Comments on: Phil Bronstein tries to scare us straight

By: Nipsaaaay Rustle

Nipsaaaay Rustle — Thu, 12 May 2011 02:02:57 +0000

Guardian Angels have always been MAD bogus, from Sliwa on down the liiii-ine (sung to G & R Mr. Brownstone). Ya feel me.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Tue, 10 May 2011 18:55:23 +0000

We will all be crushed by this onslaught of luxury condos!

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:57:04 +0000

is this for real or just riffing on what the politically left equivalent of a tea party member would sound like

By: Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable

Herr Doktor Professor Deth Vegetable — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:54:24 +0000

I choose to believe that “rouge cops” are police officers wearing way, way too much make-up.

By: Nico

Nico — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:34:29 +0000

Yea, everyone arm yourselves, so we can all end up shooting each other.

By: Ariel Dovas

Ariel Dovas — Mon, 09 May 2011 23:28:54 +0000

Thanks for responding. I think that the gruesome nature of these crimes is the easiest part of the situation for people to understand, and may well be as far as most get in to it. That allows for a lot of jumping to conclusions that is frightening. I don’t know much about the trials, I haven’t followed them very closely. I’m just writing as a resident who is concerned about not just the violence, but the reactions of other residents, and the broader community.

I’m glad that people are willing to deal with the criminal behavior, but I personally tend to focus more on addressing the root causes. It just seems like people could react to this behavior with more attention to intervening with susceptible populations before they become involved, and that’s not something that we can or should frighten them into.

By: Cranky Old Mission Guy

Cranky Old Mission Guy — Mon, 09 May 2011 21:12:13 +0000

“In the meantime, the problem itself should be defined for those not familiar with it.”

I think you did alright for half of the problem (the half that FOX NEWS usually covers anyway), and Ariel covered the other half, which doesn’t get covered much at all. But that’s just my cranky old liberal take on things.

Still waiting for the news coverage of the “crime scene photos” to catch up with the language of your editorials.

Not waiting at all for solutions, — duh! — suggestions that don’t involve former jailbird militia would be just fine.

I really don’t see what purpose the constant media fear-mongering is serving, aside from the sale of more newspapers and the eye-scans of more web ads.

By: marcos

marcos — Mon, 09 May 2011 20:51:28 +0000

The only interest the SF Chronicle has in our neighborhood is to encourage the tsunami of luxury condos.

By: Think_for_me

Think_for_me — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:30:21 +0000

Fuck tha poleez…citizens should arm themselves. Why place your trust your safety to another?

By: phil bronstein

phil bronstein — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:27:25 +0000

I agree with Ariel Dovas’ view that “solving these problems is an ongoing process,” though I also believe that process ought to involve not just Mission residents. In the meantime, the problem itself should be defined for those not familiar with it.

Even people supporting the defendants in the MS-13 case acknowledge the brutality of what gang members call their “work.”

The trial certainly is peeling back layers of that work and that life. But even if the government proves a criminal conspiracy, the underlying issues remain.

I covered the Salvadoran civil war and understand these kids are the descendants of that bloody upheaval — lots of lethal skills with nowhere to use them.

If I’d had a brilliant solution, I would have offered it.

But I still believe the situation itself is worth noting. And in language that fits the crime scene photos.

By: SCUM

SCUM — Mon, 09 May 2011 19:05:04 +0000

I wish a group of rouge cops would just wipe these pieces of shit off the face of the earth.

By: Brock Keeling

Brock Keeling — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:18:08 +0000

Ha! I didn’t catch that it was under op/ed. Er…my apologies. (In the end, though, it’s a good piece, I think.)

By: Cranky Old Mission Guy

Cranky Old Mission Guy — Mon, 09 May 2011 18:01:42 +0000

Obviously, I don’t agree. One reason is, Bronstein’s columns appear on the “Opinion” page of The Chronicle. He’s not an ordinary reporter, and he does enjoy the opportunity to tell other people how to feel on a regular basis. And, in this particular case, I think he was telling people how to feel. Here’s an example:

“The original 29 – others have pleaded guilty – use nicknames like Tweety, Spooky, Goofy and Droopy. While they may sound like the dark side of Disneyland, they represent something much more sinister. “Capone” and “Psycho” tell the story better.”

Really? OK, I guess if I wasn’t scared before, I’m pretty goddam scared now. Thanks, Phil! Any idea what I should do? No? Demand that the city fund a Guardian Angel program for problem street corners, maybe?

Look, Brock, I can understand how you, as someone in a semi-comparable position at SFist to that held by Bronstein at The Chronicle, might feel uncomfortable about OP/ED writers being held accountable for their agendas, but I don’t think that’s a legitimate reason to jump in here.

By: Brock Keeling

Brock Keeling — Mon, 09 May 2011 17:20:51 +0000

His job isn’t to tell others how to FEEL about their fellow man or grave situations. His job is to report. Whatever feelings arise from his words are beyond his control… at least in this case, anyway.

By: Tuffy

Tuffy — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:19:59 +0000

Sorry, I’m not taking a bullet for you.