Voice of San Francisco
John Rothmann is proud and thrilled to live in San Francisco!
This is John Rothman and you are listening to the voice of San Francisco. Well, bad news for the tourist industry. The Wax Museum at Fisherman's Wharf is closing. I have to tell you, I've spent countless hours at the Wax Museum over the years, birthday parties, tourists coming to town, well, you name it, just a fun place to go. We're losing another tourist attraction. I'm really sorry to hear it, and I want you to know that when I think of the Wax Museum, I think of things being frozen in time, and of course, well, you and I know that nothing is frozen in time in San Francisco, even the things we love and care about. This is a fluid city, a growing city, a city of such dynamism, and that's why we love San Francisco. That's why the voice of San Francisco is here, but I will mourn the loss of the Wax Museum. Let's move on to the events of the day in San Francisco and in California, which we need to discuss. Attorney General Rob Bonta is filing a suit against a California hospital alleging that it denied emergency abortion care to a Eureka woman who was miscaring and bleeding profusely, so the San Francisco Chronicle reports. This young woman was forced to travel to another hospital in excruciating pain and worried that she would bleed out. You can read the story in the Chronicle, but never let it be said that events that take place in other places don't affect San Francisco. We must protect a woman's right to choose, absolutely, and we must also consider the fact that these are the Jewish high holidays, and that in synagogues across San Francisco and indeed across the nation, tighter security because of the threat that is posed to Jews in the United States of America, not to mention the world, but we're just talking about San Francisco. Security was tightened at synagogues across the Bay Area. Why? Because of threats. Let me point out to you, and this is the important point today, that whether it is a woman's right to choose, or it has to do with a crisis many miles away, we are all impacted by what happens in the world. No question about it. So let's talk about another event here in San Francisco. The members of the Board of Supervisors are grilling members, people who work, people like the Superintendent of Schools, dealing with SFUSD, why? Because the San Francisco Unified School District is in a state of crisis. And so the Superintendent Matt Wayne was brought before the Board of Supervisors to answer questions. I don't know that his answering questions will resolve the problem, but again, events are growing and moments are taking place in our city, which need to be reflected upon. This is a critical moment for the San Francisco Unified School District. As you know, the mayor is pumping $8 million plus into the district, and we are monitoring sending city officials to go in and help straighten things out. I point this out because there are a lot of issues impacting all of us here in San Francisco. The other big question is the question of rent control. Aaron Pescan has proposed more legislation dealing with rent control here in the city. And of course, renters make up 80% of the people who live in San Francisco, at least that's the number I heard. Maybe it's 70%. But whatever the number, we know that protecting renters here in San Francisco is critical. All of these issues are hitting us directly as we begin to engage in how to vote in the November election. Yesterday, the day before, I talked about pitting a tail on a donkey that, frankly, most people do not understand nor appreciate what we are going through in this election, but I want to suggest to you all the more important that we examine the issues and examine them carefully. We have a variety of choices on the ballot. And remember, I opened with a question of the Wax Museum and the closing of the Wax Museum at Fisherman's War. One of the major issues impacting our city is tourism. So I spoke with a friend of mine in New York. He happens to be my agent in New York when I am writing and publishing. And he asked me a question. He said, "John, is it safe in San Francisco?" And he said, "His friends are telling him, 'Don't go to San Francisco. It's not safe.' And I answered him by saying, 'Oh, it's safe all right. There are certain neighborhoods in New York you wouldn't go to. There are certain neighborhoods in San Francisco you wouldn't go to. But on balance, San Francisco is a safe city. We know that crime is down. We know that issues affecting this city are being debated and discussed. But tourist spots, restaurants, places we like to visit, there's no question in my mind. That San Francisco is a safe city. But the fact that it's a question that is being posed by a man who I have great respect for who lives in New York and is one of the top agents in New York, that concerned me." So I asked him a question, "Who's telling you this?" "Huh?" He said, "He hears it everywhere." And I said, "Are you listening to Fox?" Because as you know, Fox and Donald Trump are continually blasting San Francisco. And he said, "No, no, no, no. I just picked this up from friends and so forth." Well, I was blunt with him, I said, "I don't believe you." I think the people you're talking to, the people you're listening to, are people who are listening to the same dribble, which is coming from Fox and from Donald Trump. But San Francisco isn't safe, and part of that attack has to do with Kamala Harris. They want to discredit Kamala Harris, and the way to do it is to discredit San Francisco. This is an important issue for all of us to consider. We want San Francisco to grow and prosper. We want it to be safe. And yes, when my friends asked me, "Should we come to San Francisco for vacation?" My answer is absolutely 100%. San Francisco is a great city and a great place to visit. And yes, we have our problems, but by and large, we're in great shape. And I say that advisedly. We are in great shape. I've been in cities which are disasters. San Francisco is not a disaster. So let me reflect for a moment with you on the closing of the Wax Museum. We began there. Maybe we should end there. We are a city which has many attractions, and keeping those attractions live, well, vital for people to visit, but that's what matters. So I want you to know that I am in favor of visiting San Francisco. I am in favor of understanding the connection between what happens in the world and what happens here. There is no doubt that we in this city are exemplars. Whether it is the question of same-sex marriage, whether it is the question of this city and how it reacts to international events, whether it is because this city protects trans rights, because it protects the rights of women when it comes to the right to choose. I'm proud of San Francisco. I hope you are too. This is John Rothman at you, our listening to the voice of San Francisco.