AARON PESKIN AND THE GAVEL

San Francisco is still a very racist City inspite of what many mostly Whites folks will say to your face. They will talk about diversity and rainbow colors but when it really come to showing our true colors - it is mostly Whip Cream. Racism is what this City is all about and more. Saturday, January 8, 2005 was the ominous day chosen to swear in the newly elected Supervisors Tom, Sean, Jake, Michela, Ross, Aaron, and of course Gerardo. The others Chris, Dufty, Sophie, Fiona will get an opportunity the next time around. On this day the President of the Board of Supervisors was to be elected. Earlier in the day some of us braved the wind and the rain to be at City Hall on time. Lo and behold those that arrived early had to guard the doors of City Hall and watch the time. Then half-hour before noon the doors were opened and we all made our way to the Second Floor around Room 250. It was a foregone conclusion that Aaron was to be the President - the tally was in and judging from the trays of food carted in mostly from the Chinese constituents from District 3 - there was little to be expected in the Chambers. Common folks and there were plenty were relegated to Room 263 to the over flow room. They had to watch the proceedings from a distance. When I want your vote I am up close and very personal. Even closer when it comes to money. And when more showed up - these ardent constituents of San Francisco were told to move their ass to the South Court on the first floor. All last minute arrangements for the people that the servants serve and were all decked up in Room 250. Rude Sheriffs not the usual ones that inhabit City Hall were asking questions rudely - " if you do not have a pass you need to move to Room 263!" Later they barked move to the South Court on the first floor. There before TV monitors the people of San Francisco - saw all the tamasha or for those who do not know what the word means - the circus performance! Many braved the wind and the very heavy rain to be close to those who represent them but they got a lesson about real politics in the real world. It is whom you know that gets you in and cozy. A San Francisco Superior Judge Robert Dondero swore in the Supervisors who participated in the last concluded elections. The Star among those who were sworn Ross Mirkarimi from District 5. Of course the comical Tom Ammiano the Queen that he is - had to announce loudly that she was present during roll call. The nominations were opened and there was only one nomination for the post of President of Board of Supervisors - Aaron Peskin. The floor was opened for Public Comment and there was only one comment. Then just like that everyone voted for Aaron Peskin. And just like that the CONSUMMATE MANIPULATOR that Aaron is - was given the gavel - made President of the Board of Supervisors - and the rest is history. Gloria Young the Clerk of the Board was nervous. Those gathered mostly Whip Cream. Not more then 10 Blacks were in the audience - Willie Ratcliff on one side of the aisle and on the other Dr. Churchwell. The Hat Lady was there and of course Willie L. Brown Jr. He sat on the second row - very close to the dais - surrounded by the relatives and close friends of the Supervisors. Mayor Gavin Newsom the newly divorced Mayor following the hottest Hollywood Star Brat Pitt has decided to join the latest trend. That said Mayor Gavin Newsom is our own political homegrown brand - we support him just because he is. In his short speech he mentioned the last time around the vying for the President of the Board went on for about 2 hours. Even the dumb, inept, ignorant, and very arrogant Sophie Maxwell was eyeing to become the President of the Board of Supervisors. Of course in the end it was between Aaron and Matt - and Aaron being the good boy - son of a military man - bowed down for good measure. Matt was given the gavel and ruled for 2 years. If Matt Gonzalez left one indelible mark it is HONESTY. He chaired the meetings and the sessions with great integrity. He was fair and he was gracious. He loved details but it was for a purpose and clarity. We all will miss Matt Gonzalez. The consummate manipulator that Aaron Peskin is he will swim in any cesspool.. He swims daily in the polluted Bay in the wee hours of the morning and is tough. He even filed an Incident Report with the San Francisco Police Department - when short Willie L. Brown Jr. dared to call the even shorter but tougher Aaron Peskin - " Hank". The two boys no longer play in the sandbox - have grown up - Willie L Brown Jr. acts like a clown on KRON and see what Aaron Peskin has done - he has suddenly grown up. Things really sprout up by Coit Tower where Aaron makes his abode. He spends late hours at City Hall often reading my e-mails - bring them on he says. It was time for each Supervisor to say something and introduce their families. Our very own Tom Ammiano spared no words when he likened himself to a prostitute that still can attract the stares of anyone when climbing the stairs. He was making reference that he has been in politics for so long and still cares for his work and constituents in District 9. There is little doubt about that. The man is a Queen and more. He can be loved when he applies his mind but more and more he has his senior moments. His heart is in the right place and that is what matters. Chris Daly chose not to speak. Gloria Young reminded us about that. Jake McGoldrick the loud mouth that he is chose to say so much. Perhaps the best thing he said is when he introduced his mother and said a few things in French. We value our liberty much the same as does the French. He also introduced his wife, son, and daughter. Sean Elsbernd was all tears in his long speech. He is every grateful to his aide who is more a mother to him and has taken him places. His emotional speech quite the opposite of the usual stern Elsbernd who follows closely in the footsteps of Tony Hall. Sean appointed by Mayor Gavin Newsom would have voted for Bevan Dufty for President but Dufty really does not have the ability to bring about consensus. He is good with Elephants and domestic dogs. Michela Alioto-Pier introduced her parents who were sitting close and behind her, her husband who swims with Peskin every morning, and her two children. And of course my good friend Angela Alioto, her son Joe, and a host of others. The Aliotos have been in San Francisco for a long time and mention was made of the few invitations doled out - if more were given the Aliotos could have all turned out in force. Bevan Dufty spoke more about Ross Mirkarimi and less about himself. He is our Supervisor was loves chasing