Look inward, Mr. NeviusThe attack by a homeless person on a 26-year-old German exchange student was horrific by any standard. A violent act by a possibly deranged person now charged with attempted rape shouldn't be seen as any sort of reflection on homelessness in San Francisco; it was just awful.
But when C. W. Nevius starts talking about too many homeless people appearing in the Sunset, he needs to start a bit of self-reflection. His column states:
Whether, as many believe, the attack was a result of moving homeless encampments out of Golden Gate Park or simply an increase in homeless people in the area, the residents of the Outer Sunset are deeply concerned about the people living on their streets.
No shit, Sherlock. You (and I mean you, Chuck, since your columns drove the mayor to drive homeless people out of the park) push people out of a relatively quiet and invisible place where they've been sleeping, and they're going to wind up somewhere else. Like on the streets of the Sunset.
Then the cops can crack down on homeless people in the Sunset, and they'll move to another neighborhood, where the same game will start all over. And pretty soon a lot of the burghers will start wondering if we weren't all better off before the Chron started its sensationalist coverage and the mayor got all agitated about the homeless camps in the park. Maybe that's a better place for people to sleep than in Sunset doorways.
Huh, Chuck?
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Comments (3)
Tim, why must you (as in you SFBG writers) always debate issues by demonizing your opponents? Nevius raises the issue of homelessness only to be caricatured by SFBG as a suburbanite bigot.
The debate over the homeless might prove more edifying if you would simply speak to the issue, rather than reducing Nevius, Newsom, and all your ideological opponents to convenient stereotypes.
However, if your intent is merely to engage in a shouting match, as is so often the case with idealogues, then continue doing exactly what you're doing.
Posted by jeff | December 3, 2007 05:28 AM
No side is looking particularly good these days on the issues of poverty, crime and neighborhood safety these days.
the folks downtown, on the right or so-called "moderates" seem to have listend to the Dead Kennedy's "Kill the Poor" one too many times to realize it was satirical, and demand these showy actions (a waste of the police's time and ineffective since um, we still have homeless, duh) as the Only Way to Deal.
however, progressives and liberals aren't winning any points either. Always there is talk of "more money for social services" without really looking at where that money goes, and no attempt to try and go beyond treating the wound. Violent people who are a threat to themselves and others aren't seen as anything but "victims" with more rights than those they attack. Homeless camps are defended when in fact they should be considered a disgrace to one of the wealthiest cities in America. Tell me how "progressive" it is to let people sleep in the cold in some city-sanctioned camp as a halfway measure. It's not and you know that. It's wrong.
Maybe if all sides would start having an honest conversation, without worrying about political points for "their side" or whatever, and more people started really thinking about some of the pressures that create these situations in the first place, we could have some real solutions.
But that wouldn't sell many papers or look good in campaign mailers would it?
Posted by njudah | December 3, 2007 04:15 PM
That homeless guy is from Iowa. Why should a single tax dollar of ours be used to provide services for this person? He doesn't belong here. Why should SF support the rest of the US? Is that our role as a city? (that's a rhetorical question.)
I have great sympathy for an SF native whose life has gone wrong. For interlopers from other parts of the country who come here for the groovy boho lifestyle and nice weather, not so much. Not too big on public defecation and urination either, you might be surprised to know.
Then again, maybe SF children should toughen up a little, and learn to deal with needles and feces. Heck, you all wouldn't mind your kids handling that stuff, right? Or are you just that much less selfish than me? (Silly me, caring for the health of children)
If you like that, you should buy a home and let homeless people sleep in your yard or home.
Posted by Frank Tender | December 3, 2007 10:17 PM