Candidate for
United States Representative; District 5

I am a long-time activist for progressive causes and have been a member of the Peace and Freedom Party since 1968. My personal political views closely correspond with the party's emphasis on social justice issues, environmentalism, feminism, peace, non-discrimination, labor rights, civil liberties, anti-capitalism and democratic socialism.

Political Experience:

Candidate, US Congress, 2005 (special election)
Candidate, US Congress, 2004
Campaign Treasurer, CT Weber for Governor, 2003
Co-organizer, Peace and Freedom Party Registration Drive, 2003-05
Chair, Sac. Co. Peace & Freedom Party Central Comm., 1985-present
Candidate, US Congress, 1982
Candidate, CA State Assembly, 1980
Co-founder, Art Students Against the War, 1971
Peace & Freedom Party State Central Comm. Member since 1968

Civic Involvement:

Co-host, "Sacramento Soapbox" Cable Access TV show for 9+ years
Founding member, Sacramento Potters Group
Founding member, Hollywood Park Neighborhood Assoc.
Member: Veterans for Peace, Southern Poverty Law Center, Mensa, Californians for Electoral Reform, ACLU, Amnesty International, National Comm. to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, Compassion and Choices.

Professional Experience:

Self-employed potter since1973
Social Worker, Shasta County, CA 1968-1969 (SEIU local 22 member)
Social Work Assistant, V. A. Hospital, San Francisco, 1967-68
U.S. Army, Army Security Agency, 1959-62

I am a 64-year-old, self-employed professional potter. Making and selling my pottery has been my wonderful job for the last 35 years. My wife and I have two adult sons, one is a manager in the Reno area and the other is a lawyer for the Calif. Public Utilities Commission. Two grandchildren bring joy to our lives. I was educated as a commercial artist at Art Center College in Los Angeles (Automobile Design, 1963-65). I received a B.A. in Psychology from CSU San Francisco in 1967, and did post-graduate work in Ceramics at CSU San Jose from 1969-72.

My political journey:

When I first registered to vote in 1962 (at the then minimum age of 21), I chose to register in my father's political party, the Republican Party. I think it is fairly common for people to first choose their parent's party. But as I learned more about the Republicans I realized that I did not agree with its philosophy and positions. So I figured I must be a Democrat. This lead to some minor political work in 1964 for Lyndon Johnson, the man who wasn't going to get us further embroiled in that small scale (at the time) war in Viet Nam, and who promised great initiatives for social justice.

President Johnson's early successes with civil rights, education, and other social justice measures were increasingly overshadowed by the terrible cost in lives, money, and morality of the Viet Nam War. Like so many others of my generation, I became disgusted with the Democrat Party and it's complicity in war, and it's willingness to sacrifice social programs to finance the war. When the Peace and Freedom Party (PFP) emerged out of the peace movement (and the struggle for civil rights and farm worker justice) I joined the party in 1968.

After some minor work in setting up a PFP Mission District chapter in San Francisco, I later became politically active in San Jose while pursuing training in ceramics at San Jose State. I used my art training to produce posters and flyers for anti-war events and PFP candidates. During the college general strike in 1971, I was one of the co-founders of an anti-war fund-raising group called Art Students Against the War.

When I moved to Sacramento to begin my career as a self-employed potter, I became active in the local PFP organization, running for California State Assembly in 1980 and U.S. Congress in 1982. I have maintained an active role in the local PFP County Central Committee, and other progressive causes. Many Sacramentans may recognize me from my 9½ years as co-host of the TV show, Soapbox, on Cable Access TV.