Prosecutor Dunikoski made the controversial decision to down play the obvious racial aspects of Ahmaud Arbery’s February 23, 2020 shotgun murder by three white men who alleged they were making a Citizen’s Arrest.  Her strategy before a Jury of 11 whites and one black was the right call.

Excellent feature on  a veteran brought in from the Atlanta area  to handle the Ahmaud Arbery trial. Must read for those who follow the law and want a perspective on a prosecutor who knows her job and does it well.

Ahmaud Arbery

Excerpted from The New York Times 11.26.2021

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — The lawyer was from out of town, a prosecutor who had spent the bulk of her career in a large, liberal city, and she had been brought in to try the biggest case of her career: the murder of a Black man on a sunny afternoon by three white men just outside a small city pinned to the South Georgia coastline.

Despite the evidence of racism she had at her disposal, Linda Dunikoski, the prosecutor, stunned some legal observers by largely avoiding race during the trial, choosing instead to hew closely to the details of how the three men had chased the Black man, Ahmaud Arbery, through their neighborhood.

The risks went beyond her career and a single trial. Failure to convict in a case that many saw as an obvious act of racial violence would reverberate well outside Glynn County, Ga. For some, it would be a referendum on a country that appeared to have made tentative steps last summer toward confronting racism, only to devolve into deeper divisions.

On Wednesday, Ms. Dunikoski’s strategy was vindicated when the jury found the three men guilty of murder and other charges after deliberating for roughly a day. The convicted men — Gregory McMichael, 65; his son Travis McMichael, 35; and their neighbor William Bryan, 52 — are now facing life sentences in prison. They are also facing trial in February on separate federal hate-crime charges.

Kevin Gough, the lawyer who represented Mr. Bryan, credited Ms. Dunikoski with threading the most difficult of needles. She mentioned a racial motive just once during the three-week trial, in her closing argument: The men, she said, had attacked Mr. Arbery “because he was a Black man running down the street.”

“She found a clever way of bringing the issue up that wouldn’t be offensive to the right-leaning members of the jury,” he said. “I think you can see from the verdict that Dunikoski made the right call.”

Top photo – Prosecutor Linda Dunikoski meets the Press and public after the verdict.

The American stock market took a deep dive on Friday as the new B.1.1.529 variant raises alarm bells around the globe.

That is always a reaction to bad news and a potential harbinger of things to come.

Excerpted from The Guardian 11.26.2021

Top US infectious disease official Dr Anthony Fauci said on Friday that a ban on flights from southern Africa was a possibility and the United States was rushing to gather data on the new Covid-19 variant.

No decision to halt flights had yet been made, he said.

Global authorities have reacted with alarm to the new B.1.1.529 variant detected in South Africa, with the European Union and UK among those tightening border controls as scientists seek to find out if the mutation was vaccine-resistant.

The World Health Organization (WHO), however, has cautioned against hasty measures [see 1.49pm.] and South Africa said a British ban on flights seemed rushed.

“There is always the possibility of doing what the UK has done, namely block travel from South Africa and related countries,” Fauci said in an interview on CNN.

“That’s certainly something you think about and get prepared to do. You’re prepared to do everything you need to protect the American public. But you want to make sure there’s a basis for doing that,” he said.

“Obviously as soon as we find out more information we’ll make a decision as quickly as we possibly can.”

Fauci said US scientists would speak with South African counterparts on Friday about the new variant, called B.1.1.529, which has raised concern about its transmissibility and whether it might evade immune responses.

He added that there was no indication that the new variant was already in the United States.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2021/nov/26/covid-news-live-new-variant-sparks-tougher-restrictions-in-india-and-singapore-ahead-of-who-meeting

Ridley Scott’s House of Gucci is receiving uniformly rave reviews.  Particularly the performance of Lady Gaga. Rather than post one of those reviews I am giving you the innovative take from the Vulture.

Excerpted from Vulture – New York Magazine – 11.24.2021 Jackson McHenry

In the Gucci family, according to the film House of Gucci, there are many cherished traditions, most of which involve spending a lot of time caring for the fancy Tuscan cows that form the basis of their leatherworking empire and betraying each other.

This year, if you are engaging in this standard American family Thanksgiving activity, you might once again be in need of a film to all watch together. There are a good number of options this year — but I have determined that, empirically, House of Gucci is the most Family Thanksgiving Movie out there. Is it a good movie? Who knows! That’s not the point. But I promise that it is guaranteed to serve this purpose well.

