Here at Hayes Valley Safe we welcome feedback from neighbors. We also encourage civic discourse, varying views, the right for a minority to redress via petition, and the right for all impartial voices to be heard. We’ve been asked about our affiliation with the Hayes Valley Facebook Society Page (on several occasions) while some neighbors have been negatively impacted by the shenanigans that go on there. (There have been a few horrid stories of neighbors being called names and being berated…but, hey that seems to be on par with experiences on social media during COVID.)
Businesses, politicians, and other organizations frequent this page to share info and updates to neighbors in Hayes Valley. For further clarification the page is not an official communications channel of the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association (HVNA), but it’s where several of their board members and associates participate to highlight their activities and points of view, and rightfully so. What mystifies us as of late is – with their positions and interests in the HVNA they have used this instance to oppress the rights of other neighbors to post freely. We were recently on the receiving end of a non impartial judgment call by an admin that is a member of the HVNA and we thought best to highlight this and prompt our community of this injustice.
One of our teammates recently posted a reminder for our upcoming public safety meeting. After the post was taken down 3x the following prompt was provided:
Essentially the admin is “pro HVNA” and is making a condition that unless we take down the link to the 500 Hayes Merchant Petition our post won’t be allowed.
We can only laugh at this outlandishness and style of censorship. Where’s the censorship to protect the small businesses on the 500 block that seem to be under attack? Here’s an example of a post that really made our stomachs churn:
The team here at Hayes Valley Safe preferred the option of explaining that the Hayes Valley Facebook Society Page is a channel where neighbors can go and share a fun neighborhood citing or share a lighthearted exchange for the day. That option is something of the past, so, we can’t recommend it at this time. There have been several neighbors that have left this page to preserve their sanity and well being. We respect that too.