Writing in SFGate yesterday, CW Nevius tells us that the "Rights of Mentally Ill Street People Thwart Efforts to Prevent Harm." Those pesky rights! What happened was that the "Sign Guy" of Justin Herman Plaza was arrested after attacking a police officer, when it was pretty clear that someone (the City? Men in white coats?) should have intervened sooner.

Let us be clear that this Sign Guy is not Frank Chu, who was sometimes known as "the Sign Guy" before his celebrity, and is still sometimes called that by ignorant tourists. This Sign Guy is Richard E. Jaworski, a prolific sign-maker who hung his neatly-lettered, sometimes hostile cardboard messages on trees, in sharp contrast to the peripatetic, polysyllabic, and highly professional style of Mr. Chu.

Apparently, one of Mr. Jaworski’s signs asked for help. CW Nevius is aghast:

So why didn't someone step in? Here was someone who was literally advertising for assistance. Why wasn't something done to remove this dangerous person from the streets?

The City is clearly negligent here! Unlike every other sign-holding homeless person in America, Jaworski was literally advertising for help!

Who's to blame, after the jump.