Editor,
I was dismayed, but not surprised, by the responses of four of the five mayoral candidates to the question about what San Francisco’s most pressing issues are (“Mayor’s Race,” September). These four all piped up “public safety,” which they basically define as homelessness, completely ignoring the deaths and severe injuries caused every year by the real public safety hazard: traffic violence.
True public safety involves the ability to cross the street or wait for a bus without being crushed by a car. These four candidates seem to think homelessness is a crime against housed San Franciscans who have to witness it, but they rarely say boo about traffic deaths. Or if they do, they blame lack of enforcement on police understaffing, when the real problem is police indifference.
In response to the COVID crisis, the City did a great job. Why? Everyone was vulnerable, scared witless that they could die. Unfortunately, politicians and police who drive everywhere – or get driven – don’t experience that same fear of being killed by traffic, so who cares if it’s not safe to walk or bike or take transit? Let’s gang up on homeless people instead, even though no one has ever been run over by a tent.
Thank you, Aaron Peskin, for not joining this baying crowd in their misguided efforts.
Fran Taylor
Mission District