IT IS the type of event that cities usually salivate over: more than 20,000 teenagers, all with a keen interest in pop culture, plenty of chaperones and, of course, pockets full of disposable income.
But when the group in question is a Christian ministry from Texas that condemns homosexuality and the place is San Francisco, often referred to as "the gayest city in America", the civic welcome wagon collapses pretty quickly.
This weekend sees BattleCry, a two-day gathering at AT T Park, a baseball stadium, which includes performances by Christian rock bands and inspirational speakers.
Organisers say it is a way for young Christians to speak out against what they view as destructive cultural elements, including sex on television, obscene music and violent video games.
"This culture is really hammering this generation," said Ron Luce, founder of Teen Mania, the Texas-based ministry that sponsors and promotes BattleCry. "Whether it's being accosted with horrible sexually suggestive messages or the garbage in the video game world, corporate America is raping and pillaging American teenagers.
And everyone is just walking by."
But several prominent San Francisco political leaders say Luce's group is the one doing the damage, using its young members as a conduit for a message of intolerance.
"They are being fed, spoon-fed, hate," said Tom Ammiano, a member of the city's Board of Supervisors, who is gay.
"And it is incumbent on any group receiving that hate, particularly gay people, to speak out."
Aaron Peskin, the board's president, called BattleCry "reckless and irresponsible".
"We need to increase understanding of our human differences, not teach our kids to be suspicious and hateful towards people unlike them," Peskin said in a statement.
It is not the first time that BattleCry has been given the cold shoulder from San Franciscans. The group held a concert in the city last year, an event that was greeted by a resolution from the Board of Supervisors calling BattleCry a "right-wing Christian fundamentalist group" trying "to negatively influence the politics of America's most tolerant city".
Opponents have said that the rhetoric used onstage during these events is overtly anti-gay and subtly militaristic.
Ben Rosen, a San Francisco organiser with World Can't Wait, which is leading the protests, said his group was trying to repudiate what it sees as the deeper goals of BattleCry, including "imposing their biblical fundamentalist worldview on the country".
Rosen said protesters recognised that they were dealing with a delicate balance of wishing to express their opinions without appearing to be intolerant themselves.
"We're not out to yell at kids that believe in Jesus: 'That's awful,'" he said.
"It would be great," he said of BattleCry, "if it didn't have this very serious, very pernicious backbone to it."
Tasha White, 18, attended the event last year and said it had opened her eyes to "a culture leading us into brokenness".
"You look at Britney Spears, and what she did and that leads to divorce and rehab and drugs, and that's a negative influence," said White, who lives in nearby San Bruno and said she had had problems with underage drinking.
"And that's not something I believe our generation should be looking forward to."
White added she did not think there was anything anti-gay about the event, though she believes gay people are "misguided". Luce echoed that sentiment, saying his group loves gay people, but does firmly believe their sexuality is sinful.
"We see homosexuality like a lot of other things that do harm to us, like lying or cheating or stealing," he said.
With high-profile evangelical supporters like the Reverend Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, BattleCry is just one part of Luce's campaign to energise young Christians. In addition to San Francisco, BattleCry events are planned this spring in Baltimore and Detroit, with dozens of smaller 'Acquire the Fire' events in other cities featuring Christian music and speakers.
Joe D'Alessandro, the president of the San Francisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, a private nonprofit group, said the two-day event was too small to have a significant impact on the local economy, but he said its organisers should be allowed to hold BattleCry nonetheless.
"I think we have to practice tolerance, whether or not they practice tolerance," D'Alessandro said. "I'm gay myself, and I find their beliefs very offensive.
But they have a right to come to our city."
FOR those in the know, San Francisco was seen as the gay capital from the 1920s because of its reputation for partying.
However, it became a major focus for gays during the Second World War because it was the main place where the US military's dishonourable discharges were processed.
The American forces had an active policy to seek out and dismiss homosexuals and the vast majority of the 9,000 thrown out were dismissed in San Francisco.
During the 1960s the city attracted a new wave of more radical lesbians and gays who flocked to San Francisco, partly for its reputation as a radical, left-wing centre.
Today, the gay population of the city is estimated to be approximately 15% and remains an important force.
One of the best-known of the gay population of San Francisco is stand-up comedian Scott Capurro, left, who in 1994 was awarded the Perrier Award for best newcomer at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Whit's wi' SOS today? - Trying to stage a muck slingin' contest?
Religion AND homosexuality - nae winners on the comments, only sad myopic numpties.
First post of what, 500? - and ALL meaningless.
I don't know why the religious right doesn't just worry about themselves and leave others alone. If they don't like San Fran, stay home in Iowa.
It is very cold and windy here, but clear.
There is a voice in the wind...
have you ever heard let alone seen the northern lites, the aurora borealis? And I heard a whisper..
.like a forgotten comandment. Thou shalt not take unto oneself another.
..
Thou shalt not listen to false prophets.
..
Thou shalt not.
..
