Activism

Galería de la Raza Gives Up on Outdoor Shark-Butterfly-Stoner-Burrito-Poop Art, Goes With a Crowd Pleaser

After all the vandalism destroyed the stoned butterfly mural, the beloved poop remix, and a shark piece, Galería de la Raza seems to have given up on the painted weird in favor of more crowd-pleasing political works for which they're known.  But it looks like that isn't working out too well for 'em either:

Jane Kim Reminds Us to Check Our Privilege

Tenderloin and SoMa Supervisor Jane Kim recently visited a SRO and educated its residents on privilege.

TRIGGER WARNING: Assault, Trauma

There is a privilege to being white in this country. I’m not saying that if you’re white, you have a lot of power as an individual. But if you’re white, you might be more likely to find a white President, a white Senator, a white police chief. I mean, I’m just saying, right?” 

Her lesson to the privileged audience pushed me to wake up and check my own privilege.

San Francisco Local Blogger Privilege

  • I can get pageviews by posting about dogs and bar food.
  • My blog is a safe creative outlet for my otherkin (I'm a multiple system and some of my headmates post on this blog as well).
  • I can delete triggering comments.
  • I'm not oppressed by the FCC restricting my free speech.

I encourage all of you reading this on the internet, first all of to consider your literacy and technology privilege, then to share in the comments ways in which you have benefited from an unfair and oppressive system.

[via SF Citizen]

Foreign Cinema Protested for Trying to Turn the Eagle Tavern Straight

As you might have heard, the eviction of The Eagle Tavern has been quite the controversy to both the LGBT community and lovers of good bars in general.  To some, the closure was yet another tragedy in the assault on gay culture in the ever-gentrifying SoMa neighborhood; to others, another casualty in the erosion of San Francisco's character.

But plans by area queer businesspersons to pay the $15,000/month rent and re-open the Eagle offered up an encouraging glimmer of hope—until an owner of Foreign Cinema came in to open a “high-end restaurant” in the space.  Feeling burned by the landlord and Foreign Cinema for playing the role of quasi-homewrecker, activist-types picketed the restaurant on Sunday chanting “our space, queer space” and something about how good their bloody marys are.

Here's what the protest organizers had to say about the situation:

A valiant team of queer business owners have been trying hard to reopen the Eagle over the last year. After many months of hard work, they got the landlord to agree to a contract, signed it and sent it to him to sign. They didn't hear back from him for weeks.

The landlord deliberately dropped the potential gay business owners in order to pursue business with five straight guys. This is the third or fourth time that the landlord has purposefully dicked around with gay business owners. Could this be a pattern of homophobia?

These five straight dudes want to open up a high-end restaurant where our beloved Eagle used to be. One of them is a part owner of “Foreign Cinema” the $20+ per plate restaurant that lies at the heart of gentrified mission. These straight guys insist that they can support our gay community just as well as any gay owner. That's bullshit.

Now, the landlord who has refused to let a gay business owner come back to the Eagle is trying to slam through a liquor license transfer to the space. They're hired well connected consultants to get it through lightning fast - the City Operations Committee that first supported it spent a whopping 7 minutes for the entire meeting.

The “homophobia” bit sounds like the stretch, but it sounds like they have a point on the landlord being a bit of a greedy shithead wise entrepreneur.  Regardless, does it really make sense to drag Foreign Cinema into the mix?  Can you really blame 'em for taking advantage of an opportunity to serve yummy $6.75 pop-tarts to more people?

[h/t SFist | Photo by Bob Horowitz]

This is What Affordable Housing Looks Like

Some scofflaws, who apparently spend more money on nice plastic “RENT IS THEFT” banners than rent itself, recently took up squatting the burnt-out remains of 502 Capp Street.  Let's take a look at what they're getting:

Like to host dinner parties?  Well you're in luck!  This beautifully refurbished dine-in kitchen comes fully stocked with a gas stove, plenty of granite counter tops, and a dish washer to help you keep everything clean.

The bedroom comes furnished with a lamp, dresser, and a queen bed with two pillows.  Perfect for stretching out after a long day of smashing the state.  No bed bugs!

Ample closet space.

Sometimes you just gotta relax.  Why not have your friends over for a round of Apples to Apples while sampling on some cheeses from Bi-Rite?  Additional seating can be found in the pile in the middle of the floor.

Washer/dryer in-unit.

I know, I know—I know what you're thinking: the bathroom is kind of a mess.  But there is absolutely no mold!  Think of it as your canvas—this bathroom can become whatever you imagine it to be!

In short, with cheap digs like this, I'm sure these kids will have no problem recruiting people to join the cause.

"Hello, I'm a Mac." "And I'm San Francisco."

Hyperbolically large consumer electronics company Apple's decision not to seek EPEAT certification for it's computer products precludes the City of San Francisco from ordering new Apple products for city employees.

Wait, what?

EPEAT or the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool is a standards group funded by the EPA. Basically, they score consumer electronic devices on their impact on the environment. Municipalities all over the country have instituted rules that say that city agencies must purchase devices that are certified by EPEAT. This is easier than tasking each individual employee to research and purchase an environmentally safe product.

Apple currently has 39 EPEAT certified computers, monitors and devices. As they focus more and more on designing thinner, lighter, better, faster devices, it is less likely that the materials they need to use will fall under EPEAT's standards. As such, they've asked EPEAT to stop listing Apple products all together.

This lead to city officials with the San Francisco Department of Environment to announce that they will be sending letters to all 50 city agencies informing them that “Apple products no longer qualify for purchase with city funds.” It's not impossible for a city employee to get a non EPEAT product, it's just incredibly difficult. If someone decides they really need a Mac, they can apply for a waiver.

Now, with that said, this is sort of a non-issue because, according to a recent report, only 2% of city computers are from Apple and only affects future purchases.

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