...by your lack of compassion for what the system put Laura through, Sancho. I would hardly think that you'd admonish her like this simply because she critiqued "your" government, as Americans and Brits on this board critique their governments all the time when they feel it's warranted, and do not see others doing so as a reflection on them personally.

Just please keep in mind that your government did everything in its power to try and prevent Laura from making history and proving that a "mere child" of 14 was capable of accomplishing what she did, and she feels that she was hurt far more by the efforts of her government to "protect" her from her own decision to take a certain type of risk than she was by circumnavigating the globe on her own when she was "too young" to do so in the eyes of the government. As Markaba noted in his post that began this thread, I think that pretty much says it all.

I actually admire her more for speaking out against the government "protectors" in that fashion, as it took as much guts as it did for her to sail across the world on her own, even if she did express it in a perhaps histrionic manner that turned you off.