An Open Letter to the Citizen Action Network and Supervisor Tony Hall
Dear Mr. Malloy,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding my position on this ballot
initiative. I am broadly supportive of Tony Hall and am pleased to
contribute to this discussion.
First, I'd like to clarify something said in your introductory remarks
below. I disagree that San Franciscans experienced "anarchy" at
disruptive war protests. Protestors who destroyed property committed
criminal acts and should be prosecuted and pay restitution. The term
"anarchy" does not necessarily refer to criminal behavior. Criminals
exist in environments of big and little government. However, only with
big government do criminals get to run the country.
As for the protestors who held up traffic, the way I see it is that the
streets are public places available for public expression whether the
public like it or not. That's the situation with public anything. If the
streets were owned by the property owners, they could manage them as
they choose, establish the parameters and hire their own security. But
in both the public and private sphere, my Libertarian priorities place
Liberty over order. After all, under Mussolini and Hitler, the trains
ran on time.
But that doesn't mean I cannot sympathize with those disrupted by the
protestors. It's too bad that protestors chose to disrupt everyone in
the area and not just those few who support war. While not the same
magnitude, this is the equivalent of dropping a cluster bomb on a
village containing some military personnel mixed with civilians.
Personally, I suggest protestors focus on the State and Federal
Buildings, symbols of the real origin of war. War is after all, the
health of the state and its horrors the state's greatest achievement.
That is not a compliment.
Those are the reasons I cannot support Supervisor Tony Hall's
initiative. The use of police force and heavy fines to prevent
non-violent disruptive expression on public streets values order over
Freedom. I cannot accept that. Privatize the streets, and leave it up to
the property owners. Then the problem will be theirs, the way it should
be. Personally, I trust the property owners more than the San Francisco
police and City Hall. How about you?
Best regards,
Michael F. Denny
Libertarian Candidate for San Francisco Mayor
Ph: (415) 986-7677 x123
Fax: (415) 986-4004
Mike@...