By Timothy D. Naegele[1]

Tony Bennett's signature song, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco," captured how so many of us felt about the city by the Bay—"where little cable cars climb halfway to the stars."[2]  He sang that song for Americans if not the world, but times have changed.  Crime is rampant; and many Americans avoid the city like the plague.[3] 

Bennett sang about New York City too, around which Americans rallied after the devastating attacks of 9/11—which a whole generation of Americans may know little or nothing about.  That city is plagued with massive crime as well, like Chicago and so many other cities such as Los Angeles or its fabled Hollywood.[4]

We live in a era of "haves" and "have nots."  America's homeless are being booted from shelters to make room for illegal aliens who have flooded this country, as our southern border has been flung wide open, allowing killer drugs like Fentanyl from China to enter this country unimpeded.  Both Tony Bennett and the author John Steinbeck might be shocked and saddened today.[5]

The political divide that Barack Obama opened wide has become a festering wound, with reconciliation being seemingly impossible.[6]  Families are torn apart; neighbors and regions are pitted against each other; and our enemies cannot believe the good fortune that has fallen into their laps.

Biological men compete in and distort women's sports.  Parents are told to "butt out"—they have no role in what their kids are taught at an early age about gender choices.  It's as if the inmates are running the asylum, and the world has been turned upside down, just as the abortion schism pits Infanticide against a woman's right to choose.  Tragically,  the simple, romantic world of Tony Bennett's songs seems like a bygone era.

Will the charm and romanticism of San Francisco be restored, and will other American cities flourish too?  Will our differences heal; and will our history be accepted for what it is—the good, the bad and the ugly?  Will our churches be honored instead of denigrated?  Will God be accepted as the center of our universe and lives?[7]  Time will tell.  

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© 2023, Timothy D. Naegele

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[1]  Timothy D. Naegele was counsel to the United States Senate's Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, and chief of staff to Presidential Medal of Freedom and Congressional Gold Medal recipient and former U.S. Senator Edward W. Brooke (R-Mass).  See, e.g., Timothy D. Naegele Resume-21-8-6  and https://naegeleknol.wordpress.com/accomplishments/   He has an undergraduate degree in economics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), as well as two law degrees from the School of Law (Boalt Hall), University of California, Berkeley, and from Georgetown University.  He served as a Captain in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon, where he received the Joint Service Commendation Medal (see, e.g., https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commendation_Medal#Joint_Service).  Mr. Naegele is an Independent politically; and he is listed in Who's Who in America, Who's Who in American Law, and Who's Who in Finance and Business. He has written extensively over the years (see, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/articles/ and https://naegeleknol.wordpress.com/articles/), and studied photography with Ansel Adams.  He can be contacted directly at tdnaegele.associates@gmail.com

[2]  See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Bennett ("Tony Bennett") and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Left_My_Heart_in_San_Francisco ("I Left My Heart in San Francisco") and https://www.songfacts.com/lyrics/tony-bennett/i-left-my-heart-in-san-francisco ("Lyrics for I Left My Heart in San Francisco by Tony Bennett")

[3]  See, e.g., https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2023/05/19/has-san-francisco-been-bud-lighted-or-far-worse/ ("Has San Francisco Been ‘Bud Lighted,’ Or Far Worse?")

[4]  See, e.g., https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12332875/Hollywood-residents-fume-homeless-encampment-near-schools-grows-tents-needles-trash-lining-blocks-council-member-charge-problem-refuses-them.html ("Homeless takes over Hollywood: Huge encampment near schools GROWS as tents, needles and trash litter blocks - and council member in charge REFUSES to move them")

[5]  See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2023/06/24/travels-with-charley-revisited/ ("Travels With Charley, Revisited")

[6]  See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/05/is-barack-obama-a-racist/ ("Is Barack Obama A Racist?")

[7]  See https://naegeleblog.wordpress.com/2010/05/12/what-and-where-is-god/ ("What And Where Is God?")