Campaigning to make a difference

His friends laugh at him and tell him he’s wasting his time, but Ryan Mulkey believes in Ralph Nader and he’s vowed to keep organizing students to support the three-time presidential candidate’s platforms, even after the election. Disheartened, yes. Ready to give up, no.

“My mom is hoping Obama will be elected and that he’ll be for the things Nader stands for. But how can you be sure? Nader has never wavered,” said Mulkey, who has the countenance of a baseball player, the intense, clear eyes, the short-cropped hair and the open smile.

Playing in the outfield at Lincoln High School was his passion before he started taking international studies classes at PSU. He credits his mother for his interest in human rights.

Last May he shared lunch with Nader at Al Amir Restaurant with 20 other people and sat next to him. Their conversation ranged from vegetarianism to books. Although Nader is McCain’s age, “he eats healthy and has incredible vitality,” said Mulkey, also a vegetarian who eats seafood. Nader recommended some books to him for a class paper. The lunch turned out to be handy—Mulkey got an A.

Mulkey is “sick of two parties with very little difference,” he said. “The issues don’t resonate with me. I want to spend my time for someone I believe in.”

Mulkey is presently studying Latin America and minoring in political economy. His hope is to go to graduate school and continue his interest in the development of countries, and work for Mercy Corps or the state department to continue involvement in foreign affairs. As regional coordinator to organize students for Nader, he has been kept busy. However, he’s the first to admit that students are more interested in Barack Obama.

“They say he’s better than McCain, and while they agree with Nader on everything, the election is too important to take away votes,” said Mulkey. “I’d say they see Obama as the lesser of the two evils, not perfect. This country spends more than the rest of the world combined on the military and Obama has said he will increase the budget and go into Afghanistan.”

Mulkey hopes grassroots organizing for Nader will be effective. “If his numbers elevate and we can get five percent of the population to be for Nader, it’ll be a movement of its own,” he said. “Enough public awareness can affect change.”