Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Kathryn Steinle’s San Francisco
In addition to all of my work with political talk radio, and now, political/opinion writing, I’ve had an equally long career in sports radio. On weekends in the fall, I have a freelance gig, producing national radio broadcasts of NFL games. It’s an amazing side job, and I’ve been able to see most of this beautiful country many times over. Plus, I get paid to watch football. Unbeatable.
This past weekend, I was assigned the Green Bay Packers at the San Francisco 49ers. I was happy to get the assignment, as I had not seen Levi’s Stadium, the new home of the 49ers. I also love visiting San Francisco, as it’s one of the most beautiful cities in America, if not the world, but I stress “visiting.” I could never imagine living in such an anti-freedom, anti-conservative, radically progressive city. I need not detail how bad it is to fellow Ricochet readers. You know.
A few weeks ago, Milwaukee County, WI Sheriff David Clarke tweeted this:
At Pier 14 memorial in San Fran where Kate Steinle was murdered by illegal immigrant. Surreal moment. RIP Kate. pic.twitter.com/JK61iZII4c
— David A. Clarke, Jr. (@SheriffClarke) September 11, 2015
As soon as I saw that, I decided that when I got to San Francisco, I would drive my rental car right to Pier 14 as well.
In case you don’t know the story of Kathryn Steinle, from the Washington Times:
A man accused of gunning down a woman Wednesday along a popular San Francisco waterfront is a convicted felon who has been deported several times, government officials said.
Francisco Sanchez, 45, who was arrested in connection with the apparently random slaying of Kathryn Steinle, 32, while she walked along the city’s Pier 14 with her father, was last deported in 2009 — the fifth time he had been sent back to Mexico, authorities said.
ICE officials said they had the suspect in custody in March after he served a “felony re-entry” charge, but turned him over to San Francisco authorities on an outstanding drug warrant, Fox reported. Mr. Sanchez had been on on probation for an unspecified conviction, according to a police official.
He was not returned to ICE, despite the agency issuing a detainer to take him back into custody once he was released by the city.
“Here’s a jurisdiction that’s not even honoring our detainer for someone who clearly is an egregious offender,” an ICE official told Fox.
A representative for San Francisco’s police department did not respond to Fox’s request for comment.
Freya Horne, counsel for the sheriff’s office, said Friday that federal detention orders are not a legal basis to hold someone, so Mr. Sanchez was released April 15, the Associated Press reported. San Francisco is a sanctuary city, and local money cannot be spent to cooperate with federal immigration law.
In summary, a five-times-deported illegal alien, allowed to roam the streets of San Francisco because of their sanctuary city policy, allegedly killed Kathryn Steinle. San Francisco is not alone. There are many sanctuary cities across America (I’m writing this article from another one, Alexandria, VA), and these policies are vehemently defended by Democrats, who know that these policies lead to votes. Lives of innocent Americans be damned.
I had been tweeting and writing about sanctuary cities for years, and the killing of Steinle made me even more vocal about them. Sheriff Clarke’s tweet made me feel that the least I could do was pay tribute to her myself, in person, after invoking her virtually so many times.
I landed in San Francisco, and thanks to Google Maps, found a parking garage near Pier 14. As I was walking over, I stopped and stared at the clock tower on the San Francisco Ferry Building, located next to Pier 14. I took this picture.
There was something about that clock. I started thinking about the Kathryn and the concept of time. Was it “bad timing?” Was it “her time?” Should her killer have been “spending time” in prison? Then I wondered if she looked at that same clock tower, or if she went inside the Ferry Building Marketplace under the clock tower.
Something, I have no idea what, made me think she might have, so I walked into the marketplace. It is an amazing place, filled with local gourmet shops and restaurants. I saw some of the most fantastic meats, cheeses, breads, and vegetables I’ve ever seen. I couldn’t help but take pictures of everything:
I was hoping that if Kathryn was here before she walked the few feet to Pier 14, or had ever been here before, that she enjoyed the experience as much as I did.
Then, it was time to go to the pier myself. All of the joy of the marketplace turned into a mixture of sadness and anger. Sad about the loss of a beautiful life. Angry that the city of San Francisco and its sanctuary city policy facilitated her murder. Knowing that many of my followers were also interested in the case, I Periscoped the walk.
