Morey recently sent me a message asking my thoughts about a historical logo he'd found that he thought might be adaptable in some fashion for libertarian purposes (see Committee of Vigilance logo at http://sfcrime.com/). I enthusiastically agreed, suggesting replacing existing wording with slogans like "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," "Only YOU can stop the POLICE STATE," and "Power to the People," and adding a Statue of Liberty reflected in the pupil of the eye. He had some ideas too.
But looking at the SFcrime.com site, which promotes walking tours, brought me back to a question I've asked myself before: How can we tap into San Francisco history to promote pro-liberty ideas locally? We know that San Francisco was originally a free-wheeling boom town -- a place with little government and a can-do spirit reflected by its unofficial motto, "The city that knows how." A revitalization of this legacy could inspire renewed appreciation for libertarian values and solutions.
Coincidentally I picked up a pamphlet at the library a few weeks ago about walking tours conducted by a group called City Guides. The program is in fact sponsored by the SF Public Library, but I think few people know about it. I didn't. However it turns out that they have, according to the pamphlet, an amazing selection of 25 different tours, with over 100 separate walks scheduled each month (see http://www.sfcityguides.org/schedules_nov-apr.html). What's more, they're all free!
Considering these things, an idea occurred to me: Why not conduct our own walking tours? Over the next year or so we could go on the various City Guides tours, perhaps even as LPSF group outings. We could ask the guides probing questions, both in order to get more information for ourselves, and in the meantime as a way of getting the other participants thinking about these issues. During the tours we'd try to take copious notes, and then sit down later and analyze the contents for stories we could use to illustrate libertarian points. Then when we'd compiled a good collection of stories (which could be added to the LPSF website), we'd try to develop them into an outline for our own tour, or tours. Some of us might also choose to become volunteer City Guides in order to gain experience (information on this can be had by calling their office at 557-4266).
In some cases we may already know the stories, we just need more details. For example: SF used to have a volunteer fire department; there were competing private streetcar companies at the turn of the century; there was a private rail system on the lower deck of the Bay Bridge as late as the 1940s; the Redevelopment Agency largely demolished the historic black Fillmore neighborhood during the '60s; Chinatown came about because of racist government laws confining Chinese residents to one part of town; etc.
We could also include more recent political history on these tours. For example: Here's where several San Francisco police officers including the police chief's son assaulted two men for their fajita sandwiches in November 2002 in an incident which many San Franciscans continue to believe was an outrageous use of improper force and the subject of an attempted cover-up by police brass despite the fact that no cop has ever served jail time for it; this is the tiny triangular parking lot that Supervisors voted in February 2004 to pay $1.8 million to seize by eminent domain for an ill-conceived park engineered by Supervisor Aaron Peskin and his allies rather than let the owners build the modest apartment building already OK'd by the Planning Department after years of the usual red tape; here's where Tom Juzbasic was riding his bicycle in June 2002 when SFPD officer Kevin Martin (#24) ordered him off his bike, confiscated the less than 1 ounce of marijuana he was carrying, and arrested the licensed nurse and open medical marijuana provider, who was subsequently prosecuted by District Attorney Kamala Harris despite her promise of support for Proposition 215; etc.
Walking tours would also make excellent footage for the LPSF TV show. Having an SF History Tour show could be a popular viewer draw. We could even be lazy and film and air essentially the same tour every week, because it would always be a little different. Could even include special guests on the tours, get their input, and interview them as part of the show. Naturally tour participants would be asked to sign a waiver agreeing to be filmed. We could make money without being a formal business by asking for donations at the end of the tour, and referring participants to our website, where they could buy copies of the video of the tour they were on. Or we could generate goodwill by giving them free copies of the videos, perhaps including other libertarian material on the tapes such as John Stossel's specials.
In short, the potential benefits of conducting LPSF walking tours include:
-Material for our TV show along the lines of the "man about town" concept previously discussed
-Our members and candidates becoming more knowledgeable about SF history, and better able to use it in political arguments
-Educating the public about the town's more libertarian past and politically screwed-up present
-Libertarian tour guides would gain experience at public speaking and talking with people
-Enhanced public visibility for the party in materials and announcements promoting the tours, and the tour groups themselves (I'm imagining the tour leaders carrying a custom banner on a tall walking stick)
-The tour groups would be a captive audience to which to give LP literature, and to tell about our other events such as the monthly pizza socials
Yours in liberty,
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