Lessons In Hope and Inspiration From Harvey Milk

Is it possible to have too many days that exist to officially send the messages of hope and inspiration? Is it possible to have too many days that exist to honor lives of people who have died in the name of that same message of hope, inspiration, and equality for all human beings?

Harvey Milk was a man who offered hope to millions of people in the LGBT community and beyond, spreading the message of love and equality. When he became the first openly gay elected official as a San Francisco supervisor, equality became the most palpable it had ever been for gay people everywhere. Harvey's light was quickly extinguished when he and Mayor George Moscone were brutally shot and killed by Dan White, who received a lenient sentence on the grounds that he had been depressed and gone off a fitness and health regimen, which would cause mood swings and outbursts.

Honoring Harvey Milk with a day that commemorates him helps to send the still dire messages of hope, inspiration, and equality. It also boldly states that we do not live in a culture that tolerates violent oppression.

California, once a bastion for progressive politics has proven otherwise over the past year. In addition, to passing bills like Prop 8, a bill was vetoed that would honor this hero on a state level. A similar bill will land on Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk again in the coming months. However, the same conservative people who supported murderer Dan White are still calling for its veto.

I have chosen to share here a letter written by Stuart Milk. Stuart Milk is Harvey Milk's openly gay nephew and speaks passionately in his uncle's name. The letter speaks for itself.

This month I had the privilege to meet and talk with President Obama who bestowed the nation's highest honor upon my uncle for his enduring "message of hope - hope unashamed, hope unafraid" as the President stated in his public comments.

Today I am thrilled by the announcement that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and First Lady Maria Shriver will induct my uncle into the California Hall of Fame for his contributions to California's history and the civil rights of LGBT people.

I am hopeful that Gov. Schwarzenegger will also take the time to meet with me along with others whose lives are touched by Harvey Milk, and hear why it's so important for him to sign the Harvey Milk Day bill into law.

The Hall of Fame is an important symbol that truly needs to be backed up by an annual day offering the opportunity for education and celebration of the diversity that makes California great. However, anti-LGBT activists are busy trying to squash this legislation and erase my uncle's legacy from history. They and their cohorts have been flooding the Governor's office with call after call demanding a second veto.

And now the California Secretary of Education has joined them, recently penning a letter stating:
"As you know, the governor vetoed a substantially similar bill last year. The veto message stated that Harvey Milk's contributions should continue to be recognized at the local level by those who were most impacted by his contributions. Since this bill is nearly identical, the veto message remains applicable."

But things have changed since last year's devastating veto, and the veto message is even less applicable now than then. Since that time, the Governor has shown signs that he's open to listening more on this issue. In January I was deeply honored to accept an award from the Governor on behalf of my uncle to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), California's principal civil rights non-discrimination law.

Just yesterday, the Governor made a tell-tale move on his Twitter, posting: "Some interesting bills coming down. Give me your thoughts on the water package, Harvey Milk Day, and the prison reform bills."

For those of you Tweeters out there, please respond @Schwarzenegger and let him know that Milk matters!

Which brings me to the single most important thing you can do today to protect Harvey Milk Day: call the Governor's office right now at 916.445.2841.

Although the Secretary of Education doesn't yet understand my uncle's global impact, I do believe the Governor can see the President's perspective when the he said "Harvey Milk was here to recruit us -- all of us -- to join a movement and change a nation."

Thank you.

SB 572, the Harvey Milk Day would require the governor proclaim May 22 each year as Harvey Milk Day. It would encourage public schools and educational institutions to conduct suitable commemorative exercises on that date. Learn more at eqca.org/legislation.

Follow Jason Mannino on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jasonmannino

Comments

[Dr. Cara Barker - Huffpost Blogger]

My friend, you've 'done it again.' What a wonderful, and much needed action: to honor a man like Harvey Milk who was so brave, so undaunted in having the audacity to be real, and inspire others in doing likewise. For me, his mission transcended gender identity, and speaks to the very core issue that we are One, we are here to love one another, and the judgment of others is not our business.

Much gratitude and cherishing your way, Jason,
Cara

[T Pol]

My little son was born on Harvey Milk's birthday. I would be honored to share his birthday with a Harvey Milk Day.

Milk said: "If a bullet should enter my brain,
let that bullet destroy every closet door in the country.”

Harvey, from your mouth to G-d's ears. We are not there yet. I support any effort that gets us there. I love my gay friends and want them to be happy enjoying full equality and the absence of hate.

[Mark Bunster]

only local impact? Milk was the tip of the spear in helping to defeat Prop 6, also known as the Briggs Initiative. It would have mandated that gay teachers be fired--along with anyone who even SUPPORTED a gay teacher. There were several debates, and Milk was the man who stood against Briggs in those debates.

For the CA head of the Dept of Ed to claim he had merely local impact is just patently absurd. He was a NATIONAL figure, even in his day. He was far and away the most visible representative of homsexuals in the United States during the late 70s, when their movement truly came alive. Maybe the Secretary should do some educating of their own.

