Linda, Tyler, and Tracy Westen
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Pomona
was a time of enormous growth for me. I arrived probably too
young (just 17), was shy, rarely dated, hung out with a few friends,
studied pretty hard and worked at the radio station (KSPC-FM).
Four years later, I had tried pretty much everything academically,
loved philosophy (my major), became station manager and got into
Oxford University. Got my MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
at University College, Oxford (a bit before Bill Clinton), traveled
in Europe, learned German, went to law school (UC Berkeley, loved
First Amendment law), lived the “free speech movement”
and rock ‘n roll. Practiced law at Covington & Burling
in Washington, DC., decided private practice wasn’t for me,
clerked for FCC Commissioner Nicholas Johnson, ran a public interest
law firm (communications law and First Amendment), started a public
interest advertising agency (created “counter commercials”),
got married, taught law at UCLA Law School, got divorced, went
back to Washington as FTC Deputy Director for Consumer Protection
in Carter Administration, came back to California, married Linda
Lawson, started the Center for Governmental Studies (www.cgs.org),
began teaching communications law and policy at USC Annenberg
School for Communication, watched the birth of our son Tyler,
published a bunch of books and papers on campaign finance, politics
and media reform, started several websites (www.dnet.org, www.ConnectLA.org),
and continue to try to invent new Internet-based systems of voter-to-officeholder
communication and reform campaign financing systems.
Proudest moments: Marriage to Linda Lawson, birth of son Tyler.
Memorable experiences: winning public citizen awards from Common Cause and League of Women Voters, building our home (www.ericowenmoss.com/lawson_westen.html), creating California Channel, forming blue-ribbon commissions on campaign finance, state budgeting and higher education.
Important Pomona experience: Being excited by ideas (philosophy), building radio station (from 15 students to 110), making wonderful friends
Favorite profs: Will Jones (amazing humanistic mind, loved to laugh, even loved to be proven wrong), Robert Fogelin (great teacher) – both in philosophy
Plans: building new Internet-based video systems of political participation, learning more about art, architecture and music, loving Linda and Tyler.