San Francisco
San Francisco is a city in California and is generally considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. [1] It is well known for its excellent public transit systems, including Muni subway and streetcars, BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) trains to suburbs, and the famous San Francisco cable cars. [2] The city has survived two extremely damaging earthquakes, one in 1906 and another one about 75 miles away in 1989 [3][4] known as the Loma Prieta Earthquake. Fear of another earthquake is the reason that no freeway through the city exists. Indeed, it is impossible to access the Golden Gate Bridge without driving on city streets.
The downtown area of the city is laid out on two grids, with a 45 degree offset between them. Market Street separates the two grids. Many tourists come to visit the Civic Center, Embarcadero, and Union Square areas, all of which are north of Market. Famous San Francisco landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, and Alcatraz Island.
San Francisco, with a large homosexual population, is also considered to be one of the most liberal cities in America. Its mayor, Gavin Newsom ordered the city clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite the practice being explicitly illegal under California law. The marriages were nullified by the courts shortly thereafter, as the mayor and clerk were violating California state law.[5]
In 2001, the city of San Francisco extended it's workers health insurance to cover sex change operations for municipal employees. [6] [7] The Board of Supervisors and Mayor approved the measure which extended up to $50,000 in benefits to city workers who want to switch their gender. [8]
San Francisco is also a "city of refuge", which means they have passed an ordinance that it is against the law to report illegal immigrants to the United States authorities as they are required to legally do. In other words anyone upholding the federal law will get in trouble with the city. This has led to a culture of under aged drug dealers continuing their trade with impunity.[9]
San Francisco is part of the San Francisco Bay Area, which includes Oakland, San Jose, Berkeley, and other smaller towns like Cupertino, Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Mateo, Saratoga, and Menlo Park. The city is home to several large companies, including Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Cnet. San Francisco has been overtaken in population and economic significance by San Jose and the rest of Silicon Valley.
Contents
History
The Yelamu tribe of American Indians lived in the San Francisco peninsula prior to European arrival in the area, with settlements dating to as late as 3000 BC[10]; however, it should be noted that carbon dating is likely flawed.
San Francisco was founded as a mission by Franciscan monks in 1776. Wihtin only a few years, several natives had been converted to Christianity[11]. A census conducted at the time showed a total of 814 people living in and around the mission[12].
The San Francisco Bay, as well as its central location, and position on the California mission trail played heavily into the growth of the city during the California Gold Rush.
In 1906, a large earthquake struck San Francisco, killing approximately 3000 people and starting a fire which burned about 4.7 square miles of cityscape. [13]. The earthquake originated on the San Andreas fault, which continues to threaten major Californian cities.
Bill O'Reilly and San Francisco Values
There is much antipathy between the liberal San Franciscans and Bill O'Reilly, who has made many comments about San Francisco values. For example, the San Francisco Chronicle devoted two-thirds of its front page to a picture of Bill O'Reilly and had a extremely large story about him when he stated that San Francisco should secede from the United States and form its own country.[14]
Mr. O'Reilly has stated the following regarding San Francisco values:
| “ | But back to San Francisco values, as listed in my book, Culture Warrior. Here they are. Cradle-to-grave entitlements for the poor, with a punishing tax rate to pay for them. Legalized drugs. Unfettered abortion rights. No parental notification for minors having abortions, and rehab, not punishment, for many dangerous criminals.
No restrictions on the Southern border. San Francisco welcomes all illegal aliens. An anti-Christian attitude. Remember last March? The supervisors condemned a rally by a conservative Christian youth group – kids. The supervisors called it anti-gay and anti-choice. But the city apparently is comfortable with militant gays dressing up as nuns in a public parade and mocking said nuns. No proclamation condemning that. This is just a few of the "values" San Franciscans embrace in their secular progressive paradise.[15] |
” |
A notable incident involving the issue of San Francisco values was the Hamilton Square Baptist Church riot and the persecution of Dr. Chuck McIlhenny.
Homosexual Public Indecency Tolerated in San Francisco
For more on this topic see: Homosexual Public Indecency Tolerated in San Francisco
In San Francisco there have been notable cases of homosexual public indecency that has been tolerated. Christianity Today states the following regarding 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."[16] | ” |
Pastor Innes then cites a Stember 30, 1993 letter published in the San Francisco Chronicle from a veteran police officer who was "highly embarrassed" when people asked him why he was not making any arrests in regards to totally naked males engaging in lewd behavior at the San Francisco Folsom Street Fair. 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." [17]
In 1990 and 1991 extreme public lewdness was exhibited 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."[18]
Sports
San Francisco is home to two major professional sports teams: the San Francisco Giants baseball team and the San Francisco 49ers football team.
See also
References
- ↑ http://www.globosapiens.net/travel-information/San+Francisco-638.html
- ↑ http://www.reserve-hotel.com/HBOImages/destinations/usa/sanfran/transportation.asp
- ↑ http://www.sfmuseum.org/1906/89.html
- ↑ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1906/18april/index.php
- ↑ http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2007/feb/07020106.html
- ↑ http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/issue/2001-05-01/article/4630?headline=Sex-change-benefits-approved-in-San-Francisco
- ↑ http://www.brentmorrison.com/0102Sex_change.htm
- ↑ http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9801E0D71130F93BA25751C0A9679C8B63
- ↑ http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,374803,00.html
- ↑ http://www.nps.gov/history/seac/sfprehis.htm
- ↑ http://www.islaiscreek.org/ohlonehistorybackground.html
- ↑ The Annals of San Francisco Part I Chapter 3
- ↑ http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/1906/18april/casualties.php
- ↑ http://www.chronwatch-america.com/blogs/363/Bill-OReillys-comments-upset-the-liberal-San-Francisco-crowd.html
- ↑ http://www.onthemedia.org/transcripts/2006/11/10/01
- ↑ Christianity Today, Nov 8, 1993 v37 p57
- ↑ Christianity Today, Nov 8, 1993 v37 page 57
- ↑ http://www.leaderu.com/marco/special/spc12.html
