Sep 27 2007
San Francisco: Blue Angels OK, Marines denied
San Francisco continues to amaze me.
First, the attempted ban on the Blue Angels goes down swinging:
Another attack on the Blue Angels rebuffed
…the latest attempt to kick out the Blue Angels has failed:
San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly’s hopes of halting the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels show from performing its aerial acrobatics over the city during Fleet Week crashed today when the board of supervisors failed the resolution.
Supervisors voted down the resolution just before 2:30 p.m. Newly appointed interim Supervisor Carmen Chu, who attended her first meeting today as the representative for District 4, voted against the resolution.
Not wanting to be painted anti military he resorted to some spurious reasons to support his ban.
Daly camouflaged his anti-military motives by playing the safety card, but the board did not buy it:
Daly submitted the resolution because he said it is “not a necessary risk that the city needs to take.” He believes that having the fighter pilot exhibition over a densely populated area like San Francisco poses an unwarranted risk to life and property.
“It is strictly for entertainment and an accident would cause significant loss of life,” Daly said.
Whatever. If anyone has a doubt about the mentality in The City they should consider this:
KGO reports that San Francisco is dissing the military again (hat tip - readers Thom and Tim):
New York said “yes,” but we said “no.” Why were the U.S. Marines denied permission to film a recruiting commercial on the streets of San Francisco? San Francisco is, once again, the center of a controversy over how city leaders treat the U.S. military. This time, it involves an elite group of Marines who wanted to film a recruitment commercial in San Francisco on the anniversary of 9/11.
The tension has been building in the two weeks since the city turned away members of the Silent Drill Platoon, and it boiled over Monday afternoon at a meeting of the San Francisco Film Commission. The U.S. Marine Silent Drill Platoon performed Monday morning in New York’s Times Square. They filmed part of a recruitment commercial through the start of the morning rush hour — something they could not do in San Francisco on the anniversary of 9/11. “It’s insulting, it’s demeaning. This woman is going to insult these young heroes by just arbitrarily saying, ‘no, you’re not going to film any Marines on California Street,” said Captain Greg Corrales of the SFPD Traffic Bureau.
Captain Greg Corrales commands the police traffic bureau that works with crews shooting commercials, TV shows and movies in the city. He’s also a Marine veteran and his son is serving his third tour of duty in Iraq. He says Film Commission Executive Director Stefanie Coyote would only allow the Marine’s production crew to film on California Street if there were no Marines in the picture. They wound up filming the empty street and will have to superimpose the Marines later.
“Ms. Coyote’s politics blinded her to her duty as the director of the Film Commission and as a responsible citizen,” said Captain Corrales.
San Fran officials are claiming that “traffic concerns” are to blame, not their politics.
Bull, say the Marine veterans, and rightly so…
Indeed.
Captain Corrales and several other Marine veterans came to the Film Commission Monday afternoon. They see this as just the latest insult along with the city blocking the USS Iowa from docking here, banning the junior ROTC from high schools, and trying to ban the yearly Blue Angels air show.
“This — a slap in the face of every veteran and every parent of men and women who are doing their duty — is shameful,” said Captain Corrales.
The Marines we spoke with also make the point that the city allows street demonstrations, anti-war protests and other events which snarl traffic, such as Critical Mass. They still don’t understand why the Marines got turned away.
And there lies proof of their focus and preference.
San Francisco? What happened to you?
5 Responses to “San Francisco: Blue Angels OK, Marines denied”
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As a former Marine I would like to let everyone who reads this that the City and County Government of San Francisco has always been disloyal to the United States. Coming home from Viet Nam many Marines were assualted with screams, kicks and spittle by the people of San Francisco. The Government did not intervene to protect the young Marines coming home from hell. Now they are doing it again. I think all citizens should write to their Congressmen to demand a cut off of all public funds given to the Government of San Francisco.
This woman is probably certifiable. To say that the film crew can be there but not the Marines tells you right off the bat where her head is located. South of her belly button.
So she is ok with the gay rights morons that jammed the streets this past weekend but not the Marines.
I can’t wait until they need some kind of military help and are told to shove it. We can’t be seen on your streets. Call your gay friends to protect you.
Whole damn city full of total morons.
U.S. Marines and San Francisco:: The real facts.
San Francisco did exactly what every city in America would have done regarding the U.S. Marines request to film a commercial.
Why is there now 285,000 websites criticizing the City?
Look at what actually happened: The request of the Marines asked permission to film at the intersection of California and Mason Streets all day on Tuesday, starting during the early morning commute rush. Their request said there would be 50 marines plus 60 in the film crew and numerous trucks and cranes.
They were told that no one is allowed to block that intersection at that time of day. However, permission was given to the Marines to film at that very intersection from 10 AM to 3 PM on Tuesday. The Marines replied that they wished to start filming earlier than 10 AM. So, San Francisco issued a permit to the Marines to film all day Sunday at the requested intersection, starting at any time they wished. On Sunday, when the film crew began filming, it turned out that the Marines were unable to get there, so they were digitally added into the commercial.
Someone should make a study to show how upset people can become when they don’t have all the facts.
Respectfully submitted,
Ed Morris
http://www.6-year.com
http://www.1six.us
> Comment:
> U.S. Marines and San Francisco:: The real facts.
>
> San Francisco did exactly what every city in America would have done regarding the U.S. Marines request to film a commercial.
Oh how untrue. New York DID allow them to film and I expect many others would have as well.
> Why is there now 285,000 websites criticizing the City?
Because San Francisco acted churlishly.
> Look at what actually happened: The request of the Marines asked permission to film at the intersection of California and Mason Streets all day on Tuesday, starting during the early morning commute rush. Their request said there would be 50 marines plus 60 in the film crew and numerous trucks and cranes.
In sequences of only a few minutes at a time, and only one lane would be obstructed. The traffic commissioner saw no issue with it, and notes that permission for movies to film during rush hour is given. So why the exception?
> They were told that no one is allowed to block that intersection at that time of day.
Except anti war protesters, whom everyone ignores. And New York Allowed the same thing. But regardless of that, they didn’t want to use the intersection according to reports, just California avenue. And again, the traffic commissioner notes that she approves FILMS to film during rush hour so why the exceptions for the Marines. Either money or anti war sentiments is all I can think of.
> However, permission was given to the Marines to film at that very intersection from 10 AM to 3 PM on Tuesday. The Marines replied that they wished to start filming earlier than 10 AM. So, San Francisco issued a permit to the Marines to film all day Sunday at the requested intersection, starting at any time they wished. On Sunday, when the film crew began filming, it turned out that the Marines were unable to get there, so they were digitally added into the commercial.
> Someone should make a study to show how upset people can become when they don’t have all the facts.
> Respectfully submitted,
Can I have your source for this? Your information is at odds with the reports which indicate she only approved filming of the empty street. If you have contrary info, please validate it and I will blog the correction. I did a search and have found no validation of your claims.
“On Sunday, when the film crew began filming, it turned out that the Marines were unable to get there, so they were digitally added into the commercial.”
You are a liar.
GB