I was surprised how many people on the app were asking me questions about the case. It was one of those times when you know something, and you can’t believe everyone else doesn’t know it too. I kept telling people to Google it. Some who did then commented on how awful the whole case is.
Pier 14 is a long, thin slab of concrete that juts out into the San Francisco Bay, with a sort of cul-de-sac at the end. It is very close to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which is an imposing and spectacular sight:
The site of Kathryn’s murder, and now her memorial, is about halfway down the pier:
I took it all in. Her photo, the wreaths, the individual flowers taped to the railing. There is a banner attached that says “Whatever’s good for your soul … do that.” It wasn’t until I looked it up afterwards that I found out what the significance was. According to her brother Brad:
The day before Kate died she changed her Facebook cover photo with a saying that said “Whatever’s good for your soul……….do that.” Please always remember Kate and live your life by these words.
The whole scene is a study in contrasts. You have a memorial to a woman killed in one of the most shocking, senseless, and avoidable acts, surrounded by a vast body of water, with scenic mountains in the distance, and a tribute to man’s innovation spanning close by.
You have a picture of a stunningly gorgeous young woman. But also with a mental picture of the disgusting “human” accused of murdering her. (Don’t worry, I won’t show him.)
Then there’s the other people on Pier 14. There are people walking by without looking over. There are people who look and keep walking. There are people who say “Oh, that’s, yeah that girl…” and slow down as they explain to their partner why the memorial is there.
I was an anomaly. I was there for about 20 minutes, and only two other people stopped because they obviously knew the full story of what happened, took pictures, and paid their respects for a few minutes. I wish the people who just walked by, didn’t just walk by. You can’t force your priorities and interests on others, but I certainly wish that more people knew Kathryn’s story.
I took one last look, then I left. I didn’t do any of the things I normally like to do when I’m near Fisherman’s Wharf with all of its tacky tourist places to visit. I just got the hell out of San Francisco; I only wish Kathryn Steinle’s killer had done the same.
RIP Kathryn Steinle, 1982-2015.
Published in General, Immigration
That is absolutely correct. But regrettably, those policies (or policies that are similarly permissive) are defended by many on our side of the aisle as well.
The first responsibility of a government – any government – is to protect the lives of its citizens. A government that willingly fails to do so, and indeed celebrates and privileges foreign criminals, cedes all claims to legitimacy.
I didn’t know about this. Thanks for sharing
That beautiful city that is no longer beautiful. I will never return which saddens me.
Thank you Cameron for showing the photos, and refreshing my memories of the bay, clock and market. And I will not forget Kathryn’s memorial.
Welcome to my backyard. You have to understand something very important: The Lefty Mandarin Class is Smart: They Understand that (perceived) Injustice is a better long term PR strategy tban Dead White People. After all, they (the white people) kind of deserve it. It’s a war. Pull up you knickers.
I used to be a frequent visitor to San Francisco. I haven’t been back in years. If the Kate Steinle horror isn’t enough to make you avoid the place, consider their out-of-control homeless problem. I have fond memories of the place, from when it was liberal but not yet crazy.
Illegal aliens account for 30% of murders in this country. Kathryn is not alone. When you think that 72% of illegal alien households collect some kind of welfare you realize that we pay a heavy price for Democratic votes and Chamber of Commerce cheap labor. It has interesting parallels to slavery in that society at large pays the enforcement costs (or lack thereof) for this evil system. Shame on those that call this compassion. It encourages corruption in the Latin American countries where these people come from and more importantly to me in my country.
I haven’t been there since the early ’90s and then just to Richmond, where my brother docked his boat. After he sold his boat, not much reason to go back to the city.
Frisco is only beautiful from a macro view the micro not so much.
By the way, SF successfully got the last gun store in the city to close today.
My wife and I lived in North Beach for six years. This year we left for LA and we’re still surprised at how normal it is by comparison.
Spent time working in Frisco and LA in the mid 80’s. There were a number of charming and nice places. The rest of both places happened to be a dangerous filthy mess.
Returned in the mid 90’s to Orange Co. and places south and took to the beach on weekends with both the LA Times, OC Register and adult beverage to ponder the news.
The Times did post (Once) the 100 most wanted, full page in color photos.
Of those 100, two were Black and one White guy, the remaing ? (Guess who).
