Somewhat off topic, but so many of you have contacted me to ask how I’m doing that I thought it’d be a good idea to reply here. Without getting into the gory details, I can say that I’m okay, all things considered.

If there’s one word that’s central to Oakland politics, it’s “equity.” The notion of “equity” runs like a bloodstream throughout all the city’s programs. Virtually every city department has an official equity component. The Department of Transportation boasts that its street-paving plan is based on “equity, street condition, and safety.” The Department of Human Resources Management claims its values are “diversity, inclusion, and equity,” the infamous and controversial DEI that is under such fierce political attack. The Department of Violence Prevention’s Chief, Holly Joshi, says her goals include achieving “gender and racial equity.” The Oakland City Auditor’s Department even has a Race and Equity Team to “take into account race and equity in implementing City policies, programs, laws, budgeting, and funding.”

I’m not taking credit for convincing Pamela Price to finally concede losing the Recall election. But she did stubbornly refuse to recognize the landslide results until I published my critical post last Monday, two weeks after the election, so maybe she read it and thought, “If I’ve lost Heimoff, then I’m toast.”

Let me get this straight. Criminal shoplifts thousands of dollars of cosmetics from Ulta Beauty in massive retail theft. Flees from police when they arrive, hides behind bush hoping to avoid arrest. Vigilant K-9 officer arrives with dog, which goes after escaping suspect. Dog bites criminal. Criminal sues police department, receives nearly $1 million for “post-traumatic stress.”

We ought to give Sheng Thao a little credit for her concession statement on Nov. 8, just three days after we recalled her from office. The former mayor exaggerated her “accomplishments” and was defensive, but at least she thanked us, the voters, for electing her.