"I meant was that there is no one of her stature and charisma, doing what she did, among the generation that is now in their 20s."

I agree with you - to an extent. I think that you can also say that there was no one of her stature among older generations as well. We've had poeple that were known for their activism and celebrities that helped various causes, but I would be hard pressed to compare ANYONE from ANY generation that combined their talents and activism in the way that Joan Baez does.

As for the "20's" generation - there are differences in time, media and cause. Answer this - how many "20 something" stars can you name these days? I'm betting folks of our generation and older (I'm 52) probably aren't watching todays actors & musicians as closely as we did when we were actually in our 20s's.

Here are a couple of names that I've heard about. Q'Orianka Kilcher, a young American actress. She played a young Pochontas in the movie "The New World" and has done some independent movies as well as music. Charming, charismatic - and she has campaigned for Amnesty International, environmental causes and others. At a time when most actresses would be worrying about their next feature role, she is marching in Peru in support the indigenous people of the Amazon. Actually, she looks a bit like Baez!

Hayden Panettiere of "Heroes" has done a lot of environmental work, and there is apparently a warrant out for her arrest in Japan where she and other members of the activist group Sea Shepherd blocked Japanese fisherman hunting dolphins. Granted it is not like spending the jail time or the protest time that Baez has done.

I also think that there is a passion among the average 20 year old that deserves recognition.   We look back at all the protest rallies against the Vietnam War or for Civil Rights that took place back in the 60's, but today there are numerous causes that are being fought by young people all across the country.   

Aside from the anti-war and environmental causes, young people are on the lines in the fight for immigration reform and helping the plight of the poor. Young people are working in numerous social causes in their own neighborhoods. My won daughter is the president of the chapter of Planned Parenthood in her college and they are helping the women in low-income neighborhoods around Trenton get help they need. We cannot judge by the few kids we see hanging around the 7-11.

There are so many other causes that owe their lifeblood to the young people of our country, and I'm sure it is all around the world.

Sorry to go off on a soapbox, I do agree with your original statment Michaelr, but I hope that we do not worry that there isn't another Joan Baez out there. We need to encourage the youth of this country to continue fighting the good fight.