Bay Area Leaders Must Reject Hate on August 26.

By Deepak Chopra, Kabir Sehgal, Jeff Oster

Hate is coming to town. A right wing group known as “Patriot Prayer” that supports white supremacists and neo Nazis is planning a demonstration at Crissy Field on August 26. Given the recent tragic events in Charlottesville, to hold such an event is ghoulish, unrepentant, and potentially dangerous, as these events spread fear and can be flashpoints for violence. 

We are calling on all Bay Area political, civic, and business leaders to fully reject this rally and these protesters by immediately making public statements. At a time when our president won’t be unambiguous in rejecting hate, we need our local and state officials to step up with moral clarity.  

Indeed, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein, along with Mayor Ed Lee and Police Chief Bill Scott have questioned the granting of the permit for this event, and have expressed grave concern that local police and fire departments could be overwhelmed if counter-protesters choose confrontation. “You are not welcome here, don’t come to San Francisco, we are going to do everything we can to stop you,” said London Breed, President of the Board of Supervisors. But we believe all leaders should be on the record. 

San Francisco has long been known for embracing free speech. While we agree and fully embrace the rights of all to share their viewpoint, it is clear that some go far beyond that peaceful freedom into violence and hate. This hatred must not only be soundly rejected, but the public must be assured that the Bay Area is fully prepared to protect its citizens should violence break out. It’s the responsibility of our local and state leaders to make sure that Crissy Field doesn’t turn into Charlottesville.

In the face of bigotry, we must create alternative ways of enlarging empathy and bringing people together. Because San Francisco has a vibrant creative community, its citizens can serve as a model for the rest of the country, when it comes to manifesting creative expressions of peace.

One of these creative expressions is Home: Where Everyone Is Welcome, our book of poems and album of songs inspired by American immigrants. This production shines the light on how immigrants and their children such as Albert Einstein, Audrey Hepburn, and Sergey Brin have enhanced the United States. Alameda-resident Jeff Oster and former Marin-resident Will Ackerman produced the recording. That two individuals with Bay Area connections made this album shows how the people of this region can fight fear with creative expressions. When others write hate slogans, we write love poems.

We welcome everyone to speak freely – but we must reject hate when we see it.  And when we encounter hate, it’s incumbent on all of us to demonstrate resistance in creative ways.

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Deepak Chopra, Kabir Sehgal, and Jeff Oster created Home: Where Everyone Is Welcome.

Deepak Chopra MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation and co-founder of The Chopra Center for Wellbeing and Jiyo.com, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism.  He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and Clinical Professor at UCSD School of Medicine. Chopra is the author of more than 85 books translated into over 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers.

Kabir Sehgal is a New York Times bestselling author, multi-Grammy Award winner, and US Navy veteran.

Jeff Oster is an investment advisor, musician, and producer.