THE DIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO

San Francisco is like no other city and if one has the opportunity to talk to the diverse ethnic groups all over this great City and County of ours the more one grows closer to the core values San Francisco. It is all about compassion, opportunities, respect, and good governance. In recent years this is not what we see at City Hall. In recent months the President of the SF Board of Supervisors — Aaron Peskin has taken upon himself to stymie Public Comment. In doing so he has set the goodness of all past administrations back. The Legislative Body has set a wrong precedence based on poor judgment and lack of education on vital issues. Diatribe will take one so far and then over the precipice. The Executive Branch has chosen to place inept Commissioners who are lined with policies that are outdated and can in no way help the constituents of San Francisco. We need Commissioners with a vision and not lackeys that tow the line and bow down to corruption. Over 80 percent of our Commissioners tow the line and think that is their role as Commissioners. Many are on the take and defeat the very purpose of having greater Accountability and Transparency. 200 years ago came Lewis and Clark and when they laid eyes on all that was the West Coast of America it was pristine. Native Americans ruled the West Coast and even though the Danes, the Russians and some others visited the West Coast of America and San Francisco they all knew and know that the land belonged to the First People. Here is San Francisco we cannot escape learning the history of the Chinese and all the difficulties they went through. It was not uncommon to burn the homes and businesses of the Chinese. At the same time it was fine for the White men to use the Chinese to build the railway. It was fine to use the Chinese to help launder the clothes of those that wanted their clothes cleaned and pressed. It was fine to use the Chinese as domestic servants but not give them the respect as human beings. San Franciscans those that can read should remember this unkindness. While the land belonged to the First People the Ohlone as the case was in San Francisco the Whites thought nothing of stealing the land, abusing the people and killing the wild buffalo and other animals, birds, and fish — exploiting the natural resources and exercising greed to its very limit. Not long ago up until 1924 one could kill a Native American for a mere $5. Native children were taken by force and incarcerated in Boarding Schools. Here, they were forced to forget their language and learn English. Once the Native Peoples forgot their language most of what their culture was - took a worse turn. Music, dancing, weaving, pottery, cooking, and a host of vital cultural elements were intentionally destroyed by Whites who had and have no clue about human decency. The United Nations was formed in San Francisco. Today in San Francisco we still permit Racism to be spread and people of color to be exploited. We have the Mayor's Office and Departments such as the San Francisco Environment allowing innocent children to be taken to Pier 98 which is Heron's Head Park. This site is 50 feet away from the toxic spewing Hunters Point power plant and emits the worst type of PM-10 that can kill any human being. Daily innocent people exposed to the particulates are slowly dying. Racists folks know about this but care to do little. Environmental Groups know about this but they are mostly White and will tow the line - it is all about money and grants. Universities such as the University of San Francisco (USF) work with some racists environmental groups trying to clean up Yosemite Slough which has the highest concentration of PCBs and other toxins. Children are allowed to go into these areas to sample water and do other chores. No one is paying attention to these issues because the children are people of color. Our San Francisco Health Department has an obligation towards the constituents of San Francisco but it will do nothing much. The SF Health Department with Rajiv Bhatia at the helm of affairs will come to testify on behalf of Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) on Heron's Head Park and has said that it is fine for children to go to this toxic park. Mayor Gavin Newsom knows about this but will do nothing much. Time to send Rajiv Bhatia packing where he belongs — jail. Blacks played a role in the making of San Francisco and the West Coast of America. We all remember the Buffalo Soldiers and the likes of Mary Pleasant but to the Whites they were just passing by. Today racism has sent many African Americans away from San Francisco and in a couple of years the African American population will dwindle to about 5 percent of the total population. Our population today is about 760,000. The Japanese helped build San Francisco and those that lived with them before World War II will tell you the many good things that happened. But World War II brought out the worst in some Racist Americans and Japanese that were full American citizens were incarcerated. This shame should never be bestowed on any American for one simple reason we are all Americans first. In recent years the many ethnic groups in San Francisco have each tried to shout out to the world the achievements of their particular ethnic group. We are proud of the Maltese, the French, the German, the Swiss, the Poles, the Danes, the Swedes, Middle-Eastern folks, Russians, East Indians, West Indians, Polynesians and the many other ethnic groups all of which should feel proud to be Americans first. We cannot forget those from South America, and from Central America and from all over the world that came to these shores to share a better life as Americans. The diversity and unique cultures is all the more seen in the open in San Francisco more then any other American city or town. We must remember this land all of it belongs to the First People. One has just to visit the restaurants in San Francisco much as I do from time to time - the best cuisines from Africa, Europe, Australia, and Southern Asian countries, South and North American, Middle-Eastern, everywhere. San Franciscans have a penchant to taste the best, and live as if there was no tomorrow. At least this was until very recently - much changed after the dotcom bust. It has been some years now since the dotcom bust and I see that of late the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor are looking at San Francisco much as did the early Whites that exploited the West. It is all about money and not about hospitality, compassion, and friendship. We cannot make any head way unless we embrace everyone in San Francisco and look at the common good of the majority. When San Francisco suffered from an