Pathetic: San Fran mayor, caught breaking own mask rule, makes excuses - The Horn News

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Pathetic: San Fran mayor, caught breaking own mask rule, makes excuses

By: The Horn editorial team

San Francisco Mayor London Breed grabbed headlines last week when she was seen on video in violation of her own mask order.

On August 2, Breed started requiring indoor masking for all her constituents, even the vaccinated ones. Yet, she went to San Francisco’s Black Cat club to see the R&B group Tony! Toni! Toné!, and she was dancing without a mask for photos and videos.

The following Monday, she interviewed with CBS News in San Francisco. She talked for more than six minutes, and she vainly tried to defend herself.

She said she threw off her mask because of “the spirit.” That comment provoked ridicule on Twitter from both Republicans and Democrats.

Breed has been accused of breaking her own coronavirus rules before. Earlier in the pandemic, she attended an expensive, fancy dinner at the French Laundry even though she’d issued a three-household cap on gatherings.

That was only one day after Gov. Gavin Newsom was seen partying at the same restaurant in violation of the state’s coronavirus rules.

This time, Breed was violating her own orders in her own city.

Read the transcript and watch the video below —

Breed began:

I think it’s sad that this is even a story. The fact is there was something that was really monumental that occurred, and that is Tony Tony Tony, the original members, the brothers, Raphael Saadiq and D’wayne Wiggins, who have not performed in public for, I believe, at least over 20 years. They are just really some of the most incredible artists in the history of this country and the Bay Area in particular — not to mention the incredible trumpeter Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, who is just phenomenal — these incredible musicians who performed and who really uplifted the spirits of not just myself, but all of the people who were there. And from my perspective, I was there, I was eating, and I was drinking, and I was sitting with my friends, and everyone who came in there was vaccinated. So the fact that we have turned this into a story about being maskless? No. I’m not gonna sip and put my mask on, sip and put my mask on, sip and put my mask on, eat and put my mask on. While I’m eating and I’m drinking, I’m going to keep my mask off. And yes! In the meantime, while we’re drinking, like everyone else there, we were all having a good time. So, the fact that this is even a story is sad, and it’s sad because we’re missing out on the fact that we have live performances. We in San Francisco have done an incredible job around COVID. Yes, we have challenges. But this is now a distraction, and I hope that people would spend more time on enjoying San Francisco, on going to go see Maurice “Mobetta” Brown, who’s only going to be here for another week at the Black Cat, and make the story about how incredible and talented these artists are and less about something that shouldn’t be a story in the first place.

Then, the interviewer mentioned that the band Metallica had played a small show at the Independent, a local venue. He asked whether Breed had heard about the show, and she responded:

Yes! And I saw the lines, and I was– Just think about it. You have these venues that are considered small for Metallica. So, when I saw Metallica up there, I’m like, “Maybe it’s a throwback. Maybe they’re just bringing it back from a time when Metallica might have or when they wish Metallica would have played at the Independent.” No, they were at the Independent, and the line was down the block. When you enter these venues, people are gonna drink. People have to be vaccinated. And so it doesn’t mean sip and drink. That is just not realistic. And when you go to restaurants — I was at a restaurant — same thing. I’m leaving my mask down while I’m enjoying my food. I’m not putting it on and taking it off and putting it on. People are not doing that. So, that’s just not realistic. You all know it’s not realistic. So, the fact that the story became about me and not about the artists and nightlife, which I will continue to enjoy in San Francisco, is very unfortunate.

The same interviewer asked whether these public appearances were as a sign of the reopening. She said:

I think it is. The message I want to get out is: Support our nightlife venues, support our restaurants, go out and enjoy yourself, make sure you are vaccinated because of the requirements, but don’t feel as though you have to be micromanaged about mask-wearing. We don’t need the fun police to come in and try and micromanage and tell us what we should or shouldn’t be doing. We know what we need to do to protect ourselves. No one has been more conservative about protecting themselves than I am, not just because I want to set an example, but also because I don’t want to get COVID. And I know many people feel the same way. So, let’s focus on what’s most important. That is: getting reopened, supporting our nightlife, enjoying our great city, getting back to the normal we want to enjoy and having a good time.

A second interviewer asked her about the photos and videos of her dancing, maskless, without food or drink anywhere within reach. She tried to defend herself, unsuccessfully. She said:

So, just to be clear, I was sitting at my table. I don’t know about you and whether you know who Raphael Saadiq and D’wayne Wiggins. I don’t know about you, but if you who they are, I don’t care where you’re sitting. You’re gonna get up and start dancing. My drink was at the table. I got up and started dancing, because I was feeling the spirit and I wasn’t thinking about a mask. I was thinking about having a good time, and in the process I was following the health orders.

Breed was not, in fact, following the health orders. The city’s website says, “You are required to wear a mask to stop the spread of the Delta variant. You must wear a mask even if you are vaccinated… San Francisco and 7 other Bay Area health officials have issued Health Orders requiring masks indoors in public places. Almost everyone must wear a mask from August 2nd.”

She violated her own order. That’s why this became story.

She continued:

Not to mention the Chronicle reporter who walked up to me had no mask in sight! When I took a picture, as I do in any case, or do an interview, yes, I take my mask off when I want to take a picture. I’m vaccinated. I don’t need to wear a mask and take a picture every single time. I don’t want to, but, at the same time, I’m being careful not only to protect myself, but to protect other people. This is nitpicking. This is really unfortunate, and let me tell you. When the spirit moves you because you’re watching history in the making, Bay Area royalty perform, I don’t know about you. But I’m not gonna turn around and look for where my mask is or look to see and make sure I’m picking up a drink. I’m just gonna let the spirit move me.

The televised interview ends after that. Watch the video below —

Flashback: London Breed breaks her own corona laws

 

The Horn editorial team