saigon sandwiches, larkin & eddy, san francisco
Two weeks ago, KUSF was abruptly and unexpectedly taken off the air by USF, who had arranged to sell the frequency 90.3 to USC in a deal that would result in 90.3 turning into a classical station. Being a former KUSF volunteer and DJ, I found this turn of events shocking and deeply saddening. I can say that over the last two weeks I've felt like the geography of the city has changed- I have a constant and nagging sense that something is missing, like a persistent phantom limb. So last week, I attended my first ever Board of Supervisors meeting at City Hall, where Supervisor Mirkarimi introduced a (symbolic) measure condemning the sale of 90.3 (he was backed by Supervisor Mar, who had some great things to say about the value of community radio). There was a rally with a fantastic and spirited turnout in front of City Hall before the meeting, and it was amazing to see how much vocal protest exists against the sale. And of course, if there's any upside to having to protest in front of City Hall, it's that Saigon Sandwiches is a mere two blocks away- so before the rally, I made sure to stop by for a couple bánh mì. I went with the chicken (delicious) and the combination (even better!), and I was stuffed! The combination in particular seems hearty enough that only one sandwich would get the job done- otherwise, bánh mì usually just isn't filling enough that I can be satisfied with just one. There's another KUSF rally TODAY (2/1/11) at 1 PM, and in today's Board of Supervisor's meeting there will hopefully be a vote on Supervisor Mirkarimi's resolution. If you want to show your support for community radio (or just want an excuse to get some bánh mì), please come out and join me! Your taste buds and ear drums will thank you. And be sure to check out SAVEKUSF.ORG to see what else can be done to stop this sale and get KUSF back on 90.3!
