Opinion: Honesty is the foundation for our elected leaders

The wise philosopher Confucius taught that honesty is a virtue that builds trust, not only in personal relationships––but also in society at large.

"Honesty is the foundation", as the proverb goes. This has resonated with me throughout the campaign because it is desperately needed from our elected leaders nationally and right here in San Francisco.

Mayor London Breed and her failure to prioritize measures against hate crimes in the Asian community are concerning; however, when it comes to honesty and building trust, in my opinion, Mr. Farrell is the one candidate in the race for mayor who does not embody these Confucian principles and immediately comes to mind for all the wrong reasons.

Learning from news reports, the dishonesty exhibited by Mr. Farrell during his time as interim mayor of San Francisco (only six months, January to July 2018) and throughout his campaign for mayor has been nothing short of disappointing and shocking. He was hit with the largest ethics fine in city history for illegally coordinating in his first campaign for office. With a list of alleged transgressions during the campaign, three former mayors, a city attorney, and a supervisor recently requested prosecutors to investigate him criminally for his transgressions.

Since Farrell launched his campaign, he has also repeatedly claimed to have reduced tent encampments while he was interim mayor. However, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that the effort to clear the encampments actually started in July 2017, seven months before Farrell took office as interim mayor in January 2018. As a matter of misrepresentation, Farrell has attempted to claim credit for an initiative that began under the late Mayor Ed Lee, the city’s first Chinese American mayor. Three months into Farrell's administration, "more than 100 tents — along with needles, trash, and desperate campers — still lined the Mission's sidewalks."

Farrell’s campaign recently crossed another line by exploiting a well-respected matriarch in the Chinese community, Mrs. Wong, a longtime supporter of Mayor Breed. At a banquet in SF Chinatown last month, Farrell’s team made Mrs. Wong so uncomfortable that she hid in the bathroom for 15 minutes. When she emerged, someone had removed her hat and replaced it with a "Farrell for Mayor" cap—an act made more egregious by the fact that Mrs. Wong is monolingual, unable to speak or read English. In Chinese culture, respecting elders is a deeply held value, making this incident not only wholly inappropriate but culturally offensive.

One of the principles of Confucianism is that leadership is built upon the respect and trust that a leader is able to foster. Who we choose to lead at this pivotal moment will be instrumental in shaping San Francisco's recovery and help us root out hate. Now more than ever, we need a leader who embodies strong integrity and a clear vision to guide us through the challenges ahead.

*Jennie Chang is a native San Franciscan, parent, works full-time and lives in the Sunset District.