For one thing, you can't turn your head in Portland without seeing a Ralph Nader bumper sticker or yard sign or poster stapled to a telephone pole. It's absolutely astonishing to me, because in Detroit and Chicago Nader is still a well-kept lefty secret without any particular form of physical presence to speak of. For there to be so much visible support for a candidate who doesn't have a chance in Hades of winning begs a number of questions, a bunch of which I've actually been thinking about since a friend in New York forwarded me some e-comments on Nader by the always entertaining Michael Moore. The most obvious of those questions goes like this: Why should I have to hold my nose and vote for the "lesser of two evils" in yet another election? It's become a trend I despise, and now have good reason to turn my back on. I may not agree with Nader's agenda or choice of running mate or abrasive style completely, but I find enough validity in his campaign to feel good voting for him. I've not said that before in the 17 years I've been voting for presidential candidates, and it feels good to feel good about voting.

True, there are pragmatic issues to consider. If George W. Bush wins, I will be wincing every day at his dumb-ass cowardly bullying way of dealing with the world. But if I survived Reagan and George Sr., I'm sure I can survive George Jr. in a pinch. I'm pretty sure I won't have to worry about that contingency, though. Once the female vote comes in strong, Bush doesn't stand a chance. Watch the surprisingly astute women's talk show The View sometime if you don't believe that Bush has managed to bungle things with the most secretly important voting block in this country.

And then yesterday I went to see the film Steal This Movie about the life and times of Abbie Hoffman. I've always had an affinity and a respect for the man, and the movie makes it seem like his actions were extraordinary and powerful, but not so heroic that you or I couldn't have done the same. It just took passion and spirit and a strong guiding set of principles, all things which are discouraged in American society in the name of efficiency and expediency, but which historically have kept cultures from sliding into serious decline. This society rejects the very ideas which have the chance of keeping it healthy, and nobody seems to be willing to do anything about it.

Abbie Hoffman, Ralph Nader, Gloria Steinem, Saul Alinsky, Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Bobby Seale - these are the heroes I've secretly revered for years, but haven't felt safe to proclaim my feelings for, being mired in a ironic complacency that was so de rigueur in the '90s. Now that one of them is a serious presidential candidate I feel the tide has turned and it's time to leap out of the closet with gusto. Thank you Portland for giving me yet another reason to embrace that compassionate geekiness that I've hidden within for far too long. Viva la Geek Nation!