Just another one of those things that makes me ashamed to admit that I was born in San Francisco.

Public sex tents? Now there's an idea that should have been shot down the second it was announced from the mouth of a member of the "leather community" in response to complaints about public sex at Folsom Street Fair and its smaller sibling fair, Up Your Alley.

Instead, it appears that at least one of our local leaders (Supervisor Bevan Dufty) has agreed to take the matter "under advisement.

Excuse me? Public street festivals with designated locations for public sex? Folks have complained for years about the lewdness at some gay events in many cities, but only in San Francisco would folks give consideration to such an outrageous suggestion.

And no, I'm my reference in the title is not an assault on the dignity of gay people. I've got too many gay friends and family members to engage in such rhetoric. But public sex acts (gay or straight) are aberrant behavior, and the fact that too many sensitive souls have been willing to overlook such misconduct out of fear of being labeled intolerant of homosexuals has made an idea that ought to be dismissed out of hand open to consideration by public officials.

By the way, it shouldn't come as a surprise that Supervisor Bevan Duffy is toying with supporting this idea. This gay elected official is building his campaign for mayor in 2011 on his GLBT political constituency and seeking to solidify his support in that community. And while tehre is absolutely nothing wrong with such participation in the political process, I'd like to think that even the bulk of that political base has a sense of decency and propriety, and will act to shoot down this once unthinkable idea.