(Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Diane Ellis, Ed., threw down the gauntlet:
Tell us more, Bill. What exactly is the San Francisco view of how America should behave itself? And what causes liberal San Francisco to differ so much in its reaction to news like this from its liberal kith and kin in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic?
Challenge accepted.
Breaking the news to you and the collective Richocet universe that San Francisco is a liberal town falls somewhere between the sun rising in the east and setting in west as far as insightful knowledge is concerned. Barack Obama received 84% of the city's/county's vote in November 2008 -- 15% better than Los Angeles County.
It's the largest city in America that George W. Bush didn't visit during his eight years in the White House (landing at SFO doesn't qualify).
You also probably knows that city's hard-left embrace of controversial social issues -- the "summer of love", same-sex marriage, needle exchange, an endless pursuit of nanny government solutions, etc.
However, I would argue that (a) other large cities in America have taken on some (if not all) of San Francisco's liberal looniless -- at least, on the domestic front. But I challenge you to find a major city's that as consistently and loudly outspoken on and against America's war on terror -- and has been even before we fired a shot in response.
A few of the highlights:
1) Bush-Hitler demonstrations (pictured right, and not the only Nazi reference tossed aroud in SF; other protests ave liked the Gaza Strip to Auschwitz)
2) Medea Benjamin, the San Francisco political mischief-maker and co-founder of Code Pink.
3) "Peace mom" Cindy Sheehan comes to San Francisco to run against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, thus making "Ess Eff" the only town in America where Pelosi could credibly promote herself as a foreign-policy moderate.
4) Just last month, a group of singing protestors who paid $76,000 to crash a DNC fundraiser, for the privilege of serenading the President with this little ditty ("we paid our dues, where's our change?") about accused Wikileaker Bradley Manning.
I could go on, but I think you get the picture -- which, in my opinion, grew even worse this week in the aftermath of the bin Laden raid.
On Monday morning, I tuned in to KQED, the local PBS station, to listen its morning talk show. The first guest: author Chris Hedges, who likes to talk about "the brutal force of empire". The first two callers into the show: a listener ashamed that American assassinated bin Laden, followed by a local who questioned why we'd kill such a terrific witness in future terrorist trials.
Then again, it didn't help matters that the show's host (a gentleman I greatly admire, btw) kept referring to the "war of terror" (a slip of the tongue, I'm guessing (like "Obama/Osama"), but what probably passes for mainstream sentiment with many an angry Bay Area liberal).
All of this would easier to discount if George W. were still in office. Then, you could say it just was a matter of being anti-right, anti-neocon . . . even anti-Texas -- and believing that Dick Cheney is the root of all evil. But that the anger continues, with a liberal icon in the White House and the rest of American agreeing this use of force was a good thing, certainly raises eyebrows.
Maybe it has something to do with the fact that San Francisco is no longer a city with a visible military presence (the U.S Navy, plus other branches and their local installations, having vanished long ago thanks to base-closing). Or it could be that many young couples, once they start having children, flee across the two bridges, or down the peninsula, to better schools. Look through San Francisco's political leadership and you won't find a moderate voice. Instead, it's a dog-pile to see who can move furthest from the sensible mainstream.
Suffice to say, San Francisco sticks out as left-of-left on national security isues. If you're a Californian, think of it as our version of the United Nations, tucked inside the island of Manhattan.
But what do you think if you live in the city, and aren't ashamed of America's choices?
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Jun '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
It's where the mentally-ill go to feel normal. That was my conclusion.
Feb '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Many individuals in spite of being liberal tend to moderate some of their views when they have children. The fact that SF is probably one of the most childless cities in the US in part explains its ultra left direction. As Bill noted most people who begin families move away to the surrounding suburbs and are preoccupied with raising their children. All those childless lefties have time on their hands to indulge in their pet causes; legalizing pot, anti-war & the most recent banning circumcision.
Jun '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Bill Whalen:
3) "Peace mom" Cindy Sheehan comes to San Francisco to run against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, thus making "Ess Eff" the only town in America where Pelosi could credibly promote herself as a foreign-policy moderate.
This reminds me of my U.C. Berkeley student years when I voted for a liberal Democrat for mayor. Was I a liberal back then, you ask? No, it's just that the other candidates were another liberal Democrat, a Socialist, and a homeless gentleman whose insanity seemed to extend beyond the political and into the clinical realm.
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
I live in San Francisco, and the only time I really leave the area is to go down to Santa Cruz, which is in essence a mini-San Francisco. So I've started to just believe that everyone everywhere is pretty much like they are here. Wacky. Somewhat delusional. Cynical. Pessimistic. (Except for in the South, of course, where everyone is warm, welcoming, patriotic, and all around lovely.)
It's also noteworthy to add that most folks I meet around here don't like Obama. I'm always surprised about that until discovering a little later into the conversation that they don't like him because he's not liberal enough for them.
On another note, I don't think that a quiet, somber relief over Osama's death is in some way a crazy, liberal response. I don't really get the elation, as I've commented on another thread. And I don't think it has anything to do with the city I live in.
