Municipal Transportation Agency officials who operate Muni need to take action in response to at least two assaults against gay men in the last month. One man suffered a black eye, the other had his arm grabbed but was not injured. Both victims reported that they were subjected to a barrage of anti-gay epithets and were repeatedly called "faggot."

In the latest incident, which we report on this week, the driver apparently did not kick the alleged attacker off the bus nor did he pull the vehicle over and summon police. He also refused to give the victim his name.

This points to the urgent need for increased training for bus and Muni Metro train operators, because it seems protocol was not followed. The bus driver should have immediately pulled the bus over and called for back up.

It's not just anti-gay incidents either. Earlier this year there were several attacks targeting Asian Americans aboard public transit along the Third Street corridor, which led to community meetings and outreach by Muni leaders. We think the same effort is needed for the LGBT community in the wake of these two incidents.

San Francisco is a transit-oriented city. It's the policy of political leaders and the reality of living in a big city that is geographically compact. LGBT people should not be afraid to take public transit and they shouldn't have to worry that they'll be called a fag just because they're wearing a rainbow necklace on a bus.

Burning the Koran

Terry Jones, the pastor of a small church in Gainesville, Florida, took it upon himself to call for a "Burn the Koran Day" this Saturday, September 11, the ninth anniversary of the terror attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and Flight 93, which crashed in a Pennsylvania field. The idea behind Jones's publicity stunt – and that's exactly what it is – reeks of intolerance and bigotry. Critics from the White House on down have tried to dissuade Jones from his plan, but as we went to press Wednesday he was reportedly still "praying" about the planned demonstration.

On Tuesday, General David Petraeus, commander of the war in Afghanistan, warned that any video of Americans burning the Koran "would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan – and around the world – to inflame public opinion and incite violence," endangering the lives of American soldiers, a report in the New York Times stated. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also spoke out against the stunt, as have dozens of religious leaders of various faiths.

Petraeus is exactly right, and speaks from experience. The political and economic conditions in Afghanistan are unstable right now. Security forces do not have enough training. And yet one yahoo preacher in the U.S., if he goes through with the Koran burning, could touch off deadly, violent responses around the world. We sincerely doubt that Jones has accepted his responsibility in this regard.

People like Jones are so full of their own righteousness that they fail to consider the possible consequences of their actions. His church is the same one that targeted the city's new mayor with a homophobic sign, "No homo mayor," according to media reports. While they hide behind their First Amendment rights, they lack any rational justification for their actions, with the sole exception of generating attention for themselves and taunting their perceived enemies. In this regard, Jones is similar to Fred Phelps and his clan of anti-gay family members who parade around the country shouting, "God hates fags."

Perhaps Jones thought his book-burning idea would catch on given all the protests in the last several weeks aimed at mosques and Islamic centers around the country. If that's the case, Jones has committed a serious error in judgment. Very few people (besides Jones) have indicated that they think burning a religious text is a good idea.

The LGBT community knows exactly what intolerance looks like, whether it be burning the Koran or banning children's books about same-sex marriage. We have been – and in many parts of the world still are – persecuted because of who we are and who we love. In the nine years since the 9/11 attacks, Muslims have become the new faces to hate. Bigots always need a scapegoat.

But we can and must rise to a higher level. Our community must join in spreading the message of inclusion and religious freedom. In San Francisco, longtime activist Kelly Rivera Hart has organized the "Show Tolerance Not Hate Candlelight Vigil," scheduled for Saturday from 6 to 7 p.m. at Castro and Market streets. As he posted on Facebook, "On the anniversary of extreme hate, we must take back the day and make it a day of love, acceptance, and tolerance. Burn a candle, not a Koran."

Jones's book burning serves no purpose other than to stand as a worldwide example of intolerance and ignorance.