S.F. Remains a Prime Target for Intolerance

By C.W. Nevius
SF Gate
June 13, 2014

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/nevius/article/S-F-remains-a-foil-for-intolerance-5551035.php

Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone is seen at the Archdiocese of San Francisco on Thursday, June 6, 2013 in San Francisco, Calif. Photo: Lea Suzuki, The Chronicle

Good news San Francisco. We're still the go-to place to make outrageous, attention-grabbing political statements.

In fact - see Texas Gov. Rick Perry - people are flying into town to grab a microphone and stir up controversy.

Even more cynical is Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone, who was sent to the city by the Catholic Church despite (or because of) his stubborn, out-of-touch opposition to same-sex marriage. This in the city of Harvey Milk - a national symbol for LGBT rights and acceptance. And just in case you think we're being too hard on Cordileone, he's signed up to be a speaker at the hate-mongering National Organization for Marriage's march in Washington, D.C., next week.

Why are these men trumpeting values utterly contrary to most San Franciscans? Because they want to use the city as a backdrop to promote their cockeyed views.

We can begin with Perry. He was here in 2013 and rolled back into town last week. He set up a public talk, and managed to compare homosexuality to alcoholism. Both, he said, are problems that can be solved with a little mental discipline.

According to those who were there, the remark caused gasps of disbelief and some hissing. No boos, however, which must have been a small disappointment, says Corey Cook, who is an associate politics professor at USF.

"San Francisco remains a foil," Cook said. "Perry isn't coming here to get votes. He's coming here so he can say, 'I just got booed in San Francisco.' It is part of the national narrative. What better way to draw attention than to go into the lion's den and thumb your nose?"

Cordileone is a more disturbing case. As the head of the archdiocese, he's the representation of Catholic faith. Appointing him to serve in San Francisco - when he's been an implacable foe of same-sex marriage, was seen as a slap at the city.

"My sense was that when the Vatican assigned the archbishop to San Francisco it was a fairly provocative action," says Supervisor Scott Wiener, who represents the Castro district. "We were hoping that once he came here he would work with the community and not take antagonistic steps. That has not been the case."

Cordileone, an enthusiastic fundraiser for Prop. 8, which banned same-sex marriage, couches his public statements in what he says are concerns about children and families.

Same-sex marriage, he told The Chronicle's Joe Garofoli, "will mean changing the basic understanding of marriage from a child-centered institution to one that sees it as a temporary, revocable commitment which prioritizes the romantic happiness of adults over building a loving, lasting family."

Wow. Ridiculous on so many levels.

But that kind of nonsense pales in comparison to next week's march, where Cordileone will be a featured speaker. As a letter signed by prominent local politicians from Mayor Ed Lee to Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom and others says, the event is co-sponsored by the extreme Family Research Council, which has been labeled a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Among other things, FRC has said that the growing acceptance of same-sex marriage contributed to the tragic Isla Vista mass shooting.

This is the second year for the march and despite touting it as a massive demonstration of faith, there were only about 10,000 participants last year. We get 30,000 more than that for a Giants game.

Still, the message about same-sex couples is disturbing.

"Their goal," a video promoting the march says, "is silence and punishing anyone who disagrees. This is not tolerance, it is tyranny."

As the letter to Cordileone says, for a man of the church to participate in an event so extreme, and so hateful, is not only inexcusable, it is a repudiation of Pope Francis who said, "If someone is gay, who searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge?"

But that's why Cordileone, like Perry, came in the first place. They knew they'd attract attention by speaking out here. Because everyone knows what San Francisco stands for.

And I couldn't be prouder.