I haven't yet had the honor of meeting Arthur Evans, but it seems he has been residing in San Francisco almost as long as myself: since 1973. Such long-term residency often gives the edge for community activists, as opposed to those recently blown into town. (By the way, Gary, are you "recently blown?" You sure sound like it.) Mr. Virginia: no need worry about Evans' social life...for it is well known that even whistle blowers have a varied and fullfilling existence. Your strategy to trivialize Arthur's astute contributions, only serves to mask ongoing corruption. Whether by intent or small-mindedness, such an attitude does not convey a good purpose.

While San Francisco life and politics on the surface seem to be the usual bumpy ride, the corruption that bubbles underneath is far more extensive and horrific than many yet realize. For example: the gay bars are, each and every one of 'em, cesspools of hard drug rings, dysfunctional alcoholic intrigue, wicked back-stabbing, and even shady violence. (Some even wind up murdered, bartender and patron alike.) Yet these venues remain the very heart of our community, and a major fund-raising windfall. There's something truly pathetic and even frightening about this, for it implies that our very politics and financial resources are entrenched in a corrupt foundation, riding on the backs of substance abuse and a violent underworld.

Our gay neighborhoods (especially the Castro) run rife with homophobic street thugs who threaten residents and tourists alike, trash our environs, and wander the night like graveyard ghouls. Not a pretty picture, to say the least. Our police force--what remains of it--does little to staunch this alarming condition. (They did show up in force on Halloween, thank you very much, but that was just one day out of 365.)

If not so ethically polluted, our community would have evolved out of that mucky swamp long years past. This sort of corruption bears the earmark of a cultish origin whose roots go back several decades, and may have something to do with the assassination of Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor Moscone, by one Dan White.

By the same token, similar corruption and elitism run a thread through all aspects of American society, which obviously includes the so-called SF gay community and its political "allies". There is no participating in this elite circle of politicians and their wannabes, except for being well-heeled with concomitant poodle pedigree. It is thus no surprise to me that those newly minted district politicos who appear all sunshiny and honest on the surface, may conceal a different stripe underneath. Also no surprise there are those who exist, such as Gary Virginia, to readily pounce upon the few courageous truth-speakers who raise a finger in criticism or even (gasp) alarm.

In that same letters section of the very same issue, also appeared Arthur's latest contribution titled "Drug Cartels & Politicians". Thank you Arthur, for a most excellent bellwether regarding the intrusion of Mexican drug trafficking into California and, more specifically, good ol' (corrupt ol') San Francisco.