The movie is two hours and 37 minutes long! You might think this is a point against it, because maybe some family members will get bored and fall asleep, but this is actually great for a Family Thanksgiving Movie. You’ve already killed so much of the evening watching the movie together (less time to bicker about other things) and avoided those crucial after-dinner lulls where someone might say something like, “What do you all think about the state of the American political experiment?” Or worse: “Are you dating anyone right now?”

Reason 2: House of Gucci has an actor everyone can talk about.

A crucial part of any family movie discussion is when everyone gets to share where they saw an actor previously and nod sagely while they discuss how their performances compared. Younger generations can talk about Tisch alumna Lady Gaga (as she is famously credited in a season-three episode of Gossip Girl), older generations can talk about Pacino and Jeremy Irons, too-online children can say that they want Adam Driver to step on their face, moms who watched Call My Agent! can say it’s nice that Camille Cottin shows up briefly, and weird cousins can discuss the merits of Jared Leto, cinema’s weirdest cousin.

Reason 3: House of Gucci has accents everyone can talk about.

There is nothing more fun than being an armchair expert about the accents of movie stars. Are they good? Are they bad? Are they damaging to the status of Italians in the media? Should Ridley Scott have just shot the movie in Italian? Everyone can weigh in!

Reason 4: House of Gucci will make you all have to Wikipedia things.

You’re guaranteed to get at least another hour out of looking up various plot points like “Is Salma Hayek’s psychic character real?” (yes) and “What did Tom Ford do at Gucci” (design G-strings) and “Lake Como home how expensive” (very expensive).

Reason 5: House of Gucci is not for children.

Actually, this is somewhat of a downside if your family has a lot of children, but in that case, assign them some teenage cousin chaperone, send them off to Encanto (fun songs!), and then stick with Gucci for the adults. There’s a whole sex scene on a desk that is quite vigorous! Again, maybe you consider that a downside, but personally I believe Family Thanksgiving Movies are better when they’re a little scandalous. Gives everyone a little something to grumble and titter about.

Reason 6: House of Gucci is about the essential rot of wealth.

The movie’s got a lot of glamour, but it’s structured as a sort of tragedy of the collapse of a family, and their loss of control of their business due to the vicissitudes of the market. It’s an apt fit for a holiday that is superficially cozy, but really a commemoration of colonization. Make everyone do a little reflection on that.

Reason 7: House of Gucci will give you all many inside jokes to reference.

Even if you don’t like the movie, you will be bonded by making fun of its most ridiculous moments (when Lady Gaga announces, “It’s taime to take out thee trash”; when Jared Leto does anything) and then get a whole new set of inside jokes to reference. Families need inside jokes and mutual shared references in order to survive, otherwise they would just have to talk to each other directly. No one wants that.

In conclusion, I am taking my family to see House of Gucci this Thanksgiving, so I’m just hoping this works out on my end.

https://www.vulture.com/2021/11/house-of-gucci-is-the-perfect-family-thanksgiving-movie.html#_ga=2.184806186.2049124310.1637895331-956528324.1636511289

Open letter to CW Nevius – San Francisco Examiner 11.24.2021

 

The Examiner has really reached bottom in publishing your work.

 

I thought San Francisco was thankfully rid of your reactionary opinions posing as reasonable journalism.

 

The column about crime in Union Square and somehow stretching credulity by asserting that Chesa Boudin is responsible is reprehensible.

 

https://www.sfexaminer.com/opinion/in-union-square-looting-are-we-seeing-a-rip-in-civil-society/

It’s a sad day when someone who has reported on San Francisco matters for decades and should have more sophistication is now in synch with the most reactionary MAGA, Fox News, right wing posse which spent 1.4MM on paid mercenaries to qualify this obscene Recall attempt.

 

Coming close on the heels of your column calling for cars to be given total access to The Great Walkway is just another exclamation point on your shameless pandering to the most revanchist groups in San Francisco.

 

Your skills would be better suited as a Shill for the San Francisco Police Officers Association (POA) and the American Automobile Association (AAA).

 

You should have remained a Sports reporter where your ability to trash talk on important matters was limited.

New York Times and Washington Post 11.24.2021

BRUNSWICK, Ga. — Three white men were found guilty of murder and other charges on Wednesday for the pursuit and fatal shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, in a case that, together with the killing of George Floyd, helped inspire the racial justice protests of last year.