Then again, had privelage of observing the fires from the rioting in LA on the horizon from the Corp bldg. from Seal Beach ! Less the obvious and visible fires, the downhill slide continues.
Would not even fly over the place. My catch phase is ” You Bought It, You Own It !”
Happy Trails, Californians .
I never even saw any speculation as to the reason for the murder. Did he just want to kill a random person?
The last I heard he was claiming it was an accidental discharge of a found gun.
No one fires a double action pistol by accident. The trigger pull is just too hard. And a single action one has to be cocked first. That’s not an accident either.
Are you calling him a liar? :)
Not me.
The homeless problem is very bad in San Francisco and far worse than any other city in America. I was there recently as a tourist and I couldn’t walk anywhere except in my hotel or at AT&T Park without seeing a homeless person.
That is absolutely correct. But regrettably, those policies (or policies that are similarly permissive) are defended by many on our side of the aisle as well.
Great point, Mike. Our side has been complicit as well, and should have never let things get this bad.
Cameron
Thanks Kate
Cameron
Yes, say goodbye to High Bridge Arms
Cameron
Certainly as random a murder as it gets.
Cameron
I read that first he said he found the gun, completely loaded mind you, and that he was shooting at seals. Changed his story to the gun discharging accidentally, probably because killing a seal is a greater crime in S.F. than killing a human.
What permeates San Francisco is at large in the whole state. I loved living in the Golden State and watched it degenerate into rust. Too bad. It was almost Disney-like in its appeal. Now it looks rather like the mouth of hell, and given the water problems, is probably about as dry as that location.
This is going to sound more callous than I mean it to sound, but it is undeniably true that those people care more about newborn baby seals being killed than they do about unborn baby humans being killed.
Does it sound callous because it is true? It is really tragic that all the “blacklivesmatter” nuts don’t stop and think for a moment that more black babies are being aborted than are being born. They even care more for a useless fish in the delta than about feeding the humans living in the state by diverting the water.
Cameron, thank you for this post. You reminded me of the great towering engineering marvels of the Bay and the wonderful visual and sensory treats that abound there. You also conjured up forgotten images of the ragged homeless, urine stained sidewalks, and general lack of compassion toward humanity. It is indeed true that many inhabitants there care more about the seals in the marina or the “endangered” guppy in the Central Valley water supply. It’s ironic that those same inhabitants can overlook the murder of Miss Steinle while ringing their hands over the injustice done toward illegal aliens or those with confused gender identities.
Having lived and worked there from 1987 until 1995, I can also tell you being a Conservative there is the worst kind of torture. Sure, it’s beautiful, the weather is magnificent most of the time, and you seldom need air conditioning. But, 13% state income tax and an out of reach cost of living caused me to work hard to escape that wicked garden. Being viewed as a selfish bigot for expecting others to be self reliant was unacceptable.
After experiencing the Loma Prieta earthquake, the Oakland fires, a 5 car pileup on 880, and gas explosions in homes in Alameda, I escaped to Texas. We still have our share of crime, but at least I am free to believe as I wish.
To paraphrase Davey Crockett: Californians may all go to hell, I am going to Texas. They have brought ruin on themselves.
I just remembered an incident I had in San Francisco a few years ago.
I was with my granddaughter at the corner of Haight-Ashbury. She went into an ice cream parlor to get a cone, and while I waited for her on the corner, a young man with a clipboard came over and asked me if I would sign a petition to have styrofoam containers banned.
I told him I would not sign, that I like styrofoam containers, as they keep hot drinks and food hot for longer, and are easier to hold without burning yourself.
“But don’t you care about the landfills?” “No, I don’t. When the landfill is filled, we can find another. This is a big empty country. The only consequence of styrofoam in the landfill is that deep underground there will be stuff that won’t biodegrade, and maybe 10,000 years from now someone will dig it up and say, “Hmm. Look at that.”
He actually smiled at me, and said, “Well, I’ve never heard any of that before.” And went to get other people to sign.
Thank you, my friend.
Cameron
In a couple of weeks I’ll be changing jobs and working in downtown San Francisco.
On the upside, the San Francisco poop map shows that hardly anybody poops on the street where I’ll be working.
On the downside, I’ll be working in a city that has a poop map.
http://www.citylab.com/housing/2015/10/mapping-san-franciscos-sidewalk-pooping-problem/409561/