Legal backlash after a convicted pedophile discovered working at recent festival
Credibility of SD Pro-Homosexual Group Challenged
By Mary Rettig
August 5, 2005
(AgapePress) – A San Diego “gay pride” organization is facing some public and potentially legal backlash after a convicted pedophile was discovered working at their recent festival.
Last month, AgapePress reported that two pedophiles who are registered as sex offenders under Megan’s Law were working as volunteers for the three-day San Diego Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Pride Festival, which took place over the July 29-31 weekend. After public outcry, the organization issued a press release — before the festival — saying the pedophiles had been removed from their positions. According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, law enforcement and community groups had threatened to boycott the event unless the sex offenders stepped down.
But according to James Hartline, a San Diego Christian activist who is a former homosexual, a local newspaper reporter showed up at the festival on Saturday and found one of the pedophiles working. Hartline says the city needs to take action.
“This parade [on Saturday] and this festival occur on city property — and [the homosexual groups] benefit from city funds by having this event,” he explains. “So there’s huge political ramifications based on the fact that many of these city officials participated in this event after being promised that the pedophiles were not going to be involved.”
The convicted sex offenders, he says, are a threat to the safety of society. “The federal government and state law enforcement have put these individuals on [the] Megan’s Law website for a reason: that they’re not rehabilitated and that they are a danger to society — and they want society to be aware of who they are.”
The activist contends it is an issue of credibility as well. “[T]hese people actually covered up for them and lied, at least when their employee was involved,” he notes. And according to Hartline, at the same time the group said they removed the pedophiles, the pro-homosexual organization announced it was putting in a process to review their volunteers. That, he maintains, is also “questionable.”
Participating in the parade last weekend were San Diego Deputy Mayor Toni Atkins — who is openly homosexual — City Attorney Michael Aguirre, San Diego mayoral candidate Jerry Sanders — who is the city’s former police chief — and numerous other state and county politicians. Hartline feels it should be scrutinized “as to why these city officials and law enforcement are even involved in this event in the first place.”