The jury has found William Bryan, who filmed the fatal encounter with Ahmaud Arbery, not guilty of malice murder. He was found not guilty of one count of felony murder and one county of aggravated assault, but guilty of three counts of felony murder and three other charges.

The jury has found Gregory McMichael, Travis McMichael’s father, not guilty of malice murder, but guilty of all other counts he faces, including felony murder.

The jury has found Travis McMichael, the man who shot Ahmaud Arbery, guilty on all nine counts, including malice murder and felony murder.

Video of Judge announcing Jury verdicts

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/11/24/ahmaud-arbery-trial-verdict/

Lee Heidhues 11.23.2021

My lifelong partner Liz Heidhues. Fighter for Justice, a car free Golden Gate Park and The Great Walkway is also a dedicated steward of the environment.

Liz was an early volunteer in San Francisco’s Adopt a Drain program. Come rain or shine, Liz has been maintaining the drain.

Liz is a stellar citizen and an asset to San Francisco.

Excerpted from SF Gate 11.23.2021 – Tessa McLean

Most San Franciscans pass at least a few neighborhood storm drains every day. But only a few residents probably realize they may have been rudely walking by, not acknowledging the drains by name.

Yes, the iron grate on your corner may not just be an anonymous piece of infrastructure. It might be named Yoda, in honor of the Jedi of course, or it might be dubbed “It’s Draining Men,” forcing the catchy tune into your head. It could pay homage to a popular actor by way of the nickname “Drain the Rock Johnson” or it may anthropomorphize the utility with a moniker like “Big Thirsty.” It might even be called “The Best Storm Drain in SF,” though no one is running a contest.

Outer Richmond resident Elizabeth Heidhues named hers after her sister Donna, who lives in Montana. They don’t get to see each other all that much, but Heidhues thinks of her every day when she passes by the storm drain at the end of her street. She also loves the play on words it creates, especially with her Italian side of the family. “I named it Donna after her because everything goes ‘DOWN-A’ the drain. It’s a spoof on Italian English.”

While most people may not love being associated with wastewater and sewage, Donna the person thinks it’s funny. She’s from San Francisco, passionate about the environment and she jokes she’s famous among her friends in Montana for it.

Heidhues has been caring for Donna the drain since 2017 (following photo), as soon as she saw the Adopt a Drain program advertised on a San Francisco Public Utilities Commission calendar she picked up from a local store. As a runner and a cyclist without a car, she said she was always encountering flooded intersections, so her motivation to adopt the drain was to keep her intersection from becoming flooded. She looked online and saw the drain on her corner was available, and she’s been caring for it ever since.

“You feel very close to your drain. You’ve named it, you feel responsible for its well-being and you feel guilty if it doesn’t behave itself because you’ve neglected it,” Heidhues said with a laugh. “It’s like being a parent almost.”

Since she adopted Donna, she’s even motivated a few of her neighbors to adopt drains, and they keep each other motivated to keep them free of debris. It’s a great way to stay involved in the community and the upkeep of the neighborhood, Heidhues said.

SFPUC gives out initial supplies to aid in the cleaning process, which is how Heidhues got her safety vest with “volunteer” in big letters across the back. She said she loves when people honk their horns and say thank you as they drive by when she’s cleaning. But she wishes she could convince even more people to join the program.

The initiative was created because the city crews just couldn’t keep up with the maintenance of the more than 25,000 storm drains, said SFPUC spokesperson Sabrina Suzuki. They needed help from citizens and were inspired by a program in Boston in which residents could adopt a fire hydrant. Allowing residents to name their drains and plotting them on a digital map would make it personal. Today, 3,557 drains throughout the city have been adopted by 2,345 drain adopters.

https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Adopt-a-Drain-program-SF-16641794.php

Top and bottom photos – Charles Russo

Everyone old enough to remember can recollect what he/she was doing on November 22, 1963 when President John Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas.

Time stood still and this country was changed forever at that moment.

November 22, 2021

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_John_F._Kennedy

Brad Pitt’s closing line in the 2012 violent, gritty neo noir film Killing Them Softly says it succinctly about what America is all about.

Top photo:  Richard Jenkins and Brad Pitt

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_Them_Softly

Lee Heidhues 11.20.2021

It’s been 52 years since a group of Native Americans began what turned out to be the 19 month Occupation of Alcatraz.

