Search This Blog

Loading...

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Chuck Nevius Dropped the Ball


Chuck Nevius is a columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle and he's a very good writer. I read his column regularly and I recommend it. Any writer (or, for that matter - anybody regardless of their occupation) can have a bad day from time to time. I've had many more than most.

In the photo: Golden Gate Park. Photo courtesy of the Chronicle's amazing photographer, Frederic Larson
Chuck had one yesterday. He wrote a column about syringes and other assorted trash in Golden Gate Park. He suggested we forget about the coyotes and focus on the bums (Chuck used the politically correct "homeless" word - the choice of "bums" is entirely mine) who live in and poop in and empty their trash in Golden Gate Park. Chuck said Mayor Newsom has let us down and he suggested the fault lies with the Mayor.

Chuck Nevius was not really in best form with that statement. He's not being independent and objective at all. His column yesterday was a public relations piece for Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi whose criticism of the Mayor and Golden Gate Park was amply covered in today's Chronicle. Read it here.

I like Ross Mirkarimi. He is a superb Supervisor and a fine and decent gentlemen. San Francisco is fortunate to have him, but he's not always right and he has bad days as well. Two people who are mistaken, misled and having bad days do not add up to a truth.

First of all, the Mayor's Back to Basics 2007-2008 budget proposes solid, real and workable solutions. The new budget proposed by Mayor Newsom will create 12 new full-time park patrol officers for Golden Gate Park. That was the Mayor's idea, Chuck.

 There are three very solid reasons why Chuck Nevius earned an "F" grade for his column yesterday. Here they are:

1) I'm an old fellow and a character in many ways - I admit that - but my memory is clear and I accurately recall back 40 years ago to the 1960's. Back then Golden Gate Park was FULL of bums (they were called Hippies in those days) and syringes, discarded Zig Zag wrappers and poop were all over Golden Gate Park. It was the same way in the 70's, the 80's, the 90's and has continued through the 21st century. Now listen, Chuck - just how is Gavin Newsom to blame for all this? He wasn't even born when the problem began!

 2) When is the last time you walked around by Powell and Market Streets, Chuck? Have you noticed the panhandlers, the crack dealers, the shopping cart pushers, the winos, the shoplifters and the receivers of stolen property who loiter endlessly? If you haven't noticed any of this, Chuck, then you need to get out of the office a little more. This problem has been with us for years - many, many years - but it is finally starting to turn around. We are beginning to reclaim our City. That's the Mayor's efforts starting to show. And, getting back to the Mayor's budget, Chuck, did you notice that he wants to hire 250 new police officers and earmark $500,000 to address street crime and provide rehabilitative services?

3) San Francisco is a beautiful City. It is the top tourist destination in the United States and one of the top five destinations on the planet. Our City not only attracts the beautiful, the healthy, the centered and the rich - San Francisco also attracts the ugly, the sick, the scattered and the poor. The first San Francisco mayor in my memory (scanning over the past 40 years or so) to really address this problem in a substantive way and really begin making a difference is Gavin Newsom.

Listen to me Chuck: Stop throwing rocks at the mayor and spend a little more time out on the streets. Put your shoe leather where your mouth is.

On the other hand, I guess you've already done that in another sort of way.

on Wednesday, July 25, 2007

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Newer Post Older Post Home
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)