A Call for Civility in 2024 SF Elections

By Nancy H. DeStefanis

For democracy to continue in the U.S., politics demands civil and reasonable discourse.

In January, Garry Tan, billionaire tech supporter of YIMBY Action and Grow SF, posted on X in support of the “slow death” of progressive members of the SF Board of Supervisors. While he apologized a few days later, his lengthy tweet on the night of Jan. 26 incited people to harass and threaten some of those very same supervisors.

What a terrible way to start the election year! I suggest that all candidates take a pledge and encourage their supporters as well to converse in language that upholds our democratic traditions. We want politics of persuasion, not politics of bullying. I also ask that SF residents call out bullying or threatening behavior by the candidates, their staff or the candidates’ supporters.

As we’ve seen on the national level in the House of Representatives, the politics of bullying gives us governing bodies that can’t get anything done and/or that only destroys rather than builds.

We get better policy when our lawmakers both listen respectfully and speak honestly and thoughtfully. That’s what civil discourse is all about.  The sorts of vitriol and personal attacks that we are seeing are not discourse, they are just aggression. 

Civil discourse avoids the kind of burnout and intimidation that causes talented people to leave public service.  We saw this recently on the local level with the young City Council member in the East Bay who was going to run for mayor but was unfairly beat up and as a result is leaving government.

Each of us has a personal stake in the political process, one that goes beyond policy.  A culture of disrespect and intimidation in our politics spills over into how people treat one another day-to-day.  It’s contagious. We see this on our roadways, in customers who abuse store clerks and in a host of other situations. 

Only then can we have a reasonable and respectful debate of the critical issues affecting San Francisco. Local elections have long featured constructive and civil campaigns. 

Can we adopt civil debate and refrain from using ugly language? Nastiness doesn’t appeal to most voters, so why do it?

San Franciscans deserve nothing less. 

Nancy DeStefanis is a member of the Richmond District Democratic Club, has been politically active in the Richmond and Sunset districts for 30 years and in San Francisco for more than 50 years. In 1982, she was the lead organizer of the successful Campaign to Extend the Rent Stabilization Law which was about to expire.