Even in San Francisco, where political controversy is the norm, former
Supervisor Amos Brown's blistering attack on U.S. foreign policy at the
memorial service for last week's terrorist victims set a lot of people's teeth
on edge.
In a performance that had the crowd cheering at the Bill Graham Civic
Auditorium on Monday but left the assembled politicians stunned, Brown --
pastor of the Third Baptist Church -- set his tone early when he asked,
"America, is there anything you did to set up this climate?
"America, America," the reverend went on. "What did you do -- either
intentionally or unintentionally -- in the world order, in Central America, in
Africa where bombs are still blasting?
"America, what did you do in the global warming conference when you did not
embrace the smaller nations?" Brown cried. "America, what did you do two weeks
ago when I stood at the the world conference on racism, when you wouldn't show
up?
"Ohhhh -- America," Brown said, drawing out the words, "what did you do?"
As the crowd cheered, Paul Holm, former partner of terrorist victim Mark
Bingham, got out of his chair on stage, went over to Sen. Barbara Boxer and
said, "This was supposed to be a memorial service."
Holm was also overheard telling Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Gov. Gray Davis
that Brown's remarks were a disgrace.
"Mark died a hero," Holm said of his partner, one of those on United
Airlines Flight 93, the plane where passengers apparently jumped their
hijackers.
Whether by coincidence or design, after speaking with Holm, both Feinstein
and Davis left while Brown was speaking.
"What can you say?" said Board of Supervisors President Tom Ammiano. "It
was largely a lefty and pro-peace crowd, and Amos was playing to the house.
"Still," said Ammiano, no friend to U.S. foreign policy, "it was over the
top. He could have chosen another venue or a different way of saying it."
And while many of those on stage may have shared Ammiano's thinking, it was
Rep. Nancy Pelosi who delivered the only rebuttal of the day.
Pelosi, one of the leading liberals on the national stage, broke from her
prepared remarks and said, "With all due respect to some of the sentiments
that were earlier expressed -- some of which I agree with -- make no mistake
(about it) . . . the act of terrorism on Sept. 11 put those people outside the
order of civilized behavior, and we will not take responsibility for that."
Later, Pelosi went up to Holm, and fighting back tears, told him how sorry
she was for what had happened.
BRIDGE UPDATE: Our friends at Caltrans called to clarify the information
they gave us about those workers cleared from the Bay Bridge after last week's
terrorist attacks back East.
Yes, the FBI did fear that the bridge might be a target. But it wasn't the
safety of the workers that everyone was worried about.
"We weren't trying to favor our workers over motorists," explained Caltrans
spokesman Jeff Weiss. "Bridge workers were taken off the bridge because law
enforcement was concerned about terrorists posing as bridge workers. And
rather than police going through the time-consuming process of checking every
bridge worker to make sure they were who they were supposed to be, they were
sent home."
CALL-UP: East Bay Rep. Barbara Lee has logged upwards of 20,000 phone calls
and e-mails since her stand-alone vote Friday against President Bush's call
for a war on terrorism.
"It has been a mixed bag," said Lee's press secretary, Andrew Sousa. "But
the outpouring of support we've received from all over the country is really
amazing."
But there have been plenty of angry threats as well -- which explains why
Capitol Hill police reportedly have assigned Lee round-the-clock bodyguards.
HELPING HAND: Their boss might not know it, but a dozen San Francisco
firefighters couldn't stand being on the sidelines while the big rescue
operation was under way in New York.
So during the weekend, a crew -- mostly from Station House No. 1 on Howard
Street -- bought themselves airline tickets and jetted across the country
Monday to take part in the effort.
After a quick meal with their counterparts from Station No. 1 in New York,
they were dispatched right to the scene and put to work.
"Last night, they were up until 3 a.m. digging and searching -- on top of
the pile and three stories below the pile," said Suzanne Gregg, girlfriend of
one of the firefighters yesterday.
Meanwhile, colleagues in the Fire Department are covering their shifts back
home.
By the way, the San Francisco firefighters union Local 798 has collected
more than $30,000 for the families of the fallen firefighters in New York.
Those interested in contributing can call (415) 621-7103.
