Homosexual Public Indecency Tolerated in San Francisco
In San Francisco there has been notable cases of homosexual public indecency being tolerated. Christianity Today quoted Pastor David Innes regarding the Hamilton Square Baptist Church riot:
| “ | Innes says he blames not police, but those in political control of the city, particularly the board of supervisors. "You really can't compare San Francisco with any other city," says Innes. "Homosexual advocates infiltrate and dominate the political structures here. Police are in straitjackets. They can't do their job. They've been instructed not to arrest homosexuals."[1] | ” |
Pastor Innes then cites a September 30, 1993 letter published in the San Francisco Chronicle from a 25-year veteran police officer. In the police officer's letter, the officer describes a recent assignment regarding keeping things under control at the San Francisco's Folsom Street Fair.[1] According to the letter, the fair included food and craft booths, but "appeared to have as its main theme a public display of the private sexual practices and preferences of consenting adults."[1] The officer described seeing totally naked male couples publicly engaging in lewd sex.[1] The officer in his letter stated that he was "highly embarrassed" when people asked him why he was not making any arrests.[1] The officer stated that "At least a dozen times I had to painstakingly explain that we were to take a position of 'high tolerance' and not to create an incident."[1]
In 1990 and 1991 extreme public lewdness was displayed at the Gay and Lesbian Parades in San Francisco and when police authorities were asked why there were no arrests they offered various excuses such as the primary responsibility was to "reflect community standards and maintain crowd control."[2]
