Nefarious activities and trauma in progress on Turk Street in the Tenderloin galore.

Gentrification and its ugly head is popping up in many places but more so in the Tenderloin and on streets like Turk Street in San Francisco - where all the wheeling and dealing takes places in broad daylight.

The SF Board of Supervisors and the Mayor and the various SF City Departments for all their vain talk - have not been taking care of business.

Come campaign time - these so called representative ask for your vote, they make a lot of promises - but when it comes to Quality of Life issue - our great City is going down the drain and into the cesspool.

Too many Senior Citizens, the disabled, the indigent if they fall on the streets and get injured - are at the mercy of dame luck or some good Samaritan that luck would chance and come his or her way.

For ten minutes I watched a man lying on the sidewalk and people walking by him and not lifting a finger.

Those that know me - know me to me a man who will take charge of any situation. I could not stand it anymore - when some ignorant folks - started walking over this poor injured man - it was then - that I called 911 - the emergency number.

The dispatcher asked me all sorts of questions and I answered them. She really wanted to know after spending some minutes with me - if the injured man in question - was assaulted and if I saw who had assaulted him.

For the umpteen time I explained to her - that as soon as the vehicle I was in was parked - I saw this man lying on the side walk by the Metropolis Hotel at 16 Turk Street. The man head injuries and that I thought it prudent, more compassion - to call 911 so that a ambulance could handle the serious issue at hand and take the man to hospital.

The dispatcher still wanted more details - and I have some qualified Law Enforcement experience - I told the dispatcher - that I was going to take some pictures and write an article about this situation. This situation was getting out of hand - the man was injured and that he need help - immediately.

As soon as I said this - she told me that she was going to send an ambulance. What a relief!

Prior to that I tried waving to two SF Police cars - but they seemed not to want to stop and were in a hurry.

After ten minutes the ambulance came and a few seconds before the ambulance came I saw two SF Police cars stop by the site. Now, this injured man - had all the attention - and all the folks involved in the many nefarious activities - were somehow on their best behavior.

I spoke to one SF Police Officer and told him that I knew the current Police Chief - Gregory Suhr and that if he could please expedite this process and send the injured man to the hospital. He made an effort to listen to me - and requested me to put in a good word for him.

The Emergency Medical Technicians in the mean time - were taking the blood pressure of the wounded man - and asking him his name and his Identification Card. I watched them and so did the an employee from the Human Resources from the Metropolis Hotel - at 16 Turk.

I told this man that I could not take it any more - to witness one that really needed help - had wounds to his head - was bleeding and that he was lying there for God knows how long. I saw him lying there for at least 20 minutes until the ambulance arrived.

I noticed in recent years no one wants to get involved with the indigent, the homeless, those that have to survive on the streets of San Francisco. We see more and more homeless on the streets of San Francisco - and those that must do something about it - are not doing there job.

Turk Street is something else - the first few blocks from Market going toward City Hall - where the politicians wag their tongues - had that tongue a bone their tongues would fall apart - but, that not being the case - you will see them spew diatribe and more toxic, diatribe.

In this case the Tenderloin Police Station is but one minute away - by the Glide Memorial Church. I know that ambulances stay park on the streets - so that they can come quickly to the scene and help the injured and those that need help.

There must be a way to expedite the many questions asked when any caller calls - especially, a good Samaritan - who as I felt - was asked too many questions. I can hold my cool - but this dispatcher was something - else.

If this man had some serious head injuries - a minute or two could cause any person to fall into a serious comma and bring death - earlier.

Once the SF Police Officers are on the scene they can take charge of the situation. In this case they too - were nonchalant and I did not appreciate this.

I will bring this to the higher authorities when I meet them. We must learn to respect and help - all human beings. In this case the man seemed to be an indigent - but, it is really difficult to judge from appearances.

I would have felt very bad - had I not done something.

Many people stopped by to ask me what was happening - many people in San Francisco recognize me - from the many social and justice activities and meetings - I take part.

Many of them confided in me that they would not call the Police - and I asked, why? They revealed to me that they would not not simply because it was too much - of a headache and that they did not trust the Police. This came to me as a surprise but not great of a surprise.

I came to my office at Executive Park and still could not shake off the injured man and what transpired.
I had to get it off my chest - and write some - there is always some one who will read and do something about it - or at least prepare oneself in a situation - that came my way.

I am glad that the injured man was given medical attention, his head secured with a neck and head brace - and that hopefully when he is taken to SF General Hospital - he will be taken care of.

It is amazing that once the ambulance and the EMT started handing the injured patient - how people stopped and asked questions - too many questions. But, when they see someone laying there - injured, bleeding, they will not have the guts to do the right thing.

Some years ago - in San Francisco we had more compassion. This all has now some how disappeared and gone with the wind.

San Francisco is named after Saint Francisco Assisi. A Saint who had compassion - he loved not only human beings - but the birds, animals, and anything with life and more.


Francisco Da Costa
Director
Environmental Justice Advocacy