Jeff Golden

Jeffery Simon Golden (born April 24, 1950) is a political activist, radio personality, politician and author from Southern Oregon. His commentary and political leaning are progressive.

Personal background

Golden was born in Los Angeles, California, the second of four children born to Lane and Jack Golden. His siblings include KC Golden, Policy Director for the Seattle based Climate Change Advocacy group Climate Solutions [http://www.climatesolutions.org/?s=staff] and Michael Golden, a tribal judge in Humboldt County, California. Jeff grew up in Beverly Hills, California, and graduated from Beverly Hills High School in 1968 as the Student Body President and top of his class.Golden attended Harvard as a Harvard National Scholar, a scholarship program established in honor of Harvard’s 300th anniversary with the goal of encouraging and enabling a small number of the best students from across the nation to attend the university. [http://www.fao.fas.harvard.edu/types_of_aid.htm] At college, Golden was active in efforts in opposition to the Vietnam War. In 1970 Golden joined a brigade of northern students to support the work of Featherfield Farm, the first ever sharecroppers cooperative created under the Georgia Council on Human Relations in Southwest Georgia. [http://marbl.library.emory.edu/FindingAids/content.php?el=c01&id=paschall532_100348] The experience inspired Golden to leave Harvard and try to build a sustainable life on a plot of land in rural Southern Oregon, all of which is chronicled Golden's first published book, "Watermelon Summer: A Journal" Published (Philadelphia: Lippincott, (1971)). [http://www.antiqbook.com/boox/bibman/25564.shtml] In the early 1970s, Golden worked as a river guide for American River Touring Association. In 1980, Golden was accepted into the Stanford University’s Broadcast Communications master program after writing an essay about his life in the 1970s. [http://www.forestblood.com/about.htm] Golden was married to politician and political consultant Catherine Shaw from 1979-1994. The couple had two children. [http://www.forestblood.com/about.htm]

Radio career

Jeff Golden has spent 25 years in public broadcasting, print journalism, politics, and mediation. For 10 years, he was the host for National Public Radio’s show Jefferson Exchange, from 1997-2007. This award-winning daily talk and interview program aired on NPR’s largest regional network in Southern Oregon and Northern California. [http://www.perc.org/enviroprog/journalists/media/fellows.php] The show was described by the website as a “lively two-hour interactive program devoted to issues facing the State of Jefferson, the Northwest, the nation and the world. In the first hour, Jeff trades views with callers on a wide range of topics. In hour two, fascinating guests join in the discussion.” [http://www.uiowa.edu/~cyberlaw/writing/jnet0906.html] Golden left the radio show to explore a candidacy for the US Senate Race in 2008. [http://www.dailytidingsforum.com/index.php?showtopic=846] After opting to not run in August 2007, he started a new independent radio program called Immense Possibilities Radio (IPR). [http://immensepossibilities.com/index.php?section=1] [http://www.dailytidings.com/2008/0312/stories/0312_valley_jeffgolden.php] The purpose behind IPR, as describe by PERC.org, is to “strengthen civic involvement and harness the power of talk radio for quality, open-minded dialogue. By bringing individuals together on the air, [Golden] wants to minimize conflicts over ideology and focus on ‘what works.’” [http://www.perc.org/enviroprog/journalists/media/fellows.php]

Political career

Golden served as County Commissioner for Jackson County, Oregon from 1987-1991. During this time he became involved in the spotted owl controversy and petitions for his recall circulated among logging advocacy groups. One result in the wake of the controversy was his nomination of JFK Profile and Courage award, the nation's most prestigious honor for elected public servants [http://www.jfklibrary.org/Education+and+Public+Programs/Profile+in+Courage+Award/] Golden was the first nominee from Oregon. In 1990, after narrowly losing to fourth-term Republican incumbent Lenn Hannon for a seat in the State Senate, [http://www.blueoregon.com/2007/06/smith-08-jeff-g.html] Golden took the position of Bill Bradbury’s Chief of Staff in 1993. Bradbury was President of the Oregon Senate at the time.In July, 2007, Golden announced his intention to run against Gordon Smith [link] for the US Senate seat for Oregon. [http://www.blueoregon.com/2007/06/smith-08-jeff-g.html] Golden stepped out of the election in August, 2007.

Books

Golden’s books are all versions of an optimistic look of what is possible in politics.

Watermelon Summer: A Journal Published

His first book, "Watermelon Summer", was published in 1971. It is an account of Golden’s decision to drop out of Harvard and live off-the-grid in rural Southern Oregon. [http://www.antiqbook.com/boox/bibman/25564.shtml]

Forest Blood

His second book, "Forest Blood" 1999, is a novel about the Northwest timber wars. The book aims to challenge the dichotomy of “us versus them” between the environmentalists and loggers in Southern Oregon. It is the most acclaimed novel of the Northwest timber wars. [http://www.forestblood.com/]

As If We Were Grownups: A Collection of “Suicidal” Political Speeches That Aren’t

His third book, "As If We Were Grownups: A Collection of “Suicidal” Political Speeches That Aren’t" (2004) is based on the premise that politicians address the American public as though they were children. The introduction of the book says that “our cycle of politics” is “spoiling spoiled children.” The book is a collection of speeches that are addressed to an audience that would be the least likely to want to hear them; for example, telling the Automobile Association of America the price of Gasoline is too low. [http://www.asifweweregrownups.org/]

Unafraid: A Novel of the Possible

His most recent book, "Unafraid: A Novel of the Possible" (2008), Golden offers a version of history in which JFK survives from what is an assassination attempt in Dallas to serve two full terms, setting the United States on a different course. The book plays with the idea of what is possible and aim to convey a sense of “realistic hope.” [http://www.unafraidthebook.com/]

=Other media appearances=

Golden is a co-star in the 2003 documentary, "The Same River Twice". [http://www.samerivertwice.com/] The documentary was created by Robb Moss, filmmaker and professor at Harvard [http://www.ves.fas.harvard.edu/moss.html] . The movie, as described by the Sundance channel, “in 1978, filmmaker Robb Moss joined 16 free-spirited friends for a month-long rafting trip down the Colorado River. The excursion was captured in a short film, RIVERDOGS, a visual celebration of naked, exuberant youth set against the spectacular vistas of the Grand Canyon. Now, a quarter-century later, Moss tracks down five of his old comrades for a witty and insightful now-and-then portrait to see how they have fared after coping with children, careers, responsibilities, aging and changing attitudes.” [http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500013435] The movie shows Jeff Golden and Cathy Shaw in the 1970s as a young, in love couple, and then again in 2000, divorced with two children. [http://www.samerivertwice.com/film/characters.html] The film debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003 [http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500013435] and was nominated for two awards, the "Truer Than Fiction Award" at the Independent Spirit Awards in 2004 and the "Grand Jury Prize" at the Sundance Film Festival in 2003, and won two awards, "Best Documentary" at the Birmingham Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival in 2003 and "Best Documentary Feature" at the Nashville Film Festival in 2003. [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0342956/awards]