Editor -- Earl Rynerson's Open Forum piece, "We Kill Them With
Kindness," (December 15) uses the city's collective support of
programs for the poor to build his case for denying General Assistance
to homeless drug addicts and alcoholics. He also implies that the vast
majority of General Assistance recipients spend their benefits on
drugs or alcohol.

He does not allow that these services and benefits are a lifeline for
thousands of poor families and seniors, people living with AIDS, and
homeless people who are clean and sober. He also does not acknowledge
how difficult it is to kick an addiction, and that many homeless and
drug addicts and alcoholics suffer from mental illness.

He outlines a neatly defined problem and offers a neatly packaged
solution - - to deny public assistance to these men and women until
they get clean. This plan pushes us down a slippery slope toward a
place where other behaviors may be suspect and we are suspect if we
are compassionate.

The San Francisco Food Bank distributes food to more than 400
after-school programs, AIDS service providers, battered women's
shelters, neighborhood food pantries, drug treatment programs,
shelters and soup kitchens.

Should we cease to provide food to these agencies if they refuse to
test their clients?

San Francisco's social safety net is diminished and fragile, but it is
helping to meet the basic needs of our poorest residents.

Among these people are homeless drug addicts and alcoholics. We are
not supporting their habits; we are enabling them to live.

PAUL ASH, Executive Director
San Francisco Food Bank