"When Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis told the New York Times in a recent interview that gay people don't get to heaven, he broke not one, but two cardinal rules of politics in a single sentence."

Vallejo mayor stumbles on anti-gay remark

Chip Johnson writes:

With a simple phrase, Vallejo Mayor Osby Davis breached the separation between church and state and grabbed the electrified "third-rail" in Bay Area politics with both hands. He told the reporter that gays are "committing sins and those sins will keep them out of heaven." After the Nov. 20 article, the mayor claimed his words were taken out of context. The Times responded by providing an audio link to the interview. The trouble with Davis' claim - and a written apology issued later - is that there is no appropriate context suitable for such a statement, especially when it's uttered by an elected official. What's more, there isn't a resident in the Bay Area who doesn't understand the weight of such a comment. Davis' recent verbal gaffe is seen by some as the latest salvo in an escalating battle between Christian fundamentalist residents - including the mayor - and the city's growing and politically active gay community. READ MORE

Protesters Respond to Vallejo Mayor’s Anti-LGBT Remarks in Northern California

In a demonstration led by the openly gay reverend Lou Bordisso, hundreds of community members rallied at Vallejo City Hall to condemn Davis’ homophobic remarks. READ MORE