Bible Belt in 2002. The Donaldson Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in Alabama, was notorious for violence. But a group of male inmates, including several murderers, completed a Vipassana meditation retreat that required more than 100 hours of meditation in 10 days.

One inmate, who was featured in the 2007 documentary "The Dhamma Brothers," said Vipassana was harder than the 8Â½ years he had spent on death row. More than 120 men in Donaldson have gone through Vipassana at least once.  Watch a clip of "The Dhamma Brothers" Â»

"They don't feel so close to exploding," said Jenny Phillips, director of the film. "They aren't afraid to have conversations with people and to express themselves. They aren't always on edge."

Critics, including some prison officials, doubt that meditation works. They worry that it may be a tactic to convince parole boards to lighten a sentence.

In areas that are heavily Christian, some wardens are uncomfortable with introducing Eastern religions. Alabama prison authorities were initially skeptical about meditation but next year will designate an open dormitory for inmates going through Vipassana, said Ron Cavanaugh, director of treatment for the Alabama Department of Corrections.

He said corrections officers have seen lower levels of violence among Donaldson inmates who meditate.

In California, a state where the swollen prison population has resulted in dangerously overcrowded prisons, teaching conflict management is critical, said Anne Seisen Saunders, a Zen Buddhist instructor who was raised Christian.

Her Prison Meditation Project, based near San Diego, began a decade ago in one prison yard. Today, the program has expanded to five prisons, with an average of 20 inmates participating in each location.

Last week, the autumn sky transformed from a deep purple to light blue outside Kenneth Brown's meager studio apartment. Inside, Brown sat on his bed, barefoot and deep in concentration, in front of a makeshift altar holding books a photo of the Buddha. Traces of incense billowed in the air.

Brown, now 62, resides in Georgia to be near his family. He says he was wrongfully convicted of arson. In 2005, a Massachusetts appeals judge reduced his sentence from 20 years to nine.

His body was motionless, his eyes closed and the palms of his hands facing upward.

These days, Brown's practice of mediation helps him tackle the challenges of being unemployed with a felony record. The college graduate has been rejected from jobs catching stray dogs and cleaning hotel rooms.

But he's got a lot to be thankful for: His daughters, his grandchildren -- and meditation, he said.

"I finally feel at peace."

