You gotta love this quote from a story about San Francisco’s homeless tent camps that are prominently peppered throughout the city. The SFChron reports:
“It’s clear these encampments can’t be left to fester and grow. Sam Dodge, the new head of HSOC, said they’ve been the sites of fires, overdoses, sexual assaults, weapon use — and even people trapped inside homemade wooden structures with locks on the outside. Plus, without sanitation, garbage cans or toilets in the camps, they’re often rampant with feces, urine, needles, trash and rats.”
Look, boys and girls, it’s time for our political leaders to stop feigning compassion. We can’t be one of the great cities in the world if we huddle the homeless into wretched street camps marked by fires, overdoses, sexual assaults, weapon use, feces, urine, needles, trash and rats.
Politicos whine about how that is not the plan. But as long as it is the reality, year-in and year-out, it is the plan.
Somebody’s gotta tell the truth.
DAVE CHAPPELLE
I’m just going to blurt it out: Dave Chappelle is the funniest person on the planet. He puts me in stitches almost every time I watch him. So, I was sorry to read that his new Netflix special, The Closer, is taking criticism from the trans and LGBTQ+ communities. They are so offended by some of his jokes, they are calling for Netflix to take down the special and apologize.
I have not seen it yet. But I will tell you that as a general rule I’m against the cancel culture as it has developed in America of late. Something would have to be so egregious that it becomes dangerous akin to “yelling fire in a crowded theater” for me to support that kind of censorship.
In the meanwhile, I’ll watch Chappelle’s new Netflix special and get back to you.
PRISON WARS
Heads-up on the war between Sacramento and Washington, D.C., regarding the housing of immigrants in private prisons in California.
AB32, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2019, barred housing immigrant inmates in private detention facilities. The Trump Administration sued. The Biden Administration continued the legal fight and this month won a 2-1 ruling from the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judges said that California can’t do that because it steps on the federal government’s “sole authority” to regulate immigration. Plus, as one judge (a Trump appointee) said, California prisons are kinda crappy in and of themselves so if you really care about alleged criminal immigrants, why deny them access to the better, federal facilities?
Well, ouch. That’s gonna leave a mark.
Look, here’s the practicality of it all: The cocktail party conceit expressed by my liberal pals that contend immigrants get horrible treatment in a privately run prison has no merit in fact. Why continue to spend time and money trying to establish that point? When the Trump Administration and the Biden Administration both say California is dead wrong, it might be time to move along.
ONE MORE THING
— The proper term for senior women is queen-ager.
— One minute you’re young, hip and carefree. The next minute you are photographing vegetables in your garden.
— Note posted in a local ER: “Just so you know, nothing accidentally goes into your butt.”
— I was thrown out of the local park for arranging the squirrels by height. I was critter-sizing.
— I’m so glad I grew up in the 70s. I did a lot of stupid stuff… and there’s no record of it anywhere.
— To everyone who signed my high school yearbook “Stay Cool,” you will be glad to know I did.
Thanks for reading. Until next week, ladies and germs, be kind, laugh a little and always question authority.
(Sherman R. Frederick is an award-winning journalist and founder of Battle Born Media, a news-based media company dedicated to the preservation of community news. In California, Battle Born Media publishes the Novato Advance, San Rafael News-Pointer, Mill Valley Herald, Ross Valley Reporter, Twin City Times and the Sausalito Marin Scope. You can reach him by email at shermfrederick@gmail.com.)
Plane Mcplaneface says
I’m sorry did you really spell Dave Chappelle’s name “Dave Chappel”? how do you find him “the funniest person on the planet” when you can’t even get his name right? it’s like you found out he was popular and thought, “aw, here’s a great way to relate to my fellow humans – this comedian! this will make me fit in so well!”
i have zero clue why you added that in there, furthermore, as some kind of protest against cancel culture? it was a complete nonsequitur and seems like you’re trying to fit in with a particular audience. super weird. at least get the dude’s name right.
Marin says
Jeez, yes we did screw that up. Caught it earlier and corrected. Bonehead! One thousand apologies Mr. Macplainfeces.
Sherm says
Why is it you turn into a child and resort to name calling when criticized?
Marin says
Because we here grow freakin’ weary of cowards who run down people using fake names. This is a newspaper site for Marin. You got something to say? Say it and use your real name.
Norma Sachar says
One More Thing….. got me laughing…. belly laughs at that! Today’s gonna a be a good day!
Thanks Sherman.