San Francisco Moves to Boot U.S. Navy's Blue Angels

San Francisco peace advocacy groups are calling for a halt to the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels annual aerial show that's been a San Francisco Fleet Week tradition, as well as a huge money maker for the city of San Francisco, for years.

The Examiner reports that CodePink, Global Exchange and Veterans for Peace, Chapter 69, are working with Supervisor Chris Daly on a Board of Supervisors resolution to address concerns over the Blue Angels.

Daly told The Examiner he is considering a call to halt the flyovers because, he said, "they seem dangerous and unnecessary." Daly said he plans on introducing the resolution as early as Tuesday, but is still drafting the language. A resolution is not legally binding, but states a board position.

KCBS spoke with one of the anti-war groups about their efforts to shut down the Blue Angels.

"They're weapons of mass destruction and there's really nothing, I think, about them that people should think of as being good or desirable," said Paul Cox with Veterans for Peace. "In a time where we've got a war going on in Iraq, it brings images of the kinds of death and destruction these things rain down on people around the world."

The Blue Angels flying overhead during the Fleet Week festivities has been the pinnacle of Fleet Week since 1981. The Blue Angels bring approximately $4 million into San Francisco during Fleet Week weekend. The San Francisco mayor's office is opposing the legislation to give the Blue Angels the boot. Daly has promised to introduce the legislation on Tuesday.

Edward Leonard, long-time chair of Fleet Week told KCBS San Francisco that, "without the Blue Angels flying overhead, the other activities do not amount to much."

"I think this kind of thing would be a shame. A lot of people love the Blue Angels and love Fleet Week and it would be very distressing for them if it wasn't here," he said.

Leonard also told KCBS San Francisco that other objections raised by the anti-war groups, such as noise pollution and safety, in an attempt to block the Blue Angels are also unmerited.