text: RIVERDALE

text: Georgia

text: CNN

text: In

text: his

text: darkest

text: moment

text: Kenneth

text: Brown

text: lost

text: it

text: all

text: His

text: wife

text: and

text: kids

text: the

text: housebroken

text: dog

text: the

text: vacation

text: home

text: on

text: Cape

text: Cod

text: all

text: vanished

text: when

text: he

text: was

text: sent

text: to

text: prison

text: for

text: an

text: arson

text: in

text: Kenneth

text: Brown

text: a

text: former

text: inmate

text: learned

text: to

text: meditate

text: during

text: his

text: nine

text: years

text: in

text: prison

text: Trapped

text: in

text: his

text: gloomy

text: cell

text: and

text: serving

text: a

text: sentence

text: that

text: felt

text: like

text: an

text: eternity

text: Brown

text: then

text: found

text: himself

text: stretched

text: out

text: on

text: the

text: floor

text: He

text: was

text: silent

text: His

text: eyes

text: were

text: shut

text: His

text: body

text: did

text: not

text: move

text: Brown

text: a

text: man

text: raised

text: as

text: a

text: Baptist

text: and

text: taught

text: to

text: praise

text: the

text: Lord

text: and

text: fear

text: the

text: devil

text: was

text: meditating

text: I

text: try

text: to

text: focus

text: on

text: the

text: space

text: between

text: two

text: thoughts

text: because

text: it

text: prevents

text: me

text: from

text: getting

text: lost

text: said

text: Brown

text: who

text: discovered

text: meditation

text: yoga

text: and

text: Buddhist

text: teachings

text: three

text: months

text: into

text: his

text: sentence

text: This

text: helped

text: me

text: stay

text: on

text: track

text: and

text: get

text: me

text: through

text: prison

text: he

text: said

text: Eastern

text: religions

text: encompassing

text: meditation

text: techniques

text: have

text: captivated

text: hippies

text: and

text: celebrities

text: like

text: actor

text: Richard

text: Gere

text: But

text: since

text: the

text: the

text: art

text: of

text: meditation

text: also

text: has

text: found

text: a

text: growing

text: number

text: of

text: unlikely

text: followers

text: behind

text: prison

text: bars

text: The

text: inmates

text: say

text: meditation

text: an

text: ancient

text: practice

text: that

text: develops

text: mental

text: awareness

text: and

text: fosters

text: relaxation

text: is

text: teaching

text: them

text: how

text: to

text: cope

text: in

text: prison

text: Mostly

text: the

text: people

text: in

text: Buddhist

text: community

text: are

text: going

text: into

text: the

text: prisons

text: providing

text: programs

text: and

text: word

text: of

text: mouth

text: gets

text: from

text: one

text: inmate

text: to

text: another

text: explained

text: Gary

text: Friedman

text: communications

text: chairman

text: for

text: the

text: American

text: Correctional

text: Chaplains

text: Association

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: break

text: from

text: all

text: the

text: hustle

text: and

text: noise

text: of

text: the

text: prison

text: environment

text: There

text: is

text: no

text: group

text: tracking

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: inmates

text: converting

text: to

text: Buddhism

text: or

text: engaging

text: in

text: meditation

text: practices

text: But

text: programs

text: and

text: workshops

text: educating

text: inmates

text: about

text: meditation

text: and

text: yoga

text: are

text: sprouting

text: up

text: across

text: the

text: country

text: Meditation

text: can

text: help

text: the

text: convicts

text: find

text: calmness

text: in

text: a

text: prison

text: culture

text: ripe

text: with

text: violence

text: and

text: chaos

text: The

text: practice

text: provides

text: them

text: a

text: chance

text: to

text: reflect

text: on

text: their

text: crimes

text: wrestle

text: through

text: feelings

text: of

text: guilt

text: and

text: transform

text: themselves

text: during

text: their

text: rehabilitative

text: journey

text: Buddhist

text: experts

text: say

text: In

text: the

text: past

text: five

text: years

text: books

text: like

text: the

text: Prison

text: Chaplaincy

text: Guidelines

text: for

text: Zen

text: Buddhism

text: and

text: Razor

text: Wire

text: Dharma

text: A

text: Buddhist

text: Life

text: in

text: Prison

text: have

text: emerged

text: This

text: is

text: transformative

text: justice

text: as

text: opposed

text: to

text: punitive

text: said

text: Fleet

text: Maull

text: founder

text: of

text: the

text: Prison

text: Dharma

text: Network

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: largest

text: support

text: networks

text: helping

text: inmates

text: learn

text: meditation

text: and

text: Buddhist

text: teachings

text: Since

text: its

text: inception

text: in

text: Prison

text: Dharma

text: Network

text: has

text: grown

text: from

text: one

text: person

text: Maull

text: teaching

text: Buddhist

text: principles

text: to

text: more

text: than

text: member

text: organizations

text: corresponding

text: with

text: individuals

text: many

text: of

text: them

text: inmates

text: For

text: the

text: past

text: seven

text: years

text: Maull

text: 's

text: group

text: has

text: taught

text: a

text: weekly

text: meditation

text: class

text: in

text: Boulder

text: County

text: Jail

text: in

text: Colorado

text: Some

text: inmates

text: follow

text: Zen

text: Buddhism

text: a

text: practice

text: that

text: originated

text: in

text: China

text: and

text: meet

text: weekly

text: to

text: focus

text: their

text: minds

text: Others

text: practice

text: Vipassana

text: a

text: Buddhist

text: practice

text: founded

text: in

text: India

text: which

text: consists

text: of

text: completing

text: hundreds

text: of

text: hours

text: of

text: meditation

text: in

text: a

text: short

text: period

text: of

text: time

text: Buddhism

text: has

text: gained

text: momentum

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: over

text: the

text: past

text: years

text: becoming

text: the

text: third

text: most

text: popular

text: religion

text: in

text: America

text: behind

text: Christianity

text: and

text: Judaism

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: report

text: from

text: the

text: the

text: Pew

text: Forum

text: on

text: Religion

text: and

text: Public

text: Life

text: About

text: million

text: Americans

text: call

text: themselves

text: Buddhists

text: and

text: many

text: of

text: them

text: are

text: converts

text: the

text: study

text: said

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: American

