Candidate for
City Council Member; City of Santa Monica

My name is Jonathan Mann. I am a Santa Monica resident and internet activist. I became active in local politics through the Public Electronic Network (PEN) and when the city pulled the plug I ran for City Council the first time.

I have worked as a flight attendant, teacher, parole agent, and was musicianin the US Navy. I am a member of the Green Party and promote sustainability in our community environment. I support justice in our social programs and advocate resident rights in our neighborhoods.

My top priority is for Santa Monica to be the first municipality to provide free internet service to enable citizens to have direct input into policy making decisions, and to hold city officials accountable by exposing incompetence, conflict of interest and corruption.

The phenomenal growth of computer networking, the information revolution (Alan Toffler's "Third Wave") and the spread of the World Wide Web has given us internet surfing, web blogging, pornography, E-bay, Craig's List and other electronic activities. This interactive interface disseminates information, (and dis-information), often distorting the truth and disrupting the marketplace of ideas. It also levels the playing field of information exchange and exposes bigotry, hoaxes and propaganda.  Knowledge is power (whether it is truth or not) as shown by the appeal of tabloid journalism, talk radio and FOX News.  All of this contributes to America's progressive, as well as deviant, cultural image.   I was born at Fort Jackson Army Dispensary near Medford, Oregon.  I spent much of my childhood living on military bases and consequently have a less insular view of America.  My father was posted to Korea, Japan and Hawaii. My siblings and I were sent to St. Mary's Catholic orphanage in Galveston, Texas when our mother could not care for us.  We rejoined our father in Japan and I have a Japanese step-mother.  Our final move was to Fort Lewis, Washington.   I left high school in my senior year, passed a high school equivalency test and joined the Navy as a musician.  I was based at Anacostia Naval Air Station near Washington D.C.  Following the Navy I went to the University of Washington and California State University (CSUN) and took a degree in Sociology. I was a member of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS).   After college i spent several years traveling and working all over the world - on the road to Kathmandu and various other hippy Meccas, living in caves, burial crypts, a lighthouse, windmill, an abandoned sailboat, etc.   I have worked as a Probation Officer, Parole Agent and a Teacher.  My current profession as a flight attendant with a charter airline gives me varying perspectives on how Americans are viewed abroad.  I have participated in troop and refugee movements in seven wars, which has reinforced my strong anti-war philosophy.   I was briefly taken hostage in Ndjamena, Tchad during civil disturbances.  I love my country, but consider myself a human being before an American.