BART has new posters in the stations touting the system’s efforts to “boost safety and prevent harassment.” The posters inform us of BART’s new “Transit Ambassadors” who “are trained in anti-bias and de-escalation techniques.” I have a question for BART: What the hell do “anti-bias techniques” have to do with keeping passengers safe and less harassed?
I take BART a lot. I want uniformed police officers on those trains. I want them to remove weirdos, panhandlers, druggies and derelicts from the trains, and keep them off. I’m sure a majority of other BART riders want the same. It’s great that BART is training their ambassadors in “de-escalation techniques.” But what’s this “anti-bias” stuff about?
It seems to me that it’s just more wokeness that’s seized control of BART, probably originating in the Human Relations department. Is BART concerned that keeping control of their trains will result in “bias”? Against whom—the addicts and human detritus that jump the fare gates and spend their days and nights on BART sleeping, harassing and stinking up the cars? I will happily admit that I am “biased” against these people. You know exactly whom I mean. So what, pray tell, is BART pulling here?
Oh yes, of course BART is in favor of “equity.” They even have one of those fancy “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” (DEI) departments that are so popular nowadays in American corporations, for whom virtue-signaling is mandatory. This department, says BART, “seeks to incorporate race equity into all aspects of the organization, from hiring to infrastructure decision-making.”
Might I have the temerity to suggest that BART needs to lighten up on their DEI obsession and do the real business the public wants? Keep us safe. Keep cars clean. Stop fare gate evasion. Make arrests. Roust unruly and disrespectful passengers. Create a proof-of-payment ticket, and if the person doesn’t have it, they’re kicked off at the very next station. And please, stop with the “anti-bias” mumbo-jumbo. Everybody is free to ride BART, but nobody is free to pull the crap we see every day on the system.
If I sound pissed off, it’s partly because, in the last hour, we had a major theft at my building. A construction crew working on our roof had their truck stolen, with most of their equipment, in broad daylight. I heard the screech of the thieves’ tires as they made their getaway. The whole thing happened in a minute. The Latino workers, whom I rushed to help, were completely freaked out. They’re poor working people. They have no insurance. Several don’t speak English. They’re good people, hard workers who want only to raise their families and see their kids succeed. But the thugs don’t care. They are not our children” or “our babies,” as Price and Brooks aver. They’re feral monsters.
With all the noise and commotion, the street in front of my building was soon filled with onlookers. Everyone was furious. People said things regarding the thieves that I can’t repeat here. One name came up repeatedly: Pamela Price. There was general consensus that she’s a pro-crime D.A. who favors defendants of her own race, and that she has been a disaster. These are the sidewalks voting. People have Price’s number, and they can’t wait to fire her.
Look, we want public safety now. We want punishment for criminals now. We’re not interested in hearing how committed BART is to “anti-bias techniques.” How dare BART peddle that! How dare Pamela Price! We’re THE PEOPLE, for crying out loud. It’s our city and county, and we want it back.
Steve Heimoff