Folsom Street Fair Reminds U.S. of What "Gay Pride" Means

Frank Pastore | "The Frank Pastore Show," KKLA, Los Angeles | Updated: Oct 03, 2007

Folsom Street Fair Reminds U.S. of What "Gay Pride" Means

September 28, 2007

Quick! What’s the first image that jumps to mind when you hear the phrase “gay pride?”

For millions of Americans it might be a rainbow sticker on a rear window, or perhaps an image of a smartly-dressed gay couple at a social event, or maybe the snapshot of a polite and funny gay character from a comedy show.

But, thanks to the most recent Folsom County Street Fair in San Francisco, it’s likely now an image of men doing in public what they’d get arrested for doing in a public restroom anywhere else in America. Only worse. Because not only did they not get arrested, they did “it”—numerous times and in every way and combination—under the protection of law enforcement and city leaders. And nothing happened.

Obviously, participants play dress-up and act out primarily for the shock value. And Americans are rightfully shocked—shocked back to our senses as to why it is that this in-your-face approach repulses us. We’re reminded of why we oppose all the efforts to normalize homosexuality, gay marriage and “alternative lifestyles”—and why we will never give them direct access to our children and their curricula.

I’d like to thank the organizers of these types of events for reminding Americans what’s at stake in our culture war, why politics is important and what it means to be a San Francisco liberal. Each of us can now more easily think of our town, our school or our local park being the site of one of these obscene events. Of course they have the right to project their deviance—within the parameters of the law—as an expression of their free speech. But, every other American also has the right to protest and say, “Oh no. Not here. Not in our community!”

And thanks again for reminding the whole world, and especially Christians, why the words “homosexual” and “anti-Christian” are—in practical terms—synonyms.

In case you haven’t heard, the poster for this year’s fair was a mockery of Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” with gays dressed in leather and chains surrounding a beefcake Jesus, with, instead of wine and food laid out on the table before them, a selection of adult “toys” and “gadgets.”

Caution: Don’t let your kids see the poster unless you want to try and answer the question, “Mommy, what’s that for?”

Liberals have really tried to pretend to “get religion” these last few years in an attempt to sway a few values voters over to their side of the aisle. Their message: “Care less about homosexuality and abortion and more about our social agenda of poverty, AIDS and global warming.”

With an event like the Folsom County Street Fair, all that hard work is at risk. You just know liberal strategists are holding their breath hoping their buddies in the mainstream media don’t show too many clips from the fair, that the papers don’t run any more pictures of the poster and that everyone will get back to the Iraq quagmire, the wonderfulness of HillaryCare and, of course, the baseball playoffs.

If Americans connect the Democrats and their support for same-sex marriage with these Folsom Freaks then there will be in the electorate a collective revulsion of the whole movement—as there has been every time same-sex marriage has been put honestly before the voters, except for last year in Arizona.

How many Democrats and members of the Christian left who say they’re champions of gay marriage and religious tolerance have you heard coming out and condemning the gay street sex and Jesus bashing that went on at the Folsom County Street Fair?

Where are the leaders of those mainline “homosexuality-is-not-a-sin” denominations? Are they too conflicted to appear? On the one hand they’ve got their cover as Christians. On the other is their true social agenda. Should they blow their covers, come out and support their friends?—Or should they remain silent and hope nobody calls them on it?

Well, I’m calling them on it.

Dear National Council of Churches and all you gay-friendly denominations, will you condemn what happened at the Folsom County Street Fair? If you won’t condemn homosexuality as a sin, what about the mockery of Christ, adultery, fornication and lust? Are these no longer sins in your denominations either?

The silence is deafening.

Imagine a heterosexual group dressing up and acting out like this way under the guise of “straight pride.” There would be numerous arrests for indecent exposure, lewd behavior and public drunkenness—just go to Mardi Gras. Why is it these guys get to run around half dressed, simulating sex in public without any consequences? Why the double standard?

I wish three things would happen that would stop a lot of this nonsense.

I wish San Francisco would stop their moral and legal secession from the United States and simply enforce the law.

I wish on the eve of every national election in America there was a Gay Pride Day in San Francisco that was covered by the national media.

And I wish every sports fan in America was reminded of the fact that when ordering their next beer or when buying their next six-pack that it’s the Miller Brewing Company who is the proud sponsor of the biggest Gay Pride Festival in America.

Maybe Budweiser and Coors will pick up on that theme. I can see the Super Bowl commercials now…


Frank Pastore is host of “The Frank Pastore Show,” recognized by the National Religious Broadcasters as Talk Show Host of the Year in 2006. His program is heard on KKLA in Los Angeles 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact Frank at [email protected].

Folsom Street Fair Reminds U.S. of What "Gay Pride" Means