Despite the City Council resolutions to support Pride, despite the politicos who appeared in the parade, the reality is that San Diego does not take a pro-active approach to equality for gays. The city supports Pride because it has become politically and economically expedient to do so, but it behaves indifferently with regard to other GLBT issues.

Take, for example, City Council’s position, or lack thereof, with respect to the same-sex marriage cases pending in the California Supreme Court. San Diego City Council members should have voiced their support months ago.

Further, the Council allows the Boy Scouts to continue to occupy city land even though doing so violates local and state law, as the California Supreme Court decided in January. Where’s the eviction notice? Where’s the sign outside the compound that states the Boy Scouts of America occupies city property in violation of a city law prohibiting bias based on sexual orientation?

We can’t blame Councilmember Toni Atkins – but why haven’t Steven Whitburn or Todd Gloria, two gay men who hope to succeed Atkins, demanded action from the Council?

The city’s indifference to GLBT rights can also be seen in its reaction, or lack thereof, to Set Free Ministries’ protest at “Out at the Park” last month.

Set Free Ministries urged the Padres to cancel the event and refused to work concession stands, although it was contractually obligated to do so

Yet, rather than criticize the ministry for interfering with our civil rights, a Padres spokesperson said, “We have no choice. We have to sell tickets to everyone.”

John Moores, the owner of the Padres, campaigned in our community for passage of the bond measures that built Petco Park. As a UC Regent, he’s been supportive of GLBT issues. He should have been aware that the mastermind behind the boycott was the ex-gay gadfly, James Hartline, who will stop at nothing to harass GLBT individuals and their families. We expected Moores to say he supports complete equality for GLBT individuals and their families, and that they are always welcome at Petco Park. But he didn’t.

Sandy Alderson, CEO of the hometown Padres, might also have stepped up to the plate and denounced Hartline and his minions. But he didn’t.

The Padres should take action against Set Free Ministries because it engaged in conduct prohibited by the local Human Dignity Ordinance, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in San Diego.

I drafted the ordinance, so I know what it protects. It does not allow a group to conspire to deprive gays and lesbians’ of access public spaces.

We own Petco Park. It’s city property, and the city cannot be privy to acts of intolerance toward gays.