The American Family Association and the Catholic League are both up in arms about the notoriously raunchy Folsom Street Fair, which is annually held in San Francisco to the delight of leather and fetish fans around the globe.Boo-hoo.
In an email to the organizations supporters, AFA chair Donald Wildmon claimed outrage at the fact that no major media covered this year’s Folsom Street Fair, which he described as ‘perverted’ and used as a foundation to make an appeal for more financial support.
Meanwhile, The Catholic League has begun a campaign amongst its supporters against The Folsom Street Fair that has led to confrontations with the Board of Directors of Folsom Street Events.
The most interesting thing about these attacks? Neither of the ticked-off right wing groups was even at the event to bear witness to the goings-on they are railing so violently against.
In fact, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, the images from Folsom Street that Wildmon is referring his supporters to online are from the years 2003-2006, so they’re not even current.
Talk about the blind leading the blind! These ill-informed attacks appear to be more akin to dumb and dumber!
Thankfully, the Board of Director of Folsom Street Events, which puts on The Folsom Street Fair, is firing back and making a stand against these right wing nuts.
Andy Copper, President of the Board of Directors, stated in press release: “We can no longer stand by while Folsom Street Fair remains under attack.
The Catholic League insists upon provoking its followers, resulting in emails and phone calls threatening us with everything from ill-will to bodily harm.
“We understand that The Catholic League believes it is doing ‘the right thing’, but they are attacking our San Francisco values of community, diversity, education, and freedom of self expression. If they do not share in our values or do not understand them, that’s fine; but, they have never opened up a dialogue with us. They have only stood in judgment, making threats. We can no longer remain silent on the issue,” Cooper continued.
Well thank bloody goodness for that. If there was ever an instance where silence was anything but golden, this would be it.
In the same press release, Cooper also commended Miller Brewing Company for not caving in to pressure from the religious right to disassociate themselves with the Folsom Street event and also asked the community at large to raise their voices by calling Miller and showing their support for the fact the beer giant took a stand on behalf of freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
Probably a wise choice. Miller smartly realized today it’s Folsom Street... tomorrow it could be beer that stick in the mud Christian conservatives could be attacking. Besides, don’t gays drink more beer than conservatives anyway?
Let’s hope all of this teaches the so called morality police a lesson.
Just as gays and the leather community don’t go beating the drum outside ridiculous church sing-offs and absurdly sicko purity balls, so to they shouldn’t worry when few hundred thousand or so members of our community, pick up whips, pull up our chaps, strap on leather harnesses and have a high old time in the streets of San Francisco.
After all it ain’t like we’re askin’ to do it on their doorsteps or in their front yards, now is it? +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Clerical Whispers’ for any or all of the articles placed here.
The placing of an article hereupon does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Sotto Voce