The debate over San Francisco's Proposition D has sunk from the ridiculing to the sub-slime.
The latest uproar emerged April 14 when Joe O'Donoghue, head of the Residential Builders Association, sent out a mass e-mail on Good Friday that ridiculed transgender labor and political activist Robert Haaland, an opponent of Proposition D.
O'Donoghue began his message with a note referring to Haaland as a "despicable human being, a parasite who typifies the Left Wing Fascist mentality of this city. For over a decade at least, Robert Haaland has with impunity vilified the R.B.A. and yours truly. We chose to ignore she then, now he."
The note was accompanied by a poem titled "Our Transfigured Robert" with the opening lines:
"When Eve was sent to test his grace / She brought to him a cherub face / A Jason personality / Of sweet and sour banality, / But angry at that form given / Haaland to vengeance was envy driven"
"If we haven't hit a new low in San Francisco politics with this," said former City Attorney Louise Renne, co-chair of the Laguna Honda No on D campaign, "we're about to. I have been out of the country and just heard about this. I just couldn't believe it. This kind of comment was completely unwarranted. I am absolutely shocked. I am very upset."
As of press time, O'Donoghue had not returned calls from the Bay Area Reporter seeking comment.
Proposition D would establish a special use district for Laguna Honda Hospital, limit the health care services it may perform, and amend the zoning codes to allow development of privately owned nursing homes on public use lands. Opponents have argued that the wording of Proposition D could force Laguna Honda residents suffering from dementia, brain disorders, brain injuries, or Alzheimer's to be discharged, and also would give up control of private development in public use areas.
O'Donoghue's e-mail does not directly mention the merits of Proposition D, which he supports, but accuses Haaland of "vitriolic lies" stemming from a "twisted mentality."
"I think that his initiative is failing and he is lashing out in order to distract from the fact the he is about to lose big time," said Haaland. "He's using hatred and bigotry. He should be condemned and he should apologize. He lost it.
"Anyone with any integrity would not use a campaign tactic like that even when they are losing," Haaland added.
Chris Daley, director of the Transgender Law Center, said, "Obviously, we find it really problematic that he would do this. These kinds of tactics simply alienate people from the political process. I was shocked that these comments were being made – but if they were being made, I wasn't shocked that it was Joe making them."
Founded in 1866, Laguna Honda Hospital is the oldest and largest nursing care facility in the United States, with beds for 1,200 long-term residents. The existing structure was built in 1926. In 1999, San Francisco voters approved a $299 million bond measure to rebuild the hospital. Renne and O'Donoghue both served on the "Save Laguna Honda" campaign committee that year.
Renne said she thought O'Donoghue's attack was evidence that Proposition D opponents were correct in saying the proposition is less about the welfare of Laguna Honda patients and more about opening up construction opportunities. And she urged O'Donoghue to drop the ad hominem tactics.
"This may be a political campaign, but do it on the issues," Renne said. "There is no reason for this kind of vitriolic campaigning, especially against as nice a person as Robert. Stop the attacks."
The Alice B. Toklas and Harvey Milk LGBT Democratic clubs issued a joint statement condemning O'Donoghue's "blatantly transphobic political attack" and noted that he had previously belittled Mayor Gavin Newsom for his support of the LGBT community. The statement also noted that O'Donoghue allegedly harassed Debra Walker, an out lesbian and past president of the Milk Club, who is president of the Department of Building Inspections Commission.
"While Mr. O'Donoghue has the right to disagree with Haaland's position on any particular issue," the clubs said, "that does not justify attacking or belittling Haaland for his transgender status. Mr. O'Donoghue's attack on Haaland is the most offensive form of political speech: speech designed to reduce an opponent's credibility based on the opponent's status, be it race, national origin, disability, gender, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, or any other status.
"We, as a city, must encourage transgender people to be full participants in our civic life. Yet, attacks like Mr. O'Donoghue's are designed to achieve precisely the opposite: to make clear that successful, effective transgender people who dare to oppose him will be promptly 'put in their place' through humiliation and intimidation. We must oppose and speak out against this tactic," the statement read.
The San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee considered a resolution Wednesday, April 26 (after the B.A.R. went to press) condemning O'Donoghue "for using anti-transgender hate speech in order to advance a political agenda and to intimidate his opponents."
Haaland posted a response to O'Donoghue in his blog on www.leftinsf.com and said the messages of support he has received have been a blessing.
"I have gotten tons of calls and e-mails from people right away," he said. "The love and support that has reached out to me has been wonderful."