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True Colors - Sue Bastian
by SONDRA HOLTZMAN, Discovery Feature Writer
Sue Bastian's two passions in life are politics and sports like running, cycling and canoeing. Recently she participated in a bicycle ride from Paris to Istanbul and then completed the Hilly Hundred bike ride in Indiana which suited her perfectly. "It was 50 miles a day for two days and all hills, something I really love," she says. A self-proclaimed radical leftist and loner, Bastian has participated in protests all over the world. Aside from being of the opinion that our democracy is headed South, she has been gassed, thrown in jail and shot with rubber bullets. An avid reader, Bastian refers to herself as a 'free radical.'
What is your favorite fitness routine? I don't have a fitness routine. I like to do things for fun that are readily accessible, like running. Instead of thinking in terms of staying in shape, losing weight or competing, I like to be active. I consider myself more of a wanderer as opposed to a competitor.
What is your idea of a fabulous meal? I'm a vegetarian, so a fabulous meal for me would be lentil soup, spinach salad, whole grain bread and some iced tea.
If you could come back to life as any person, animal or thing, who or what would that be? First I would come back as myself (laughs) but then I'd move right into the animal world and come back as a panther.
What is the thing you know most about? Survival.
Where is the best place to vacation? I don't think of terms of vacations, rather in terms of experiences or just living.
What would be your recipe for a long life? Keep breathing.
Whose book could you not put down recently? I'm having a difficult time putting down a book that I bought in Hungary. It's about Hungary as an alien country.
Who are your heroes in real life? I guess my heroes are the poor who keep struggling to survive and the protestors who get out there and protest against things like the School of the Assassins. My heroes are the people who fight this capitalistic system which is based totally on competition and corruption.
What is your secret hobby? I'm not a very secretive person so I guess I don't have any.
Which talent would you most like to have? I would like to be a writer, but that's in direct conflict with my inability to sit still.
What is your greatest regret? I don't tend to have very many regrets, at least not for myself. I do regret that we have allowed this system to devastate people around the planet.
What is the best thing about Central Oregon? The best thing about Central Oregon is that I live here. It's beautiful.
Who or what inspires you the most? I would say that the people who have inspired me the most are people like David Barsamian. He has an alternative radio show out of Boulder, Colorado and speaks to issues that really concern me. I was very impressed by a recent guest, Noam Chomsky, who is a linguist from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Technology. David Barsamian inspires me because he goes out and makes sure that we get to hear the voices of the people who are passionately concerned about humanity and the planet through his program with Oregon Public Broadcasting.
What is your biggest flaw? People generally make lists of my flaws. (laughs) I'm used to criticism. I personally don't think I have any.
What is your greatest asset? I tend to live life to its fullest but more importantly, I inspire other people to do the same. I live the way I want to live and other people are inspired by that. It has nothing to do with age.
On what stereotype would you want to set the record straight? I would like to set the record straight on the whole issue of homelessness and the notion that people are homeless and poor because they choose to be or because they haven't lived up to the expectations of the system and therefore are responsible for their situation.
What has been your biggest accomplishment? I'm still alive!
What is the one thing you are grateful for today? I'm grateful that the environmental and economic strands haven't collided yet. I'm particularly glad the people in Indonesia are protesting Bush and the system.
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