I could hardly believe that this article made it past the SF Chronicle editors. Perhaps they consider these people to be admirable? First, the scene:

Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators - including several Jews - protested outside of the Israeli Consulate in San Francisco for the fourth time this week, venting anger over Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Then the players, all emphasis added:

“I’m descended from Holocaust victims, and we need to identify with the oppressed - not imitate the oppressors,” said protester Jack Fertig, an astrologer by profession and known to San Franciscans a generation ago as Sister Boom Boom…

Yep, I always go to astrologers for advice!

And you know without even reading this post who they blame:

Protesters on Friday called Israel the main aggressor.

“If you are strangled, you have to fight back,” said Buthina Rashid of Concord, who stood in the throng of protesters blocking Montgomery Street between Sacramento and California streets for two hours as police looked on.

With Rashid were her 4-year-old niece, Rawan, and her 2-year-old nephew, Nezar, who each astonished the crowd by taking a megaphone and leading the crowd in a chant: “Free, free Palestine!”

Now you KNOW that if those were young Christian children leading the crowd in “Jesus saves!” these same people would call them brainwashed.

But, in case there was any doubt in your mind about who the REAL aggressors are, the protesters demonstrated:

The demonstrators remained peaceful until around 5 p.m., when a small group carrying Israel flags gathered across from the consulate. Suddenly, anti-Israel protesters screamed, “Murderers!” and tried to push them.

Did you catch the part above about what the police were doing during the entire protest?

…throng of protesters blocking Montgomery Street between Sacramento and California streets for two hours as police looked on.

However, they finally saw the error of their ways and jumped into action!

Police hustled the pro-Israeli group into the nearest open building.

Is there any hope for San Francisco?

An effort by San Francisco to shield eight young Honduran crack dealers from federal immigration officials backfired when the youths escaped from Southern California group homes within days of their arrival, officials said Monday.
The walkaways are the latest in a string of embarrassments for city officials who are protecting illegal-immigrant drug dealers from federal authorities and possible deportation because of San Francisco’s 1989 declaration that the city is a sanctuary for undocumented immigrants.

Until recently, San Francisco flew juvenile illegal immigrants convicted of drug crimes to their home countries rather than cooperate with the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, a practice that drew national attention when The Chronicle reported it Sunday.

When federal law enforcement authorities demanded that San Francisco halt the flights and began a criminal investigation, the city decided to house some of the dealers in long-term youth rehabilitation centers. Some of those centers are run by a nonprofitcompany called Silverlake Youth Services in mountain towns southeast of San Bernardino.

Eight Honduran juveniles who had been convicted of dealing drugs in San Francisco were sent within the past few weeks to the company’s group homes, where one month’s placement costs $7,000 per youth - an expense borne by San Francisco taxpayers. (emphasis added)

What more needs to be said?

San Francisco is rolling in green. But it is also bleeding red.

Monday is Mayor Gavin Newsom’s deadline to submit a budget that erases a $338 million deficit, and he has warned that the city’s fiscal forecast is so bleak that hundreds of city workers could be laid off and services slashed. But it’s not because the money isn’t coming in, even despite poor economic times nationwide….

…Last year, city officials approved a series of new labor deals with unions, giving workers like nurses, police and firefighters hefty pay boosts. Next year, those labor contracts are expected to cost the city $118 million more than they currently do.

Voters over the years have generously approved ballot measures that require the city to spend a fixed dollar amount on everything from public schools to public safety. This year, the so-called set-asides added up to $883 million, a figure that is expected to jump by $57 million more next year.

Add to that the millions in state cuts and the fact that the city can’t tap its rainy day fund unless revenues are dropping, and what’s left is a huge budget shortfall.

Now don’t say we didn’t predict this [emhasis added]:

Over the years, voters have mandated that the city spend a certain amount annually on Muni, children’s services, library preservation, public education, parks, police, firehouses, city services auditing, homeless services and the Symphony.

“We put everything on the ballot here, and then we get stuck in that we’re forced to allocate those funds accordingly,” Zmuda said. “Therefore, there’s less discretion in the money the mayor and Board of Supervisors have to provide funds for other services.”

Zmuda, who calls it “budgeting by ballot,” said other municipalities don’t do nearly as much of it as San Francisco. And none of the set-asides can be revoked without voter approval.

But but - it’s the thought that counts! And it’s for the CHILDREN!!

N’Tanya Lee, executive director of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth, which lobbies City Hall on budget and housing issues, said forcing the municipal government to spend money on issues that are important to voters makes sense in such an expensive city.

“Set-asides reflect the best of San Francisco,” she said. “The voters have said we support public health, we support public safety, we support kids. We want to make sure there’s a basic safety net in the city, and we should be proud of that.”