Tom’s Town: Campos, Ello — and some great carnitas

By Tom Temprano

SEPTEMBER 26, 2014 — David Campos is, to borrow a favorite basketball phrase of mine, ON FIRE this September. I’m not just saying this because he has whittled a double-digit deficit in the polls to a dead heat with less than six weeks to go before his November 4 showdown with David Chiu or because he brokered a historic meeting between Facebook and aggrieved members of San Francisco’s drag and transgender community over the company’s discriminatory real name policy. Either of these feats would make him eligible for a politician of the month trophy, but given all the other stuff he’s done these are simply icing on the cake.

For the sake of space (this whole column could easily be taken up if I don’t keep it concise) I will bullet point some of his accomplishments since September began:

• Secured $2.1 million to provide much-needed legal services to unaccompanied minors facing deportation.
• Introduced legislation that will make San Francisco the first city in the country to make PrEP, arguably the most effective HIV prohibiting drug ever, available to all of its residents regardless of income.
• Demanded the city investigate and eliminate gender-based wage disparity among city contractors — ensuring that San Francisco does its part to stop the 77 cents on the dollar that women make as opposed to men.
• Proposed legislation to prohibit the harassment of patients and staff at Planned Parenthood by anti-choice protestors after the Supreme Court ruled against buffer zone legislation.

And there’s still a week left until the end of the month.

This past week tons of folks on Facebook who was furious over the real name policy said hello to Ello. As someone who spends quite a bit of time on social media I have never witnessed such a rapid, and viral, adoption of a new platform. While I’m still getting used to the somewhat limited interface the fact many cultural innovators, promoters, tastemakers, and of course drag queen have already signed up is a pretty good sign.  Time will tell if Ello is anything more than a flash in the pan response to real name outrage but if it continues to grow and Facebook withers the 11^th Commandment – Don’t Fuck With Drag Queens – will officially be set in stone.

Speaking of social media, it looks like LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman is again spending his web-derived dollars (and lots of them) on Independent Expenditures in the Assembly Race. On September 15 he dumped $300,00 (!!!) into the committee that he and fellow Uncle Pennybagger Ron Conway started during the June primary to support David Chiu – the one that you may remember for the graphic domestic violence imagery used in its many many mail pieces. While I can personally think of a litany of better uses for $300,000 than more offensive junkmail (I hear the fire department needs ambulances), I am assuming whatever Mr. Hoffman decides to do with his Benjamins will require a marked change in tune.

Not only did his nearly half million dollar domestic violence hit pieces fail to make a meaningful impact in the June Primary, it appears they have also had the effect of pissing off real women’s organizations, including the National Organization For Women. This past week NOW announced their endorsement of Campos and, according to the San Francisco Bay Guardian, the offensive mailers were even more reason for the organization to support him.

Since Jay Barman has dubbed me a “carnitas expert” (I LOVE YOU JAY) I now feel obligated to share a tip or two with you folks. My favorite taco track, El Gallo Giro, is parked every week day on 23^rd and Treat and they churn out some of the tastiest fried pieces of pork you will ever have the pleasure of touching your tongue to. They are crispy as hell and will melt in your mouth. Literally, they melt like butter. Eat them ASAP.

TOM’S TOP TWO THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

1)     Hocus Pocus with Peaches Christ, Jinkx Monsoon & Ben DeLaCreme. Saturday, September 27^th 3pm & 8pm at the Castro Theater.

Peaches is at it again, this time reworking one of my favorite childhood films, Hocus Pocus. She has dragged (get it?) two of Seattle’s finest queens, and RuPaul’s Drag Race alums, Jinkx Monsoon and Ben DeLaCreme down for the show and anything that those two touch is bound to be comedic gold.  I hear that the late show is sold out so I hope you’ll join me for the matinee.

2)     Sunday Streets In The Excelsior AND the Excelsior Art & Music Festival. Sunday, September 28^th at 11am in the Excelsior, of course.

I love a good excuse to go to one of my favorite neighborhoods in the city and this is a two-fer. The Exelsior Arts & Music Fest will be happening adjacent to our monthly excuse to take back the streets and it appears there will even be good weather!