Sam Spade's San Francisco

Every so often someone comes along who wants publicity but has never done anything outstanding enough to earn it. People like that resort to stunts and tricks and substitutes for their lack of talent or skills. Some of these tricksters reinvent themselves as "artists."

These self-styled "artists" seldom have professional training or backgrounds. They are hucksters who want their faces and names plastered on the pages of newspapers. It's pure ego.

Take Joe Canada, for example. He has been going around giving out $5 and $10 bills to people. He thinks that is art, but when he promises hungry and homeless San Franciscans that he is going to give each one a $10 bill and then plays them all for suckers and gives them nothing ... that is definitely not art. It is cruel, self-centered mean behavior.

This morning's Chronicle carried a story about Joe Canada coming to San Francisco's Civic Center to distribute ten-spots to the City's homeless. He paraded himself around, smiled at the applause he was getting, and delivered a number a mini-speeches to the homeless crowd, telling them what he thinks of San Francisco's elected officials, what he thinks about politics in general, and he even preached his thoughts on religion. It was the same kind of crap the Salvation Army and the Rescue Mission do. They make hungry homeless people listen to a sermon before they can eat.

But Joe Canada was a liar. After his speeches and when it had become obvious that he was delaying his grand moment, he was surrounded by his volunteers and rushed off to his truck, where he quickly drove away ... leaving the 500 or so homeless people who had been giving him the adoration he wanted ... with nothing but the realization that they have just been made fools of by Joe Canada.

The homeless people who had gathered around in hopes of money for a hot meal saw their hopes dashed. It was all a scam. Canada's supporters said he got scared and was intimidated by the size of the homeless people before him. It was a failed "fishes and loaves" story, except unlike the Jesus story, this guy let everyone down and ran away like a coward.

People need their dignity. Even if the people in question are homeless and dirty and unshaven and prone to crack cocaine use, they are entitled to respect and to their dignity. Joe Canada came to San Francisco and took that away.

Stay out of San Francisco, Joe Canada! You are unwelcome. Take your ego and go to Texas where you will be in like company.

The City had to spend money for police protection for Joe Canada and his team of misguided volunteers. Canada not only failed to give anybody anything, he cost the City money. I want Joe Canada to reimburse the City and County of San Francisco for our losses.

San Francisco has a serious homeless problem and people like Mayor Gavin Newsom, the Board of Supervisors and people like Cecil Williams and Louie Vitale have been working tirelessly for decades to give help and sustenance and hope to the people living on our streets. The Community Housing Partnership recently was awarded $16-million to build 167 residential units for homeless San Franciscans. These are our real heroes and our true stars, not creeps like Joe Canada.

Joe Canada said he was once homeless. Being homeless gives most people a sense of compassion. It left Joe Canada with nothing but contempt.