What do you want, another earthquake to take them where they deserve to go?
no vid from the white supremist yey. what will we do?
What do you want, another earthquake to take them where they deserve to go?
Well the fundamentalists are certainly increasing their chance of an earthquake sending them there if they visit California. I will give you that.
Very descriptive - I can almost feel it.
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corporate America is raping and pillaging American teenagers.
Them too, huh?
The headline is sickening!
Why did they use the word Invades ? Because they are biased and want to promote man on man sex which is sick! Why is OK for sexual sickos to invade Edinburgh this June but strait people are looked down on by going to the capital of sickos?
8. finnking with a dot.
Get your own name.
#8
The real Finnking can correctly spell the name of the place he lives in. Your so dumb you cant even copy it correctly..
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...
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Your showing how really dumb you are now, using a name you dont understand
FYI..
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Your running scared now wee boy..
...
..go troll somewhere else, or i'll ask you what Djookers is and the silence will be deafening because you wont be able to look this one up.
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#14 why don't you go ask mommy if it's OK to use her computer to be a Troll.
once again the gay lobby tries to attack democracy and free speech. It's a form of facism
The real Bikewoman will be angry when she sees how bad your grammar is, grade school at best
16. john montgomery
I agree, it's always a one way street with liberals.
Ignore #17, it's a Troll that has been hanging out here for weeks.
Go get a life!
so what does your name mean troll?
??
Stand back a minute, Gays also criticise evangelical Christians and have been known to INVADE church pulpits (Outrage did this).
It's a free speech issue and should not be a one way street where only one side gets to criticise another. As long as either side does not advocate violence or discrimination against the other they should be allowed to hold their parades and conventions and express the view that they disagree with the other side.
Keep it up guys.
Don't let a little bit of tolerance and understanding get in the way of your prejudices.
Both San Francisco and Salt Lake City are nice places to be with no sense of the different philosophies which characterise them both.
I'd be much happier in either of them than in a community dominated by religious rednecks.
Funny how those that preach 'tolerance' of their behaviour, are intolerant of Christians.
The intolerance of the tolerant knows no bounds.
gays are an abomination,check the bible
Why are homosexuals referred to as gays ?
. They are more notable for complaining.
Girns would be a better description.
#23 Lisa well said. Personally I think Mr Jesus got his name in the bible storybook because he was always welcome at parties..
...
..supplying the food and the wine!
Ah, the intolerant, religious right. Just what one needs on a Sunday mornng.
No doubt, these, so called, Xtains, missed the bits in the bible about pharisees and false prophets!
So what else is new? They only pick out the bits that suit their inane, bigoted philosophies anyway!
While I have no interest in Gay sex, I have less interest in these warped scumbags who try to set themselves up as the saviours of mankind.
Who would you say was more trustworthy? A gay roadsweeper or an adult who talks to an imaginary friend and inculcates hate in teenagers?
These religious leaders are nothing but paedophiles.
They may not have physical sex with the kids, but they rape their minds!
The lack of tolerance on both sides is lamentable. Everyone in society should be treated with respect regardless of their race, religious belief, sexual orientation etc.
Unfortunately, there is a great deal of opinion being thrown about in this forum, but without much reasoning attached; this only serves to show an uninformed/unthinking mind. I strongly support the equality of gays and lesbians, but also the Christian teens who want to meet in SF. For those who have actually read the article Joe D'Allessandro's comment is spot on.
I thought the Religious Right were too busy defying their commandment Thou shalt not kill in Iraq and in their prisons with their captial punishment obsession to worry about gays in SF.
This is an unbelievably one sided report. We are not told what the Christian group are actually saying to the teenagers.
We only get what their opponents say they are saying.
It would appear from the little evidence in the article that the Christian groups argument is largely with the heterosexual exploitation of young people through music and teen culture along with violence in video games etc.
We are not told what they are telling teenagers about homosexuality or what their attitudes to homosexuals should be.
Taking a moral stand and proclaiming what they believe to be right or wrong is not spoon feeding hate.
Tolerance is so often confused with love/concern/respect these days. What loving parent tolerates bad behaviour from there child if they believe that behaviour is harmful?
We need some clear thinking and accurate reporting not the usual misinformation from journalists with a particular angle trying to stir things up.
You mean the Bible that condones slavery, selling your daughter, caning young children..
.?
Nice basis for morality, indeed.
I live in the US.
I know what these lying, degenerate hypocrites say.
This was practically a love-note to them.
Further, which might not concern you much there on Skye, but is very important to us here in the US, they are trying to tear down the wall of separation between church and state (re: First Amendment to the Constitution).
1. divorce: Count the number of neocons in the government who have been divorced - some more than once (and don't leave out the adulterers, if you're going to be shouting about biblical morality;
2.
drugs: Go straight to the White House.
Of course, if it's done by one of theirs, it's not a sin or indicative of a lack of morality: it's mere human failings.
Nach b'e fear-boirreanach a bh'ann ann an Chriosda?
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