earthquake in 1989 some nations poor and rich sent us good wishes and money. San Francisco had always done that to the other countries and now the other countries remembered San Francisco in its time of need. Not too long ago some countries in South Asia suffered from the Tsunami and San Franciscans were generous not so - the Board of Supervisors that had an opportunity to do some good but NO. Only Chris Daly stood his ground and the others chose not to help the countries that once looked favorably on San Francisco. Our Legislative Branch felt that it could not afford a dollar and made stupid excuses. The majority of San Franciscans are not White — our diversity has made San Francisco very rich. As things are moving along San Francisco will soon have over 65 percent of its population people of color and Whites fear that they will have no say in matters important. In fact it is surprising that more people of color do not stand for elections and oust the racists who are making policies that are detrimental to most San Franciscans. This includes the black Sophie Maxwell who is an Uncle Tom and is on the take. In recent years Willie L. Brown Jr. a black could have made things better for the people of color. However he chose to follow the model he had embraced in Sacramento. Lobbyists with money could have access to him and win favors with middle men doing the honors so that Willie would give the appearance that he was clean. He still welds power and has harbored relations with Lennar BVHP LLC and other such entities that are known to be very corrupt. San Francisco is a very rich city with lots of diversity. As the months go by again and again I hear good people talking about racism and talking about is boldly. An investigative reporting will reveal that certain City Departments harbor folks of like life style and others will favor Whites over well qualified people of color. This racism must stop but how can it when the Human Rights Commission (HRC) in San Francisco is behind some of the policies that encourage Racism? One has just to take a look at San Francisco Public Utilities Commission - it stinks. Heading the corruption Susan Leal and her cronies. Not long ago we had 4 workshops sponsored by the HRC but nothing has come from it. Today over $3 billion in contracts goes out side the City. 85 per cent of all contracts are leached outside San Francisco. This is the highest type of racism when the City does not serve San Franciscans. So many youth unemployed and most people of color. We are monitoring our incarcerated youth and see that not much good has been done at the San Francisco Juvenile Department. Folks who waste money trying to print material with false data should spend time serving our youth with love. Our youth are treated more like adults and many are caged like animals. The animals at the SPCA are better treated and I have seen it for myself. It is time that the holistic approach is used at SFJD and that our youth are given opportunities to change. Thousands of child molesters roam freely in San Francisco. There is no precise data where these predators live and much more there is no clout to track them down. It is wrong to harm our innocent children and put them in harms way. Much as it is wrong for Literacy for Environmental Justice (LEJ) to take our young children to a toxic dump. Some years ago we voted for a new model and a better Police Commission — nothing much has changed. Today most of those chosen play to the cameras and cannot help change the policies that adversely impact so many innocent San Franciscans. Our SF Police Department should learn to stay united and keep the force healthy. Dividedness can lead to ineptness and before you know it - the worse corruption. Most of us are proud that San Francisco is a diverse city and that we all can enjoy the good that all the ethnic groups bring to the table of contribution and progress. Towards this end we should have the Mayor, the SF Board of Supervisors, other Department Heads all contributing and not adversely impacting the good that San Francisco stands for. We know for sure that most San Franciscans live and love San Francisco. We notice many earn high salaries but do not live in the City and County of San Francisco. Could it be that these folks do not have any intention to serve this City but more NOT to contribute to its progress? Of late we notice outside experts from far away States brought here to resolve issues that most home grown constituents have a better hold of? What is happening to erode the goodness of diversity in our great City? Who will take charge and bring some boldness and fortitude with greater Accountability and Transparency? Where are the leaders that are educated on issues or are we accepting corrupt politicians with ties to corrupt folks to lead us down the drain and into a cesspool? We have strong people in San Francisco who have chosen not to speak up and take control of our destiny. We have others that fight for life style perks forgetting that this City embraced everyone so that all have equal opportunities. The Bayview Hunters Point and Blacks created the Human Rights Commission. We have certain folks that will blame the people of color easily while leaching on the benefits of our Health System by being promiscuous. This must stop. Our SF Health System has had it easy wasting funds. Our educational institutions especially the higher educational ones are doing well. It is time our diversity is reflected at City Hall and where decisions are made in governance. Today a handful of educated people of color are really involved in the decision making. Complicating the issues is a handful of folks that term themselves as helpers and are people of color but sellouts. One of them is Sophie Maxwell. Our destiny is in our hands and we can make it a better place only if we take charge with concrete solutions and a vision that will neutralize those evil politicians that are selfish. Our diversity helps us and should lead us to progress and the embrace of Quality of Life issues that brings hope but more a better life to all San Franciscans. Some corrupt politicians think they can fool all the people all the time. They will learn a lesson - just as they have before. The constituents are fed up with crooks that think they know better then the constituents that voted for them in, pay their salaries, and expect them to work for the good of the majority. Some Supervisors think they are very smart but their smartness is more ineptness that shows when they are corrected and exposed in public. There is nothing more devastating, more dangerous then an inept politician and more one that is corrupt. We have all that and more in Room 250 at City Hall.

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