S.F. Trying to Get on the Gulf War Bandwagon

Stung by criticism for declaring their city a sanctuary for war resisters, city officials are planning a ticker-tape parade to welcome home U.S. troops and repair damage that detractors say was inflicted upon San Francisco’s image.

Veterans’ groups and city officials are demanding that the sanctuary measure, which prohibits the city from using its resources to track down AWOL conscientious objectors, be nullified before celebrations start. The resolution was approved Jan. 14, two days before thousands of anti-war activists flooded the city’s streets and attracted national attention.

“The city turned its back on their servicemen,” said Joe Vannelli, a vice commander for a San Francisco Veterans of Foreign Wars post. “I think they need to get rid of the resolution. They should have never passed it in the first place.”

Organizers said they hope to march returning troops up Market Street for a victory parade on May 18 or 19, with a weeklong schedule of festivities leading up to the celebration. Military officials are also seeking approval to repaint faded patriotic murals on the sides of three piers that welcomed sailors home during World War II.

But the parade has already assumed political overtones that threaten to undermine planning efforts and draw organizers into what they consider a frivolous dispute.

“We’re not going to play politics with the city,” said Lt. Brian Cullin, a spokesman for the Treasure Island Naval Station.

Since the Board of Supervisors adopted the conscientious-objector resolution, city leaders and merchants associations have reported a steady flow of negative comments from their constituents and customers. As the war raged on in the Middle East, calls and letters complaining about the resolution slowly dwindled.

But when the guns fell silent in the Persian Gulf, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, fearing local merchants would lose $30 million in convention business as a result of the resolution, ran a newspaper advertisement last week accusing City Hall of being “out of sync” with public opinion. The chamber called on the Board of Supervisors to repeal the policy.

“We’ve heard from literally hundreds of people who said that they’re not coming to San Francisco,” said Jim Lazarus, a Chamber of Commerce spokesman. “The resolution must be overturned.”

Two days after the ad appeared, Mayor Art Agnos, who supported the resolution, countered criticism by announcing his plan to treat homecoming veterans to a parade. A spokesman for Agnos, Scott Shafer, said the celebration would be the city’s way of expressing its “sincere support” for the troops.

Supervisor Willie Kennedy fired the next shot, introducing a resolution this week to help “reintegrate the returning soldiers and reservists into our society.” If passed, the resolution would rescind the earlier proclamation.

Meanwhile, Jeff Mackler, a coordinator for the Mobilization to Bring the Troops Home Now, which organized the largest peace protest in the Bay Area, said while he is pleased the troops are returning, he plans to buy a newspaper advertisement to oppose a victory parade.

“There is no victory in this war,” he said. “There will be revulsion if anyone engages in patriotic oratory to support the slaughter of the Iraqi people.”

Vannelli of the Veterans of Foreign Wars said he is intent on appearing at the parade to show his support for the war. A Navy Seal who served three tours in Vietnam, he said: “I will not tolerate our soldiers being mistreated ever again. Once is enough.”