My Style

More than anything else, I’m known for my style. I speak out boldly, often viciously, using words as weapons—and I’m proud of it.

I’m probably most closely associated with the word whore, as in corporate whore or media whore. People frequently accuse me of being sexist because of such words. During Campaign 2008, a media whore accused me of referring to several women on my website as whores. While that might have been literally true, I apply the word to men as well.

Similarly, I’m not afraid to tackle issues that most people consider politically incorrect or worse. For example, I’ve long worked to publicize the idea that George W. Bush should be sentenced to death for treason and war crimes.

My style is particularly abrasive here in Seattle, where the establishment promotes civility ad nauseam. It isn’t hard to figure out what going on. The rich, powerful and corrupt spend all their time screwing the rest of us. But when we cry foul during election campaigns—among the few times when they can be held accountable—they suddenly pretend to be fine, upstanding citizens and complain bitterly about our lack of civility. Hypocritical assholes.

One of the reasons I became an instant fan of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is the fact that he has a similar style. The media promote him as a big-mouthed lout, but he’s actually very intelligent. Like me, he uses words as weapons—and he’s very effective.

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think I have lot more common sense than the average U.S. citizen. I certainly don’t run to media whores for endorsements when I run for office. OK, so I attended several media endorsement interviews the first time I ran (1999). But I learned my lesson and have boycotted the media ever since.

I’ve even begun boycotting political forums, which are virtually worthless here in Seattle, anyway.

Campaign 2007 was a refreshing experience for me. I extended my boycott farther than ever before, attending just one forum. I did attend one endorsement interview, with the Teamsters, just out of curiosity. I knew they’re corrupt, but I wanted to learn a little about how they do business. The interview was a total joke.

I even declined an invitation to appear on a radio program. I spent virtually the entire campaign working on my websites and was rewarded with nearly a quarter of the vote—surprisingly good in this wacko city.

Another thing I’m proud of is the fact that I’m not a quitter. I’ve fought the Seattle Mafia long and hard against overwhelming odds, blasting my own employer, my own unions, even my colleagues. I’ve run for office six times, spending over $3,000 on filing fees out of my own pocket.

Some people can’t understand why I spend my time doing such things when it seems so hopeless. I like to explain it with an analogy.

Suppose you had a child who was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Would you say, “Honey, I’m sorry, but I can’t spend too much time with you any more because you’re going to die. There’s nothing we can do about it; the doctor says you’re a goner.”

Obviously, only a sicko would say something like that.

I loved my students very much. When Bill Gates and his asshole friends pulled the plug, I knew I’d never see them again. It was extraordinarily painful, and I was tempted to just crawl away and pine away the rest of my life.

But I decided to spend the rest of my life fighting back. I fight for my children and for other students still trapped in corporatized public schools.

I also fight for me. It’s a matter of principle, a matter of honor. I have nothing but contempt for the teachers who abandoned their own profession or the parents who abandon their kids to derelict public schools. At least I have a measure of dignity.

> Style