Published since 2005. San Francisco is a city that belongs to the people of the world. Hence this blog has a global focus. The name "Sam Spade's San Francisco" refers to an exciting era in the City's history, the time of Dashiell Hammett's fictional gumshoe and San Francisco character, Sam Spade. My name is Tom Dunn and I edit the blog. I'm not as exciting as Sam Spade, but I am definitely a San Francisco character.Contact or on Twitter -- Search blog below.
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Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Les Natali, Badlands and San Francisco's HRC
According to theBay Area Reporter, Les Natali, owner of Badlands in the Castro, has had enough and he's decided to fight back. He has filed suit against theSan Francisco Human Rights Commissionand Director Virginia Harmon. He is asking for damages from the Commission for causing harm to his reputation and to his business.
To fight his case Natali hired an attorney who the San FranciscoChroniclecalls one of the "Top Ten Layers" in San Francisco,Dennis Riordan.
Riordan told the B.A.R., "Nothing came of this. None of these allegations were ever substantiated and yet there are news articles and Internet reports that say he is guilty of discrimination, which is not the case. It is a very damaging thing to have someone plug in your name and find something on the Internet that says you are a racist. People take what they see as gospel. It is out there and it shouldn't be. The good and fair thing to do is withdraw the findings."
Question: Did the Commission properly and correctly chastise a racist, or, did the Commission become swept up in a politically convenient witch hunt and, in so doing, fail to provide the prudent leadership it is mandated to do? '
Les Natali has clearly demonstrated to the Community that he is a fair and honorable businessman and a responsible citizen.
I cannot help but see the terrifying similarity between this case and the facts surrounding the Salem Witch Burnings, the single most humiliating and disgraceful event in this nation's history. For too many people, then and now, it is easy to be swept up in the emotion of justice and civil rights and equality and blah, blah, blah.
The problem is ... there is a HUGE difference between being swept up in emotional fervor, and, having a conviction based on sound reasoning that is balanced with a sense of justice.
And if it is true that Les Natali has been subjected to injustice, we are all diminshed by it much more because of our silence and cowardice and unwillingness to support him, than we are diminished by the weakness of our convictions.
The court will weigh this decision carefully. Very carefully.
I've sat with Les Natali on the board of such endeavors as SF Magnet. He's one of the most heinous evildoers of the city. In hearing the bullS$& he proposed for HIV prevention efforts in the city, it became apparent that he wanted to keep gay community down. Afterall, it's better for business if we have to drink or screw our sorrows away at one of his wretched establishments. The man ranks right up there with Fred Phelps in terms of what he's done for our community...
1 comments:
I've sat with Les Natali on the board of such endeavors as SF Magnet. He's one of the most heinous evildoers of the city. In hearing the bullS$& he proposed for HIV prevention efforts in the city, it became apparent that he wanted to keep gay community down. Afterall, it's better for business if we have to drink or screw our sorrows away at one of his wretched establishments. The man ranks right up there with Fred Phelps in terms of what he's done for our community...
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