Who is lynn and why is she ranting?

As a teenager, growing up in New York City and watching the McCarthy hearings on early TV, I learned that my government was not going to protect its citizens.

The non-response to McCarthy by the other committee members left a major impression on my teenage brain and I seem to have been ranting since then.

From the 50’s to today nothing much has made me change my mind.

Politicians look out for their own best interests and their next election…once there, they forget about the people who moved them to D.C.

I also learned that most politicians rule from fear!

Fear of losing their seats – not fear of us, the citizens!

I’ve been talking and writing about all this for a long time…. hence the title “rants.”

Here is a chronological list of my major political influencers:

New York City [1940 – early 60’s]

· born, raised and educated

· WWII and photos of Hiroshima and the liberation of concentration camps

· HUAC hearings on TV

Boston [60’s]

· Rebelsky, Zinn, Chomsky

· sit-ins, demonstrations [in Boston and D.C.]

· 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention [glued to the TV]

Berkeley [late 60’s – early 70’s]

· People’s Park and Reagan’s response

· Kent State

Washington, D.C. [late 70’s to late 90’s]

· just living and working there and meeting politicians one on one

My beliefs

I’m firmly committed to the idea that all politics is local and no matter where I’ve lived I’ve walked and knocked on neighborhood doors for peace, civil rights, voter registration, progressive ideas and candidates – and attended peaceful demonstrations.

For some of this activity, I was tear gassed and maced more times than I like to recall.

I am also an ardent believer in equal rights for women a la Gloria Steinem, Bella Abzug, Betty Friedan, et.al.