The Folsom Street Fair, Tolerance, and the Common Good

It’s September. In San Francisco, that means the Folsom Street Fair. It is probably difficult for those outside of the city to believe how far the corruption of San Francisco has spread. A big reason for that is that what goes on at the Fair is too obscene to be shown. But behavior at the Fair is only part of the problem. The real obscenity is that this event is welcomed by the public officals of our city. In this year's Folsom Street Fair program:

• For at least the second year in a row Mayor Gavin Newsom (of same-sex "marriage" fame), has taken out a full page ad in the program, officially welcoming the fair in the name of all San Franciscans:

“Dear friends,

On behalf of the City and County of San Francisco it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 25th Annual Folsom Street Fair on Sunday, September 28, 2008.”

• Assemblyman Mark Leno, a political office holder for the state of California, and the major legislative force behind same-sex “marriage,” also officially welcomes the fair, on California State Assembly letterhead:

“Dear friends,

As your California Assemblyman from San Francisco and a member of the state’s LGBT Legislative Caucus, I am very pleased to welcome you to the 2008 Folsom Street Fair!”

Assemblyman Leno really means it. He has unabashedly appeared in “leather” regalia at celebrations of sadomasochistic organizations. See here and here. (The owner of that website asks that you go to his homepage first. Incidentally, these photographs were taken in the parish hall of Most Holy Redeemer in San Francisco, a “Catholic” church.)

• And this year according to the Fair's website:

"Leather pride flags will adorn Market Street for the first time ever."

So flags celebrating sado-masochistic sexuality will fly on the major thorougfare of an American city.

It should be pointed out that since 1980, 19,000 San Franciscans have died from AIDS. Of that number 90% are men who engage in sexual practices with other men. In the years 1999-2003 (latest statistics available) AIDS continued to be the single greatest cause of death for men in San Francisco ages 25-54. Given those numbers, and given the behavior that goes on at the fair, one asks: why is the Folsom Street Fair allowed?

The reason is that a majority of San Francisco citizens would rather allow 19,000 people to die than to be thought "intolerant" or "prudish."

We urge all San Franciscans concerned about the common good, including our same-sex attracted brothers and sisters, to express their outrage to Mayor Newsom for his continued irresponsible actions.

Posted by Gibbons J. Cooney