his tail. It is time he moves along and opens up a pet shop. He has done all the marketing and even has an ordinance that will bring in the bread and butter. Sophie Maxwell spoke about the time Aaron Peskin's car broke down in a parade. So she was bragging about how the short Aaron and the tall Sophie sit on those cars in the various parades - the King and Queen of Parades. She really feels that this bond will take the two of them places. Welcome sellout on Land Uses and key conspirator on Parcel A and Lennar BVHP LLC. Fiona Ma praised Aaron Peskin to the hilt - I saw him grow a couple of inches before my eyes. Aaron was smiling and clapping and all so happy when Fiona stated that Aaron was the only one who supported her for the longest time ever. Mayor Gavin Newsom was so happy sitting behind Aaron Peskin and moved so much by Fiona Ma who will jump when Gavin says so. The Judge Robert Dondero was confused and from the expression on his face - he must have loved all this tamasha. It was time for the world to hear from the newly appointed Ross Mirkarimi. Mirkarimi has been an advocate for a long, long time. He perhaps is the most qualified to know what is actually happening at ground zero and beyond. He spoke of Quality of Life Standards and gauged the issues facing our City - the Western Additions, the Southeast Sector, here, there, everywhere. Further he pointed out about issues all over the world - and what struck most was the greetings he uttered in various languages. Right on man - show the buffoons the way. Finally the time came for the Gerardo Sandoval to introduce his father and this wife. He spoke of special interests and how they tried to undermine him in the elections. He praised his wife and made mention of his one year old daughter. He wants Middle Management to be good leaders and has just realized that most of City Government is clueless. I saw Mayor Gavin Newsom put his head down and roll his eyes - every time Sandoval mentioned budget cuts. Finally it was time for the short man to have his tall moment. Aaron Peskin has a way with words. He spoke much about Accountability failed to really understand what transpired a few weeks ago when Lennar BVHP LLC bought him lock, stock, and barrel. He spoke of consolidating the Budget and Financial and Audit Committees and working with Harvey Rose and Ed Harrington. In short he was going to take us places and promised us the world. Time will tell. He spoke about his wife - his psychiatrist mother and his military father - the ing and ang - and all that. Often times many of us making the greatest sacrifices and taking no money from crooks will go to City Hall to fight and speak on issues. Now that Matt Gonzalez has gone - we still have two. We now have Chris Daly and Ross Mirkarimi. Much before Mr. Mirkarimi chose to run I have been keeping him informed in my own way. Hopefully when I take a stand for the people it will help. This City Yerba Buena the Good Herbs of yester years has catered to the needs of millions. It is the land of the Ohlone or the Costanoans but very few know that. The First People respected this land and the beauty with all the native vegetation, trees, the brown bear, elk, rivers, streams, the fog and the seven hills, the butterflies and the hawks. The rivers were full of fish and Abalone and it was all-good. Then came the likes of Aaron Peskin, Sophie Maxwell, Jake McGoldrick, Bevan Dufty - and see what we have. Let us protect and preserve the little we have of San Francisco. Stop collecting Elephant phoo and chasing your tail Bevan. Talk about Land Issues but be informed. Sophie the little power you have you has let it go to your empty head. Learn and be educated. McGoldrick stop running your mouth. Sandavol learn about the Iroquois who practices real democracy for thousands of years. We are a Republic and bring our representatives to power using the Electoral Votes. We are no True Democracy and that is the Crux of the problem. We brag we are a diversity but at the last Board of Supervisors meeting not one Supervisor made mention of the Tsunami nor paid respects the over 150,000 that died. Surely we have Thai, Indonesians, Kenyans, Somalis, Indians from India, Sri Lankans and other nationalities who were adversely impacted in this City and County of San Francisco. We brag that we understand Environmental Issues but that statement could not be further from the truth. The dumb Board of Supervisors (BOS)has no idea that over 900 miles of sewer pipes in our City are over 70 years old. Millions of gallons of sewer and clean drinking water are leeching into the water shed. In many areas adversely impacting the ground, the air, and water. The last time around any empirical data was garnered on air pollution was in 1990. Tons of PM-10 and other toxins pollute our air. The BOS will take ages to figure that out. MUNI wasted 30 million on the conduits at Islais Creek and no one has the guts to take Sophie Maxwell, MUNI, and San Francisco Public Utilities to task. We pay Susan Leal $300,000 and she is not an engineer but yet is told to manage a $3.6 billion Capital Improvement Project - Hetch Hetchy. Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA) owes us $12 million and more. Will we write that off? We continue to build thousands of units. China Town sends all its excreta to Bayview - and Aaron Peskin thinks nothing of it. If the Bay Treatment Plant flushed the secondary effluents into the Bay by Pier 39 - Peskin and his buddies would really be swimming in a cesspool every single early morning. The BOS think nothing of adding 3 Combustible Turbines using very expensive fossil fuel. Fossil fuel emit toxins and there is sufficient toxin in the Southeast to call it Chernobyl - of course how would Sophie understanding this - she is planning on riding with Aaron in the parade! The Presidio of San Francisco, Treasure Island, the San Francisco Unified School District, the SF Port Authority others continue to fleece the City coffers. But how would the BOS know about that when they are ignorant? At the next swearing in please choose a big venue. Let the people stare at the servants that they have elected in the eye and see that twinkle. Let us not be racists. Many of you watched how Abdulla who tossed in and out of the chamber - that says it all. The Sheriffs chasing him all over the place - Abdulla wanted in but Racism wanted him out. This City is truly diverse but the representatives the Board of Supervisors have much to assimilate and ways to go. Welcome Ross Mirkarimi - we lost one star and hope to watch you shine and bring light to Room 250.

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