I had my checkup yesterday at the dentist’s, and while I was paying the bill afterwards, my dentist—whom I’ve been with for nearly 30 years—told me he’s seriously contemplating leaving his Oakland premises and moving elsewhere.

There’s always been a schizophrenic quality to the City Council’s attitude towards homelessness. When they passed their Encampment Management Policy, in December, 2020, much was made of the fact that it appeared to declare encampments illegal. Many of us, including myself, were thrilled that, finally, the City Council, under intense pressure from citizens, was prepared to get tough with campers.

Going through social media, especially Twitter, I’m convinced that no issue in America is more unpopular than reparations. People are truly horrified by the idea. They’re taking it personally—as well they should. In fact, so contentious is the idea that, if it goes much further, it could destabilize our country in unpredictable ways and lead to a permanent realignment of politics.

A couple days ago, on my walk home from Whole Foods, I saw a guy on the sidewalk who was obviously drugged out holding a piece of cardboard that was smoldering at the edge. It wasn’t in flames, but the red glow and smoke proved that it was capable of starting a fire. As the guy was clearly messed up on something, I watched. He was dressed in rags, and had a bottle of some liquid that looked like orange juice, which he proceeded to pour over his head. He seemed mesmerized by the smoking cardboard. At one point, he placed it on the seat of a bicycle that was parked nearby. Then he crossed Bay Place and disappeared on the grounds of the Senior Center-V.A. Center, still holding onto the smoking cardboard.

I wonder if Gavin Newsom fully thought through the implications of the reparations task force he approved in 2020. He probably figured it was the right thing to do at the time; knowing it wouldn’t come to fruition for years, he kicked the can down the road, crossed his fingers, and dealt with more immediate concerns.