Editor:
Noam Chomsky has astutely commented that America has always been a fear-based society. Nowhere is this more in evidence than in the illogical leaps of thought evident in Jen Nossokoff's latest "commentary." Yes, it is true there was a car chase in the Richmond. Yes, it is true that the car crashed into a building. And it is also true that voters approved a misguided ballot initiative which would enhance the rights of police to conduct such dangerous chases. Did Nossokoff vote for it? I did not.
Yes, it is true that a freak accident killed a family at a temporary West Portal bus stop. The stop was there because SFMTA placed it there. The stop was still there because the contractor SFMTA selected has been dragging its heels on finishing the L-Taraval track renovation. Likewise, SFMTA has not yet released a report on the crash. Two things are certain: Any safety "improvements" would not have prevented the crash, crazy being crazy. And the careerists at SFMTA cynically used this incident to bring forward ideologically driven changes that may do nothing to improve safety but will serve as great career resumé items.
Similarly, Nossokoff wants us to believe that — rather than tackle the social inequality and other factors that are the root of property crimes — we should radically transform the Richmond in the mould of some out-of-touch bureaucrat's vision because of one car chase. Haven't we had enough of SFMTA's authoritarian redesigns — which have often been anything other than "improvements?" How much longer are we to tolerate our unelected and overpaid bureaucrats' authoritarian highhandedness?
Finally, Nossokoff's use of AI to create her prose is also troubling. Is Nossokoff unaware that AI uses incredible amounts of energy? And that the pollution it causes is contributing to the catastrophic climate changes which are making this planet unlivable for her children and grandchildren? Is Nossokoff incapable of writing her own prose without resorting to the crutch of AI? After all, AI freely plagiarizes to produce results. This use of unethical software does not reflect well on Nossokoff. Will she be able to pen her own, original prose if elected supervisor?
Harry S. Pariser
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