S.F. officials deny report of quarantine comment
Matter ‘not even in realm of possibility,’ gay supervisor says

by Lou Chibbaro Jr.

Two of San Francisco’s openly gay elected officials joined other city leaders this week in disputing the accuracy of a magazine article claiming that a San Francisco public health official suggested it may be necessary to quarantine gay men who deliberately infect others with HIV.

"We don’t put any stock in this at all," said Tom Ammiano, the openly gay president of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors.

"It’s not even in the realm of possibility," said Mark Leno, another openly gay supervisor.

Ammiano and Leno were referring to an opinion article in the current issue of the Washington Monthly magazine, which says Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, director of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention & Control Services in San Francisco, broached the subject of a quarantine for gay men with HIV.

The article became the subject of press reports in San Francisco last week after a judge issued a series of temporary restraining orders against controversial AIDS activists Michael Petrelis and David Pasquarelli. The two reportedly unleashed a telephone harassment campaign against city officials, journalists, and AIDS activists for not speaking out against Klausner, the San Francisco Examiner reported.

The Washington Monthly article, written by San Diego free-lance writer and conservative political commentator Andrew Webb, paraphrases rather than quotes Klausner directly. Health Department officials said Webb’s article does not accurately characterize Klausner’s remarks.

"Putting aside the political realities when brainstorming on this subject," Webb wrote, "Klausner also raised the possibility of quarantining those who cannot control their infectivity -- e.g., those barebackers who’ve infected 20 different people and still refuse to use condoms." The term "barebacker" refers to men who engage in anal intercourse without using a condom.

Webb referred to Klausner’s thoughts on the subject of a quarantine after reporting that Klausner has suggested other actions to curtail the spread of HIV by gay men, including the closing of sex clubs and adult bookstores and enforcing "no-sex ordinances" that apply to gay bars and clubs.

Klausner did not return a call to the Blade. Ilene Shields, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Department of Public Health, said Klausner told her Webb took his remarks about a possible quarantine out of context. According to Shields, Klausner said he never suggested that the city consider quarantining gay men with HIV.

"This is not only not on the table, but it is not even being discussed and it won’t ever be put on the table," Shields said. She said Dr. Mitch Katz, director of the Department of Public Health, has said he also would never approve of a quarantine for controlling AIDS in San Francisco.

Ron Vinson, deputy press secretary for San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, said Brown opposes quarantining as a means of controlling AIDS.

"The mayor agrees with Mitch Katz that this is not necessary," Vinson said.

Webb could not be reached by press time. Stephanie Mencimer, an editor at the Washington Monthly, described Webb’s article as an "opinion piece" aimed at exploring controversial issues surrounding sexuality and AIDS.

Petrelis and Pasquarelli have accused Klausner of "demonizing" gay men for engaging in consenting sexual acts. The two reportedly released the home telephone numbers of city health officials, including Klausner, through mass e-mails, according to the Examiner. The Examiner said the e-mail messages urged recipients to call the targeted people at home. Among those on the targeted list were reporters and editors for the San Francisco Chronicle and the Bay Area Reporter, San Francisco’s gay community newspaper.

The Examiner reported that a judge approved the restraining orders after receiving information that the telephone "zap" orchestrated by Petrelis and Pasquarelli led to "hostile, obscene, and threatening phone calls."

Ammiano, a longtime gay civil rights advocate, said he is not sure what Klausner told the Washington Monthly. But he said he doesn’t believe Klausner or anyone with authority in San Francisco would favor quarantining gay men as a means of curtailing the spread of AIDS.

"No one here gives this any credibility," Ammiano said. "I find it all far fetched."

Ammiano said he, too, has been the target of angry telephone calls from Petrelis.

"It’s sort of like high school antics. He’s an equal opportunity harasser."