What is a Brionie?

We at the Briones Society playfully call our members “Brionies” (pronounced bree-oh-nees). Though the 100+ Brionies hold a wide range of views on politics and policy, one thing is certain: a Brionie is a citizen of San Francisco who works to develop and advance conservative ideas in our city.

First, before we are activists or partisans, we are citizens. We recognize that we are the owners and stewards of our country, state, and city. That means our first duty is to show up, make friends, and connect with our neighbors.

We owe it to our fellow citizens—even those with whom we disagree—to listen, to seek common ground, and to extend respect. We owe it to our forbearers, and to our future, to learn our history; only then can we make wise choices in the present. And we owe it to ourselves to practice humility. Each of us is limited in knowledge and wisdom, and we often grow in surprising ways when we meet our neighbors with curiosity and openness.

Second, we love San Francisco. Only here can you feel the uplift of morning light on Market Street, the thrill of a cable car rattling down California Street, or the mingling of East and West along Clement Street.

San Francisco is not one city but many towns. North Beach, with its jazzy evening bustle, is not Noe Valley, with its cozy town square. The Sunset, with its Asian-flavored family friendliness, is not the Excelsior, with its working-class charm, nor the Castro, with its distinctive gay-family vibe.

Our natural setting shapes us as well. The wide-open vistas expand our imagination; the green, then golden, hills call us to climb higher. But then the fog rolls in—chilling, humbling, and obscuring our view. It reminds us that clarity is always fleeting.

Since the Gold Rush, San Francisco has drawn both misfits looking for a fresh start and strivers intent on changing the world. Ideas move quickly here: they flourish or fail in plain sight, and we rise with the good ones and stumble with the bad. We love that sense of adventure and freedom. Unlike in a city such as Boston, there is little of the “stay in your lane” mentality.

Third, San Francisco would be even better if conservative ideas took deeper root.

Conservatism begins with convictions about human nature and the purpose of life. We conservatives see life as an adventure. We want to live in a free society—free to find our own way—so we can set out on and enjoy that adventure, as free from coercion as possible.

From this starting point, we prize equality of opportunity over equality of outcomes. In a free society, results will vary. We therefore reject the progressive claim that government must continually adjust resources and opportunities to engineer equal outcomes across racial or socioeconomic groups.

We also resist reducing human beings to their identities. Race or class is not the most interesting thing about us. Far more important are our convictions and commitments: our faiths (Catholic or atheist), our outlooks (optimistic or pessimistic), our vocations (how we use our skills to create value for others), and our habits of service (how we care for our neighbors).

Moreover, the equity agenda—rebalancing outcomes by group—is morally suspect. Racism still exists, yes, but the surest path forward is to focus on what we can control: the skills we cultivate, the loves we dedicate ourselves to, and the friendships that carry us through turbulence.

We want a society that celebrates and builds good character. Pointing ourselves in the right direction—toward God, family, and community—is the first and most important victory. We are weary of the therapeutic culture that dominates San Francisco and California, which too often substitutes self-absorption for service, and self-care for responsibility.

Of course, some people truly need mental health care, including therapy and medication. But for most of us, the antidote to unhappiness is to seek meaning outside ourselves. The better question is not, “How can I feel better?” but, “How can I serve the people and institutions that matter most to me?” Or, more sharply: “To whom, or to what, am I willing to dedicate my life?”

Fourth, we develop and work for conservative ideas in San Francisco.

As noted, Brionies hold a wide range of policy views. But given our shared philosophical orientation, we tend to advocate for priorities such as:

• Law and order on the streets. A free society requires both order and safety. Brionies support policies that promote security while respecting due process. More police, equipped with better training and technology, remain the surest way to reduce both crime and incarceration.

• A hand up for the homeless. Alongside enforcing laws against public intoxication, drug use, and urban camping, San Francisco should invest in compulsory treatment programs with wraparound services and clear behavioral standards.

• Excellent schools. Young people need a high level of knowledge and skills to thrive in a free society. Beyond expanding school choice, Brionies seek dramatic improvements in district public schools, especially to provide social mobility for disadvantaged students.

• Lowering the cost of living. San Francisco is expensive in part because progressives impose excessive regulations and taxes. We champion fiscal discipline and regulatory rollback as ways to ease costs and expand freedom.

To advance these and other priorities, we develop compelling content, build community among conservatives and moderates, identify and train competitive conservative candidates, and mobilize voters to act on their interests. As conservatives in San Francisco, we have no choice but to think like entrepreneurs. We look for ways to communicate our ideas to historically hostile audiences, build coalitions with moderates who share many of our values, and foster goodwill among people who may have once seen each other as enemies.

Of course, we Brionies don’t agree on everything. Housing, for example, is a contentious issue. Some of us—seeing supply as the key driver of costs—favor lifting zoning restrictions that limit construction, while others emphasize protecting San Francisco’s distinctive neighborhoods. We are working to develop greater consensus by discussing the proper balance between these interests.

To be a Brionie, you don’t need to identify as “conservative” or “Republican.” You need only be curious about how conservative ideas might sharpen your own thinking or improve the well-being of our city. Nor must you have any particular view about Donald Trump. The Briones Society is focused on San Francisco local issues.

So if any of this piques your interest, I invite you to learn more and join us at a Briones gathering. After all, in San Francisco, nothing is more radical than showing curiosity about conservative ideas. Spend some time with us, and you may rediscover what so many have forgotten: conservative ideas are the bedrock of a free and liberal society.