Sanctuary Rhetoric Meets Reality [OPINION]

San Francisco is among the most expensive places on the planet to live and yet it attracts homeless and illegals from far and wide. Why? Because it is one of the nation's first sanctuary cities in one of the nation's first sanctuary states.

Limousine liberals have for years hidden behind their tall fences that protect their lavish homes and have defended the rights of the less fortunate while welcoming the poor, downtrodden folks from south of the border—provided they know how to manage a mop and can cook. Just make sure they have bus fare at the end of the day to get back to wherever they came from and out of sight.

A lot has changed these days since Tony Bennett left his heart up on the hill and the Rice-A-Roni trolleys ruled the tracks. Sanctuary policies have turned a good portion of the city into an encampment of dirty, drug-addicted homeless people and illegal criminals whose whereabouts are protected under the law. The roadways leading into Frisco are lined with tents and trash. Tourist areas reek of urine and other stenches. That's life in the big city.

San Francisco's Mayor London Breed is proposing to build a 200-bed Homeless Navigation Center in the city's Embarcadero section to help ease the situation, but has been met with staunch resistance from residents who say "not in my backyard!"

Of course not!

The San Francisco Chronicle says residents "fear the 24-hour shelter will negatively impact the area and their quality of life." Really? But this is Nancy Pelosi's district.

Opponents have raised $91,000 as of Thursday morning to fight Mayor Breed's proposal.

Seems to me if you want to open your doors to everyone in need, you should at least be willing to offer them a bed and a meal, no? Perhaps these rich liberals don't really want to help as much as they say they do. Maybe as long as the poor troubled souls remain out in the streets they serve as a symbol of the left's commitment to helping. Wink, wink.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.