May '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
San Francisco is an incredibly beautiful city - my family arrived there in the late 1800's. A long time ago, it was a city of civic beauty, where people dressed to go downtown, a respectable working class raised families in decent working class neighborhoods while those better off set an elegant style. And, like every other place, it had its share of eccentrics, but they were the exception. It's no wonder that so many were drawn to SF.
One could dissect endlessly the causes of the city's decline but, decline it has. The city's political class has long seemed schizophrenic - a cross between ardent libertinism on the one hand and puritanical micro-management on the other. One thing seems certain - the lovely, civil city my parents and grandparents knew is gone forever.
Dec '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
"But what do you think if you live in the city, and aren't ashamed of America's choices?"
Well, what you think should include an assurance that the rest of America will not allow our federal government to bail out your leaking vessel. As SF, then the rest of California fail, those of us from the hinterlands will be making certain that any congressman or senator that attempts to bail them out is defeated at the next opportunity. Until that transpires, places like San Francisco will be able to behave irresponsibly, assuming some federal parent will always come along to rescue them.
May '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
I suppose it's just that San Francisco's character attracts other people from around the country with that mindset, and so it grows. The question is, how did it become that way in the first place? There was the late 60s, sure, and the Beat Generation before that. But what else? Something about the climate?
Edited on May 5, 2011 at 3:58pmMar '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
This appears to me as a true insight with Europe seeming to provide a powerful confirmation. There as well you find the disastrous demographics combined with legions who seem to have infinite free time in order to riot in the streets for their slice of government largesse, their hatred of Israel or as you put so aptly any other "pet cause" that has gained their momentary infatuation.
Feb '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
In 2005, the San Francisco supervisors voted against allowing the WWII battleship IOWA to be permanently docked in their city as a memorial ship.
“If I was going to commit any kind of money in recognition of war, then it should be toward peace, given what our war is in Iraq right now,” said Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi.
It now appears that the ship will go either to Vallejo or to San Pedro.
I don't think there are too many other cities in the U.S. where politicians could do something like this and still get re-elected.
Apr '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Joseph Stanko
Bill Whalen:
3) "Peace mom" Cindy Sheehan comes to San Francisco to run against former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, thus making "Ess Eff" the only town in America where Pelosi could credibly promote herself as a foreign-policy moderate.
This reminds me of my U.C. Berkeley student years when I voted for a liberal Democrat for mayor. Was I a liberal back then, you ask? No, it's just that the other candidates were another liberal Democrat, a Socialist, and a homeless gentleman whose insanity seemed to extend beyond the political and into the clinical realm. · May 5 at 3:37pm
It would be hard to muster the energy to vote, I'm thinking?
Apr '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
I agree that I was personally pretty quiet, but I don't think I could qualify as somber, but I do completely understand those who reacted with elation. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the elation of justice finally being served to a mass murderer. In fact I am perplexed by the reaction of some that elation is somehow inappropriate. I just don't get it. Maybe it is because we don't want to appear happy about a Muslim being killed? I would suggest that many Muslims should also be happy as terrorism has killed Muslims too, in very significant numbers!
Dec '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
SF weird. Berkeley weirder, by several orders of magnitude.
Dec '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Oh, and San Francisco is home to QUIT! (Queers Undermining Israeli Terror!), perhaps the greatest embodiment of cognitive dissonance in existence today.
Jan '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Abigail and Stephen Thernstrum (No Excuses: Closing the Racial Gap in Learning) have thoroughly and competently researched the problem of the racial divide in public school education. They note the valueless curricula in colleges of education, teacher union emphasis on member self interest rather than student advancement, and the hopeless adaptation of public schools as public orphanages. They recommend that colleges of education be closed, along with the Department of Education, and a fresh rethinking of the original purposes of a public school education.
To continuously reform what has continuously failed, is lunacy. Certainly, those in the business of learning should have learned that long ago. But, it's the self interest part that makes positive change impossible.
Apr '11
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Living in Santa Rosa, I enjoy an occasional trip to San Francisco, but I just couldn't see living there.
I suspect they've managed to remain so liberal there for a long time by always finding someone to pay for their liberal policies. I imagine if the economy remains sluggish, that'll change eventually.
Jul '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
San Francisco went 84% for Obama? What a bunch of racists.
My precinct in Philadelphia went 93% Obama. During the primary, a poll worker checked my registration and then directed me to one of 5 voting booths. At the last moment, another poll worker blurted out, "Wait! He's a Republican," and steered me to a sixth booth, which still had a paper tape around it.
The other voters on line stared at me as though I were a Martian.
Jun '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Ah, but the Bay Area has Silicon Valley, the beating heart of the world's software and Internet industries. The tech industry here is thriving despite the recession. Plus the sky-high real estate prices provide a large property tax base for the local pols to fritter away on their pet projects.
Jul '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
Here's another clue. S.F. has the highest concentration of trust fund babies in the country. They didn't have to earn the money they live on and feel guilt as a result. Their way of compensation is far left politics. Nancy Pelosi who has a mansion in Pacific Heights and a winery in Napa County epitomizes the type.
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
In terms of Ricochet readers per capita, San Francisco ranks far higher (meaning: more readers) than either Dallas or San Diego.
The Ricochetoise can chew on that for a while; I'll address it more over the weekend.
Oct '10
Re: (Kinda, Sorta) Explaining San Francisco
How does SF compare with Portland?