A Preemptive Strike Against Al-Davis Is Morally Justified

By Thomas Gangale

19 February 2003

My fellow San Franciscans,

The time has come for us to confront the clear and present danger of Al-Davis.

Al-Davis is a maniacal tyrant who for decades has openly flouted the will of the National Football League's executive council. In so doing, he has done untold damage to the credibility of that organization to provide stability to the community of professional football teams. Despite numerous NFL resolutions, Al-Davis recklessly invaded Los Angeles in 1982. Thirteen years of sanctions proved ineffective in dislodging this dictator, and it was only his own calculating self-interest that led him to end his occupation of Los Angeles and return to Oakland in 1995. But his scorched-earth policies reduced Los Angeles to a football wasteland, and nearly a decade later, America's second largest city remains destitute of an NFL team.

It must also be remembered how Al-Davis clawed his way to power in Oakland in the 1960s, engineering a series of corporate coups against the more senior partners of the organization. His subsequent reign of terror, spanning nearly four decades, has been replete with ruthless purges against players and coaches alike. He has extorted vast sums of money from the city to build palatial luxury boxes for the benefit of an opulent elite, while the ordinary multitudes have been impoverished by exorbitant prices for the barest accommodations at his public spectacles.

Just last month, Al-Davis came within a scant sixty minutes of world domination, stopped only by the brilliant generalship of one of his former commanders (Jon bin Gruden) and the evident lack of enthusiasm of his own troops to do battle. But while the danger may have been temporarily averted, there can be no doubt that Al-Davis will try again.

Al-Davis' thirteen-year occupation of Los Angeles is proof that Oakland is too small of a market to satisfy either his avarice or his ambition. No major city in America can consider itself safe from the depredations of this evil dictator.

Obviously, San Francisco lies within easy striking distance, and for that reason we must act alone if others will not join us in dealing with this menace. We cannot wait for the next crisis to burst upon our beloved Baghdad by the Bay. Given the proximity and immediacy of the threat, and given this despot's long history of repression within his own territory and aggression against his neighbors, a preemptive strike against Al-Davis is morally justified.

It is time for a regime change. We must do for Oakland what she cannot do for herself as she lies prostrate under the boot of this madman. The long-suffering people of Oakland are waiting to welcome their San Franciscan liberators with open arms.

Thank you, and may God bless our City.