'San Francisco is a Liberal and Tolerant City, and We Pride Ourselves on That Fact'

Even a city famed for their, ahem, tolerance, has the most basic standards of decency.

The naked truth, it seems, is that San Francisco is once again going to emerge as a city ripe for ridicule -- or a beacon of free expression -- depending on your point of view. The latest issue? Public nudity.

Supervisor Scott Wiener will introduce legislation today intended to get to the bottom of the gross-out factor when it comes to public nudity.

His proposal would require people who bare all for all to see to at the very least place a towel or like item underneath them when they sit down. The proposed restrictions also would require nudists to cover up before they enter a restaurant.

'San Francisco is a liberal and tolerant city, and we pride ourselves on that fact,'' said Wiener. ''Yet, while we have a variety of views about public nudity, we can all agree that when you sit down naked, you should cover the seat, and you should cover up when you go into a food establishment.''

Really? Isn't this an assault on the fundamental human right to act like you're in San Francisco? Why not compromise and get these guys some taxpayer-funded coveralls for those messy times when they have to sit down?

Wiener represents the Castro District, where over the last year it has become increasingly common to see guys au natural (except, perhaps, for donning a pair of sneakers or flip-flops) walking down the street or gathering in the popular plaza at Market and 17th streets.

City officials have, for the most part, kept hands off the naked guys, not wanting to offend those who embrace an anything-goes culture of tolerance that has made San Francisco famous.

Not to mention famously intolerant of conservatives, or, God forbid, people who have no desire to see naked human debris in public.