By the other, other mayor
While I am sure it is soothing to your aging sense of emptiness to view your work against AA as a Form of Activism, let’s remember that: (a) in no way betters the lives of your neighbors (b) is focused on a purely meaningless circumstance (c) lacks consequence and most significantly (d) stands in opposition to the only vocal American manufacturer with fair business practices. This “win” for the loose collection of overly-degreed, lily white interests you call a “neighborhood” is pure theatre.
What you consider your “right” to neighborhood self-determination is a byproduct of the last round of gentrification. By becoming a street owned by, and catering to, the displaced exiles of the nation’s upper middle class, Valencia has transformed itself into a hotbed of the issues facing new mothers– are these diapers organic, are there too many drunks in the park– at the exclusion of ANY other political voice. You speak out on American Apparel because it is a “safe” topic. Why aren’t you campaigning against gang violence? Is it because the issue is too Latino and too dangerous? Because unlike like Dov Charney, those nasty little brown kids shoot bullets instead of semen?
 in no way betters the lives of your neighbors (b) is focused on a purely meaningless circumstance (c) lacks consequence and most […]</p>
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Bravo. It literally makes me happy to see that some people actually get it.
Lily white progressive hipsters clad in ironic cashmere use manual typewriters to write telegrams (stop!) campaigning against AA. It’s incredibly curious that they have been 100% silent on the issue of continued murder, drug dealing, and prostitution in the mission.
It’s incredibly curious that they have been 100% silent on the issue of continued murder, drug dealing, and prostitution in the mission.
wait, you’re surprised that a coalition called “stop american apparel” has been silent on murder, drugs and prostitution?
to me, that’s why this line of reasoning is bogus. of course i care about violence in the mission. i think it’s frankly insane to think anyone that lives in the area doesn’t.
but that has nothing to do with some people successfuly lobbying the planning comission to keep a chain store off of valencia.
it’s fair to say, ‘why aren’t people doing more to stop violence in the mission?’ i’m with you there. but you should lay that on all of us, not just some people that cared about a completely seperate issue.
In fairness, the neighboorhood sometimes speaks up for other things. I think the folks @ 18th and Valencia were pretty upset when condos were going to go up in the empty parking lot a kitty corner away.
The (gang related) shooting at the same interestection there a couple of months later didn’t seem to bother them nearly as much though. Seriously at a certain point, you have to start thinking that all of the protesters are actually for the gangs, drugs, and violence, becasue the certainly won’t do a thing about it to help keep those forces at bay. Maybe if we could convice Stephen Elliot to hold another fundraiser at the Makeout room and have cool posters it might help.
Quite a bit of malaise towards the people who organized against AA, both here and on SFist and other message boards. Unless those comments have been coming from people who somehow stood to personally gain from an AA on Valencia, I don’t understand it.
The night a hipster gets shot in the Mission is when you will see the typewriters flying and armies of ironic t-shirts, moustaches and hoodies parading down Valencia en masse with protest signs in Frank Chu style lettering:
1000 HIPSTERS
GENTRIFICATION STIMULATION
IRONIC IRON ONS
DODECAHEDRONIC
CAFFEINE THESIS
That being said, there was a noticeable increase in police patrols after the most recent wave of gang related shootings — the sups were on the ball.
@ Johnny0
After the shooting in front of Ritmo we had a long conversation with the Mission precint captian. When ever there is a shooting the cops “flood the zone” with increased patrols, and units on loan from other stations, and sometimes the CHP. They completely make their presence known. After a few weeks it stops and then the gangs go back to business as usual.
nickh, you’re right, needs to be ongoing.
Triple the number of bike cops out of Mission Station and I’d be happier.
The AA protest had an achievable goal with a deadline of a hearing. AA was going to be allowed or not depending on how many people voiced their opinion at the hearing. Gang violence is a much broader, systemic problem with no easy solution. One can’t “vote no” on kids shooting each other. What exactly do you think “overly-degreed, lily white interests” should be doing about this issue?
TEACHING THE VALUES OF PEACE
By: Mike (Ali) Raccoon Eyes Kinney
As a Cherokee Native American Activist and a former member of the Richmond California Violence Prevention Movement, I have seen close to 515 homicides in the City of Richmond from 2001 to the present.
The declaration of a ‘war on violence’ by the Richmond city government was not the panacea, instead it failed miserably.
I have often stated in town hall meetings and on television, the best way to win the ‘war on violence’ in Richmond is to ‘TEACH THE VALUES OF PEACE’.
In the killing fields of Richmond, most of the victims of homicides are youth or young adults. Teaching the values of peace begins with our youth and young adults. From a Native perspective, winning the war on violence begins in the home with a strong, spiritual belief and value system.
We believe that Creator made all generations, past, present and those of the future, holy people. This is what our Elders teach us from the time we are born.
Our families and Elders teach our young people that they must tear away the images and stereotypes that mainstream society has placed upon them as Native peoples.
Violence and killing is not traditional in Native culture, it is a learned behavior from mainstream society.
We teach our youths not to attack, punish or beat themselves up for crimes that they have never committed in regards to racism. Our Elders and families teach our young people to have good self-esteem, self-worth and self-value, for as the original holy people this was Creators plan.
Native people know that it is both family and community responsibility to teach the values of peace to our young people.
We teach our young people honesty and accountability concerning violence. It begins with accepting responsibility for self and acknowledging any past use of violence.
Admitting any wrongdoing, communicating openly and truthfully to renounce the use of violence in the future places our youth on the right path. We place a heavy emphasis that all life is sacred.
The final lesson in teaching the values of peace is quite simple. It is helping young people understand their relationship to others and all things in Creation.
Be responsible for your role, act with compassion and respect, and remember ALL LIFE IS SACRED. Native culture is prevention!
Mike (Ali) Raccoon Eyes Kinney
“Valencia has transformed itself into a hotbed of the issues facing new mothers– are these diapers organic, are there too many drunks in the park– at the exclusion of ANY other political voice.”
Agree, but not with the slam on mothers. I used cloth btw, but it was years ago. I am an old mother, thank you, and think that drinking in the park and violence come hand in hand. Go call your mom and apologize.
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being anti-AA and pro-gangsters are the same cause.
they both keep the Mission dirty and full of crime and keep people who want to improve their neighborhood away. duhh…