Who Really “Hates” San Francisco? AKA Deconstructing the Guardian Rant-A-Torial of the Week

Usually, when I’m reading my stack of local newsweeklies, I can blast through the Bay Guardian in 15 minutes or less since I either a) know what they’re going to say in advance or b) already read the news they’re reporting elsewhere, earlier, sometimes you see something so ridiculous, you have to call BS on it.
Such was the case in this week’s rant-a-torial on the front page (supplemented with a repetitive blog posting) that starts out as a “hey I complain too much, I love owls, life in SF is lovely” piece, and concludes with a scathing “frak you” barb aimed at the SF Weekly, accusing the paper of “hating” San Francisco, because one piece by columnist Matt Smith a few weeks ago.
Oh, wait, let me correct that. In the print edition they wonder “do the folks at the SF Weekly even like San Francisco” whereas online they say that he hates San Francisco. All because some of his views are not completely 100% in lock step with the Guardian.
Ok, I get it. If you’re not with us, you’re against us. Kinda sounds like the line of logic pumped out by Mayor Newsom’s PR flacks at anyone that is not in 100% lock step with the Mayor. Which, I think is something they’ve been criticizing lately, no?
Blah, blah, blah. There’s just one hitch – many times it’s the Bay Guardian that has pumped out insult after poser hipster insult at parts of the city that are declared “not cool” by the BG staff. Westsiders apparently don’t vote the correct way so it’s ok to trash them. Sounds really pro-San Francisco to me.
That’s why you can read a long, sonorous pieces about some Burning Man thing affecting .02% of the population (almost 4000 words worth!) but you’d be hard pressed to see similar coverage on a consistent basis of an issue, such as the myriad of problems facing MUNI – something every San Franciscan is affected by.
Hell, even when a progressive Supervisor holds a really good, uncensored meeting of MUNI management with the public (a contrast with Jr. high school theater productions of late), there’s nothing in the paper about it. Who’s the SF hater now?
I complain a lot, I understand: I shouldn’t let the Guardian piss me off, I should relax and go chill out with the N-Owls. I guess I’m just sick of people on the left and the right in this town picking on various parts of Our Fair City. San Francisco, for all its flaws, is a nice place to live, and it’s big and strong enough to take more than one POV. At least, those of us from here know that.

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