text: Religious

text: Identification

text: Survey

text: in

text: there

text: were

text: million

text: self

text: identified

text: Buddhists

text: Some

text: inmates

text: like

text: Brown

text: may

text: not

text: label

text: themselves

text: official

text: Buddhists

text: but

text: they

text: meditate

text: practice

text: yoga

text: and

text: follow

text: Buddhist

text: principles

text: on

text: truth

text: responsibility

text: and

text: suffering

text: The

text: practice

text: of

text: meditation

text: seeped

text: into

text: the

text: heart

text: of

text: the

text: Bible

text: Belt

text: in

text: The

text: Donaldson

text: Correctional

text: Facility

text: a

text: maximum

text: security

text: prison

text: in

text: Alabama

text: was

text: notorious

text: for

text: violence

text: But

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: male

text: inmates

text: including

text: several

text: murderers

text: completed

text: a

text: Vipassana

text: meditation

text: retreat

text: that

text: required

text: more

text: than

text: hours

text: of

text: meditation

text: in

text: days

text: One

text: inmate

text: who

text: was

text: featured

text: in

text: the

text: documentary

text: The

text: Dhamma

text: Brothers

text: said

text: Vipassana

text: was

text: harder

text: than

text: the

text: 8Â½

text: years

text: he

text: had

text: spent

text: on

text: death

text: row

text: More

text: than

text: men

text: in

text: Donaldson

text: have

text: gone

text: through

text: Vipassana

text: at

text: least

text: once

text: Watch

text: a

text: clip

text: of

text: The

text: Dhamma

text: Brothers

text: Â

text: They

text: do

text: n't

text: feel

text: so

text: close

text: to

text: exploding

text: said

text: Jenny

text: Phillips

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: film

text: They

text: are

text: n't

text: afraid

text: to

text: have

text: conversations

text: with

text: people

text: and

text: to

text: express

text: themselves

text: They

text: are

text: n't

text: always

text: on

text: edge

text: Critics

text: including

text: some

text: prison

text: officials

text: doubt

text: that

text: meditation

text: works

text: They

text: worry

text: that

text: it

text: may

text: be

text: a

text: tactic

text: to

text: convince

text: parole

text: boards

text: to

text: lighten

text: a

text: sentence

text: In

text: areas

text: that

text: are

text: heavily

text: Christian

text: some

text: wardens

text: are

text: uncomfortable

text: with

text: introducing

text: Eastern

text: religions

text: Alabama

text: prison

text: authorities

text: were

text: initially

text: skeptical

text: about

text: meditation

text: but

text: next

text: year

text: will

text: designate

text: an

text: open

text: dormitory

text: for

text: inmates

text: going

text: through

text: Vipassana

text: said

text: Ron

text: Cavanaugh

text: director

text: of

text: treatment

text: for

text: the

text: Alabama

text: Department

text: of

text: Corrections

text: He

text: said

text: corrections

text: officers

text: have

text: seen

text: lower

text: levels

text: of

text: violence

text: among

text: Donaldson

text: inmates

text: who

text: meditate

text: In

text: California

text: a

text: state

text: where

text: the

text: swollen

text: prison

text: population

text: has

text: resulted

text: in

text: dangerously

text: overcrowded

text: prisons

text: teaching

text: conflict

text: management

text: is

text: critical

text: said

text: Anne

text: Seisen

text: Saunders

text: a

text: Zen

text: Buddhist

text: instructor

text: who

text: was

text: raised

text: Christian

text: Her

text: Prison

text: Meditation

text: Project

text: based

text: near

text: San

text: Diego

text: began

text: a

text: decade

text: ago

text: in

text: one

text: prison

text: yard

text: Today

text: the

text: program

text: has

text: expanded

text: to

text: five

text: prisons

text: with

text: an

text: average

text: of

text: inmates

text: participating

text: in

text: each

text: location

text: Last

text: week

text: the

text: autumn

text: sky

text: transformed

text: from

text: a

text: deep

text: purple

text: to

text: light

text: blue

text: outside

text: Kenneth

text: Brown

text: 's

text: meager

text: studio

text: apartment

text: Inside

text: Brown

text: sat

text: on

text: his

text: bed

text: barefoot

text: and

text: deep

text: in

text: concentration

text: in

text: front

text: of

text: a

text: makeshift

text: altar

text: holding

text: books

text: a

text: photo

text: of

text: the

text: Buddha

text: Traces

text: of

text: incense

text: billowed

text: in

text: the

text: air

text: Brown

text: now

text: resides

text: in

text: Georgia

text: to

text: be

text: near

text: his

text: family

text: He

text: says

text: he

text: was

text: wrongfully

text: convicted

text: of

text: arson

text: In

text: a

text: Massachusetts

text: appeals

text: judge

text: reduced

text: his

text: sentence

text: from

text: years

text: to

text: nine

text: His

text: body

text: was

text: motionless

text: his

text: eyes

text: closed

text: and

text: the

text: palms

text: of

text: his

text: hands

text: facing

text: upward

text: These

text: days

text: Brown

text: 's

text: practice

text: of

text: mediation

text: helps

text: him

text: tackle

text: the

text: challenges

text: of

text: being

text: unemployed

text: with

text: a

text: felony

text: record

text: The

text: college

text: graduate

text: has

text: been

text: rejected

text: from

text: jobs

text: catching

text: stray

text: dogs

text: and

text: cleaning

text: hotel

text: rooms

text: But

text: he

text: 's

text: got

text: a

text: lot

text: to

text: be

text: thankful

text: for

text: His

text: daughters

text: his

text: grandchildren

text: and

text: meditation

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: finally

text: feel

text: at

text: peace

question: What is the third most popular religion in the US?

answer: Buddhism

text: Buddhism

question: what are the first two most popular religions?

answer: Christianity and Judaism,

text: Christianity and Judaism,

question: Who are being educated about meditation and yoga?

answer: inmates

text: inmates

question: What does meditation help reduce?

answer: f violenc

text: f violenc

question: What are the programs educating inmates about?

answer: meditation

text: meditation

question: What has meditation helped to do?

answer: stay on track and get me through prison,"

text: stay on track and get me through prison,"

question: What is the third most popular religion in the United States?

answer: Buddhism

text: Buddhism