Ever since reading this story: (Measure banning Blue Angels from San Francisco skies is rejected - SFGate.Com), I’ve had this sick feeling in my stomach. It’s about San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly’s now failed attempt at banning the Blue Angels from performing in San Francisco. Yes, banning them!!! Can you imagine that?!? I certainly can’t! If so you’ve never been to a Blue Angel’s performance, I take it…

I don’t know, call it a hunch, but I’m getting the feeling that’s there’s a hidden agenda here. Without quoting the article directly, Daly’s resolution says the jets terrorize little Bobby, scare the begezus out of Grandma, give Fido a heart attack, and cause ground squirrels to jump to their deaths. Well that’s not exactly what it says but you get the picture.

Sean Elsbernd and Michela Alioto-Pier, of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee even referred to the measure as being “a little fly-by-night.” According to Supervisor Daly, his resolution is based on what he calls unsafe flying that could pose a risk to San Franciscans, along with the high noise levels that accompany the show. Personally, I think this guy’s a little nuts. But we’re talking about a city here that hasn’t been too friendly to the military in recent years, either. Let me explain that a little further.

USS Iowa Debacle: City supervisors recently voted against having the USS Iowa docked in San Francisco harbor, citing opposition against the Iraq war. Mayor Diane Feinstein had it towed all the way from the east coast in the hopes of securing it in the harbor as a tourist attraction at Fisherman’s Wharf.

Junior ROTC Train Wreck: In 2006 the San Francisco Board of Education voted 4-2 to rid the city of the Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, citing the Pentagon’s stance on gays and lesbians. According to this article, even Mayor Gavin Newsom thought banning the ROTC was a bad idea.

So I can’t help but speculate that something deeper is going on here. Banning the Blues is like banning ice cream. (Oh, and ice cream is about as statistically dangerous as the Blue Angels are by the way). Why would Daly want to ban something so many people in San Francisco still love and cherish (in spite of what he thinks are “dangers”), if all he really wanted to do was represent the people?

Chris DalyPerhaps Supervisor Daly IS seriously concerned about the “high risk” posed by San Francisco hosting ONE Blue Angels demonstration. In that case, then anyone with half a brain would think he also should be equally as concerned, (statistically anyway), about the one thousand and twenty-seven departures and arrivals every day at San Francisco’s International Airport.

So far though, I haven’t been able to find any evidence in Daly’s record which would be supportive of that theory. By the way, San Francisco International is located very close to where Daly’s so concerned about the Blue’s flying.

For some reason though, I doubt he cares.
~Capt’n Chris

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