Demonstration Team Flew During Annual Fleet Week Celebration

The Navy's Blue Angels precision demonstration team performed over the weekend in San Francisco as part of the city's annual Fleet Week celebration.

According to the Fleet Week website, "San Francisco Fleet Week is an annual public event that honors the contributions of the men and women of the United States Armed Forces while advancing cooperation and knowledge among civilian- and military-based Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response personnel." This an event that brings prestige, no small amount of tourist money, and tens of thousands of people to SF ... but at least one city 'official' did not embrace the spirit of the day. As a matter of fact, he got downright nasty about it... and worse... he went on and on about it.

City Supervisor John Avalos was positively Grinch-like in his comments about the display on Saturday. On his official Twitter account, Avalos said "Maybe the rain and fog means no Blue Angels!...#wishfulthinking"

Maybe the rain and the fog means no Blue Angels!...#wishfulthinking

— John Avalos (@AvalosSF) October 10, 2015

@AvalosSF You don't have to love war to grant respect to the warriors who fight for your freedom -- your comments are despicable.

— Aero-News Network (@AeroNews) October 12, 2015

Other Tweets from the city official included "Killing machines are flying loudly over San Francisco." and "there are only about 6 blue angel pilots they can't be spending that much money."

When the pro-Blue Angels responses started to roll in, Avalos got ... defensive. "U expect me to LIKE war planes buzzing SF w/feel good jingoism? Just the THOUGHT of a crash over the city s/b enuf to shut it down", he said in response to one resident.

Thousands of us in the Civic Center Plaza staring up, gawking as the Blue Angels strafe San Francisco and flip us the bird.

— John Avalos (@AvalosSF) October 8, 2015

The good news for Supervisor Avalos is that people like the pilots who fly for the Blue Angels, and all branches of the military, are willing to defend to the death his right to say such things in a public forum. We salute the Blue Angels, the Air Force Thunderbirds, and all of the pilots, maintainers, ground crews, controllers, and others who defend our freedom.

War planes r flying at low altitudes over SF, reminding me of the $580B for US imperialism & the pittance 4 climate and human development.

— John Avalos (@AvalosSF) October 8, 2015

(Editor's note. I live on the same barrier island as Jacksonville Beach, FL, where the Blue Angels are scheduled to perform at our annual Sea and Sky Spectacular in two weeks. I can't wait to hear those Hornets rattling my windows from Thursday to Sunday.)

Killing machines are flying loudly over San Francisco.

— John Avalos (@AvalosSF) October 9, 2015

(Image from file)

FMI: https://www.blueangels.navy.mil/, www.fleetweeksf.org/, https://twitter.com/AvalosSF