Tolerant... Bwaaaaaa (Sarcastic Laughter)

San Francisco... Set in one of the most beautiful areas in the country. If you've never been to the wine area in Napa or Sonoma, you've missed out. It is also one of the best cities in the world to visit: The Warf, Alcatraz tours with former inmates and guards, China Town, Haight Ashbury, just walking the town, or living through an earthquake... you get the idea; it's an amazing place. But live there? No thanks. It has always been my argument that San Francisco, and Seattle to a lesser extent, are the way they are simply because of their distance from the seat of power in Washington D.C. It makes sense if you think about it. In San Francisco you have a natural port that allowed for the free trade of humanity you could not get anywhere else in the U.S. Ellis Island here? Nope. Just hop off the boat, find a job, and try to stay alive. Difficulty in travel also made the west coast more cut off from the main body of the country, and less likely to develop an idea of community with those states east of the Rockies. I see the same thing in Hawaii and Alaska. Sure they're states, but I know they consider themselves separate from the rest. Without going into dissertation mode, another good example of this is Russia. Look at Moscow and the distance between it, and Vladivostok. The entire country once stretched 11 time zones (if I remember correctly). Without fear of the communist regime, Russia fell apart. There was no real national unity. We are a little more lucky in this country since we've always had the freedom to do as we please as long as our actions did not infringe upon the rights of others. This idea seems lost on some around the bay area. San Francisco. liberal city of love, respect, and tolerance, shows how intolerant they are. The San Francisco treat? Setting the scene: A bunch of Christian kids gather in San Fran, the home of protests, to protest how pop culture is a bad influence on the youth of today. Granted, that argument has been around since the advent of Jazz, newspapers, and electric light. Side Note: Did you know "jazz" is slang for sex? Now you know. Anyway, the argument about ethics, mores, and the cultural acceptance of what used to be taboo ran into a snag this weekend. Would the city of tolerance accept these kids protesting in favor of what they believe to be a Godly life to be? Apparently not. Favorite lines from the story include: they (my insert: the kids) were greeted by an official city condemnation and a clutch of protesters who said their event amounted to a "fascist mega-pep rally." ...Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, who told counterprotesters at City Hall on Friday that while such fundamentalists may be small in number, "they're loud, they're obnoxious, they're disgusting, and they should get out of San Francisco." Wow. Good to see a member of the left willing to embrace someone that has an opposing view... Riiight... And of course, if there's a protest going on against something you support... counter protest, yeah, that's it! And the best protest groups are the ones that have absolutely no association with anything the original protest is about. I'm sure that even though the paper does not mention it, members of Che Guevara fan club were in attendance. ...50 protesters representing a rainbow of San Francisco's left -- from abortion-rights advocates to anti-war activists to atheists -- who staged Friday's counterprotest. Saving the best for last. Earlier this week, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution condemning the "act of provocation" by what it termed an "anti-gay," "anti-choice" organization that aimed to "negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant and progressive city." That statement has to be the best oxymoron I've ever heard: They (the most tolerant city in America) pass a resolution condemning the protestors? What a joke. What makes this story worthwhile? These statements from two of the kids: "It doesn't bother me," Gallion said. "It's a beautiful city, and we don't have anything against the protesters." and "I'm not here to hate anybody," Scott Thompson said. "This isn't about Bush or gays or anything other than being here to worship together." San Francisco, open your ears, and mind. You might learn a thing or two about real tolerance.