The Native American population was decimated by the white Americans during their brutal trek West. The original inhabitants of the United States have been abused, murdered, placed on reservations and treated as second class citizens.

The nearly two year Occupation was an event heard around the United States to tell the World the Native Americans would stand their ground and fight for their rights.

Excerpted from San Francisco Chronicle 11.20.2021

The crisp, clear San Francisco morning began with a prayer circle on Alcatraz.

Fifty two years ago, Native Americans from all over the U.S. touched down on the island to fight for Indigenous rights, where they would remain for 19 months in a landmark struggle known as the Occupation of Alcatraz. On Saturday, U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a U.S. cabinent secretary, visited the island to highlight the progress made over the past five decades by Indigenous peoples.

“We’re in a new era in which we can embrace our identities as Indigenous people and be proud,” she said.

“I am here. We are here. And we’re not going anywhere,” she added, as cheers erupted from the tribal leaders listening to her speak.

As Haaland wrapped up her speech, birds chirped loudly overhead, almost drowning her voice out.

“Our relatives are speaking today as well,” she noted, smiling.

Two year ago was the 50th Anniversary of the landmark landmark struggle that energized the Native American rights movement and brought together tribes from across the United States onto a 22-acre rock in the middle of San Francisco Bay.

“It was cold and miserable out here much of the time,” recalled Eloy Martinez, 82, who also goes by Seeker of Justice. “There was no water. But we were used to that, living on the reservation. That’s the way it still is.

“It was also an exciting time. Our adrenaline was running. For the first time, a lot of us felt free, felt together. You know how it is when you’re waiting for Christmas? It felt like that,” he said.

With Haaland in the Cabinet, the federal government has taken a number of steps to support Indigenous communities. President Joe Biden this week signed an executive order addressing violence against Indigenous people and combating human trafficking and crime on Native American lands and announced protections for Chaco Canyon, a Native American heritage site in New Mexico.

On Thursday, the first-ever Native American head of the National Park Service, Charles “Chuck” Sams III, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Biden’s infrastructure bill — which Haaland and other cabinet secretaries helped the president sell in Northern California — also put $13 billion toward Native American communities to help provide resources like high-speed internet and clean drinking water, Haaland noted.

On Friday, she formally declared “squaw” a derogatory term and said she is taking steps to remove it from federal government use.

“There is a racism in this country that continues to target Native people. Offensive names, mascots and rally cries are not a thing of the past, but their time has come,” Haaland said. “As long as I have a platform to speak from, I will stand against them.”

 

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/We-re-not-going-anywhere-Sec-Haaland-16638074.php#photo-21739182

California Governor Gavin Newsom expressed his visceral outrage over the acquittal of Kyle Rittenhouse in a Wisconsin courtroom.

This is a disgraceful and shameful verdict. One which only embolden the most reactionary racist fascist elements in America.

Rittenhouse, 17 at the time, murdered two people and wounded a third in Kenosha, Wisconsin using an assault weapon during a protest following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police in May 2020.

Rittenhouse has become the poster boy for the most rabid violent right wing militia groups; Q’Anon, Proud Boys et al.  The same insurrectionists who stormed the capitol on January 6, 2021 at the urging of ex-President Trump.

San Francisco Chronicle 11.19.2021

In a tweet Friday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the verdict sent a clear message to “armed vigilantes across the nation.”

“America today: you can break the law, carry around weapons built for a military, shoot and kill people, and get away with it.”

Quanah Brightman, executive director of United Native Americans, said the jury’s decision represented a pervasive and harmful double standard in the criminal justice system.

“We’re sick and tired of our community living in fear; we’re sick and tired of all of these atrocities going unpunished,” Brightman said.

Roughly 200 people gathered at Oakland’s Frank H. Ogawa Plaza and marched to the Dellums Federal Building on Friday night to denounce the acquittal earlier in the day of Kyle Rittenhouse, a man tried on charges that he intentionally killed two people during racial justice protests last year.

A Wisconsin jury found Rittenhouse, 18, not guilty of homicide and other felony charges on Friday. He had shot three men with a semiautomatic rifle, killing two of them, in August 2020 as chaotic protests played out in Kenosha, Wis. The demonstrations and riots followed the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man, by a white police officer, three months after a white police officer killed George Floyd in Minneapolis, setting off a fervent nationwide movement that called for racial justice and police reform.