Background

Throughout my childhood, I was obsessed with natural history, primarily animals and the outdoors. After a four-year stint in the Navy, I received a BS in ecology from Western Washington University in Bellingham and embarked on a career as a wildlife biologist in Alaska.

Some of my college classmates laughed at my political ignorance. In fact, I was so ignorant of politics, I didn’t even know the difference between a liberal and a conservative. I couldn’t tell you what political party the President belonged to.

Nor had I ever voted.

My interest in politics was awakened by my travails as an employee of the Seattle School District. After getting shit on by the administration, my own union, my colleagues, the media, the King County Democrats and just about everyone else for ten years, I finally decided enough was enough. I wanted to figure out why the public eduation was so dysfunctional and mean-spirited.

About the same time—about 1995—corporate interests recruited a retired general named John Stanford to spearhead the privatization of Seattle’s public schools as the new superintendent. The extraordinary corruption and media follies that followed were depressing and sometimes a little frightening. But it was also an incredibly educational experience.

I began paying closer attention to things and taking notes. Many of my observations wound up on my constantly growing website. I soon began billing myself as “Washington’s #1 education activist.” Though it may sound arrogant, it was the literal truth. Out of some 4,500 educators employed by the Seattle School District, I was the only one to take a public stand against John Stanford, even creating a website designed to expose him.

I gained more experience and publicity through six campaigns for public office, three for the Seattle School Board and three for state Superintendent of Public Instruction (see Accomplishments).

As I followed the trail of corruption, I developed an interest in related institutions, from the government to the media. I began focusing on national political issues not long before George W. Bush stole the White House in 2000. I fought Bush with my website Jail4Bush and began actively supporting Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez about 2007, launching Viva Chávez! in 2008.

During my first campaign for public office in 1999, I received a computer virus via e-mail from a local media whore who claimed he was relaying season’s greetings from Bill Gates Senior.

Amazingly, I had never been fully aware of the Gates’ corruption before then. That stupid stunt was my first clue that Bill Gates regards public education as his personal fiefdom. I also began to learn just how fucked up Microsoft is as I got deeper into web design. Of course, it’s no secret that Bill Gates and George W. Bush are allies. Since I was residing in Bill Gates’ home town, it was only natural that I add him to my hit list.

I began speaking out against Bill Gates on the Internet and in my campaigns for public office, finally launching Billysoft in 2008.