The DIRTY Politics of Japantown and Better Neighborhood Plan

I have just received word through Japantown's Nichi Bei Times newspaper (published in paper, not posted online) that one of the lawyers hired by 3D Investments (the current property owners of the Japan Center mall) is no other than John McInerney.

If you are not familar with John McInerney, here's a refresher:

• He is the developer of the 1600 Webster Street property, formerly known as the site of the Japantown Bowl. People have allegedly claimed that he was able to sway the influence (maybe through a backdoor deal) of a local Japantown community organization and the organization's leaders to support tearing down J-Town Bowl and put in a condo facility (read paragraph two). This went-on AGAINST the wishes of the Japantown community.
  
• He also wrote a cruel and mean letter with David Zisser to the Nihonmachi Street Fair in August, 2008. See below or read both letters here:
• This is real simple. You want to put on an event; you take responsibility. In this instance, you make a mess, you clean it up. You don't get the benefits (proceeds), without the liabilities (expenses). If your event doesn't make money, you should rethink it's usefulness. In any event, if we have to clean up afterwards, we will not only oppose the event next year we will look to small claims court to reimburse us for clean up costs. We don't need a bunch of emailing back and forth on this. It is not a negotiation.

  John McInerney
  Developer 1600 Webster Street

Well well well... this asshole is now one of the lawyers of a law firm hired by 3D investments! And what do you think this asshole and law firm is doing? ASKING THE SF PLANNING COMMISSION TO ENDORSE THE JAPANTOWN BETTER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.

Here's an interesting fact that also came out of the Nichi Bei Times. Just last weekend, there was a community meeting with about 70-80 people attending, and NEARLY ALL OF THEM wants to REJECT the Better Neighborhood Plan.

But it looks like there are many community "leaders," community organizations, and special interests in Japantown who wants to endorse this plan. Once again, going against the will and wishes of the community. GRRRRRR.

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And you wonder, the politics in Japantown is so fucking dirty. I'm so sick of this shit.

I don't like it when community leaders and community organizations go behind the back of the general interests of the Japanese American community. Also, I'm fed-up when a high majority of it's community members totally agree on one thing, and a community LEADER or community organization fucks it all up in their own selfish interests by going the wrong route.

And to take it home... here's a letter I wrote to the Nichi Bei Times about this letter to the editor:

"After reading this letter from Nob Fukuda, it does expose the ‘dirty’ aspect of the politics of this community. I find it disturbing that there was some community leaders and/or community organizations went BEHIND THE BACK of the overall majority of the community members who believed that J-Town Bowl should have been preserved.

If you recall in 2006 during the “Save Japantown” struggle, the Japantown Merchant’s Association rejected the proposal of a ‘Special Use District’ during a community meeting and angered many attendees, including myself when I went on a rant attacking the association for going against the overall mutual goal of trying to preserve our little community.

It makes me wonder now: how many J-Town leaders, community organizations, and community special interest groups are out there today encouraging endorsement of the Better Neighborhood Plan and working their dirty politics?

If the community members (and I want to clearly say MEMBERS, not leaders) believe in not endorsing the Plan, why in the heck does it seem that many leaders, orgs, and special interests want to support it? Is this 2006 AGAIN?

If you are FED-UP WITH THE DIRTY BULLSHIT POLITICS OF THE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND ORGANIZATIONS, SIGN THIS PETITION NOW:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/against-japantown-plan