San Francisco

San Francisco is a city in California and is generally considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is well known for its excellent public transit systems, including MUNI subway and streetcars, BART trains to suburbs, and the famous San Francisco cable cars. The city has survived two extremely damaging earthquakes, one in 1906 and 1989. The latter quake 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.

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.

Famous San Francisco landmarks include the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, and Alcatraz Island.

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.^{[Citation Needed]}

History

San Francisco was founded as a mission by Franciscan monks in 1776, a census conducted at the time showed a total of 814 people living in and around the mission.

Hamilton Square Baptist Church Riot

For additional information regarding the Hamilton Square Baptist Church riot please see: Hamilton Square Baptist Church riot

The documentary film A Nation Adrift chronicles some of the events that took place during the Hamilton Square Baptist Church riot in San Francisco in which a angry group of male homosexuals and lesbians vandalized church property, assaulted church members, threw rocks, attempted to kick down church doors, and shouted "We want your children. Give us your children". According to the church, "In spite of all this malicious disruption, not a single arrest was made by police outside of one citizen's arrest. The church's property was not secured, and the fundamental rights of the worshippers were not protected because, we were told, "The Board of Supervisors would never support the measures necessary to do so.""

San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Parades

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 stated, "These people have shown they will riot at the drop of a hat, and it was the primary responsibility of police officers to keep the peace, even at the possible cost of tolerating public indecencies."

Bill O'Reilly and San Francisco Values

There is much antipathy between the liberal San Franciscan's 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.

Mr. O'Reilly has stated the following regarding San Francisco values:

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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.

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See also

• Emperor Norton