Posted on 02/17/2009 10:24:41 AM PST by reaganaut1
It is too easy to make fun of the people who packed Room 400 in San Francisco's City Hall to stop American Apparel from opening a store on Valencia Street in the Mission District last week.
They are not serious people. They live in a world where facts like 27 vacant storefronts on Valencia Street and 9.3 percent unemployment statewide and nearly 600,000 jobs lost nationally last month do not matter. The few who read books know no authors beyond Naomi Klein. [...]
What they want is magic.
The word "magic" kept recurring during the hours of public comment at the Planning Commission meeting where the American Apparel store's permit was up for a vote. "Valencia Street is a magical place," one speaker said. Another claimed that "Our neighborhood is a dream, a delicate flower." Others spoke of American Apparel as a "parasite" on their "ecosystem." Several local business owners testified that it was their "dream" to operate in such a "magical" place, and noted, with horror, that they might have to make alterations to their business plans if a new store opened in the area.
As it happens, American Apparel is somewhat of a magical company. The company makes its clothing in downtown Los Angeles, employing mostly Latino and Asian immigrants. It offers its workers health care. It pays more than twice the federal minimum wage.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I too am surprised that the Chronicle ran this, even as an opinion/feature (not straight news).
Great post in the comment section:
“This tale is reminiscent of all the hoopla against the porn studio that renovated the abandoned armory on 14th and Mission. The petty obstructionists were ignored, the studio went into business, the armory was restored and the neighborhood is now cleaner and a bit more attractive than before.”
BWAAAA! San Fran values are ,,,,,,,,,,,,
In San Francisco?
The “Magical Mission” is very close to where I grew up. Back then in the 50s and 60s it was a nice neighborhood, with small department stores, furniture stores, restaurants, coffee shops, markets, movie theatres and a very safe clean environment. The “Magical Mission” now is home to stores that resemble those found in Tijuana, filth on the streets. You don’t have to look far for a drug dealer. There have been attempts to re-gentrify some of the area, with a few nice restaurants, but on the whole I have trouble seeing the “magic”! As the writer states, American Apparel is probably lucky they didn’t have to try to survive in this environment, but what a loss for the City!
Go to their website-lotsa “Legalize Gay” tees. Hard to believe threy’re getting this much resistance...
http://store.americanapparel.net/?kw=american%20apparel
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.