[truthartbeauty]

We have few heros, far more enemies than friends it seems.

[GO-BAMA]

I saw the movie and still can't figure out what he did besides be elected. I suppose this is inevitable though.

[MSNichols]

If you are trying to get your history through a movie, than I understand why you don't understand his impact and importance.

[sparky09]

Watch the documentary 'The Mayor of Castro Street' & hopefully then you'll get a better understanding of the man Harvey Milk was.

[John Bisceglia]

YES! - 'The Mayor of Castro Street'

[carsntrucks]

Basically the same thing Obama did. Milk was the first gay man elected to public office in CA. There's something significant in that, but...well, I wont malign the man's legacy.

[menmykoko]

A day honoring courage against adversity(without a sidearm I might add) seems like a no brainer--it should be national. The bible freaks have Christmas, Easter, Hanukah, etc. Just more hypocrisy from the right. Every single act and word they say is a hypocritical contradiction.

[T Pol]

Whoa, whoa, whoa...do NOT toss Hanukkah into that mix for "bible freaks." First of all, Hanukkah is a festival, actually of lesser importance in Judaism than a Holy Day, such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and the much overlooked routine Sabbath.

Secondly, Jews have long championed the cause of civil rights, and I will include the LGBT movement in that. Harvey Milk stood for equality and justice. All I can say is, "Amen to that!"

[Matt Carter]

Wet blanket time. Sorry, folks.

This is a fine idea, but meaningless. Worse, it's a photo-op moment for straight liberals who desparately want to believe they're part of the solution, not the problem. I couldn't even begin to care less whether or not a day is set aside for Harvey Milk in California or Wyoming or Sri Lanka. Milk wouldn't given a hoot either.

I sincerely wish the supposedly well-meaning people in government like Schwarzenegger, Obama, and the state and federal legislatures would take all those warm fuzzies and put them towards a cause that Milk himself would have actually fought for. Otherwise, don't trouble yourselves. I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but my contempt for nonsense like this is the face of such pressing issues as DADT, hate crimes, open employment discrimination (ironic, in a discussion about Milk), and the civil rights movement can't be overstated. Really, straight liberals: don't do us any favors.

[daddyG56]

Sorry, Matt, but I can't understand anybody refusing help based on sexual orientation in the same way that I can't understand discriminating against anyone based on the same thing!

[Matt Carter]

I think my point is that they are not actually helping.

[alieninvader]

Are you also against MLK day? Really, I wasn't going for a pun.

[Matt Carter]

Why would I be against MLK day? And why is that a pun?

Never mind. Look, it's not that I'm opposed to a Harvey Milk day. Really, I don't give a flip one way or the other. What I object to is a lot of self-congratulatory grandstanding by the so-called "liberals" about what a great thing this is for civil rights, while those same people sit idly by while gay people who are alive right now get their civil rights trampled on every single day. Just because you arbitrarily decide to declare a holiday doesn't make you a supporter of equality or gay rights. If, in fact, you are one of the vast majority that sits and does nothing while insisting that "cnahge will eventually come around", then I charge that your support for such a holiday is wildly hypocritical. And as the saying goes, with friends like that, I certainly don't need enemies.

[ramal]

Harvey Milk should be honored by all people regardless of their sexual orientation for what he was, a civil rights leader, a humanitarian and a hero. Thank you, Harvey. The shame today is that the vast majority of young Gay men and women in this country neither know who is was or what he did for them, indeed most don't care.

[JohnJames]

Quite a sweeping statement about young gay people. Care to back it up with any evidence?

[Yeah-Me]

I'm inclined to agree with ramal. There are communities out there who do not seem to have any concept about preserving GLBT history, or availing themselves about it.

Including the area where I live now... There are many who didn't know who Harvey Milk was until the movie "Milk" came out.

[GO-BAMA]

Do many people capitalize "Gay"?

[jcwtts1]

As a straight guy and an educator I believe that a national Harvey Milk day would be a strong starting point for a life long dialogue about LGBT issues. Anyone who has ever taught at an elementary school knows that days like Presidents Day, MLK day, veterans day, memorial day, thanksgiving, Halloween, every holiday and most nationally recognized secular days are part of the curriculum. When I was teaching in elementary school I had my lessons for days like this planned out in August. I had projects for Black history month, for Presidents day, for thanksgiving, everything. It was a point in my calender that I taught towards. You don't start MLK lessons the second week of January, you incorporate them into your fall process and lead into Jan. Black history month doesn't start in Feb it starts in November when people begin to pick assignments, when you chose topics for papers when you select books to read for that month. My point is that Harvey Milk Day would require teachers to teach not just the day but to the day for months in advance. It would encourage dialogue in school, in homes about LGBT issues, about how you interact with people from disparate communities. I think anything that makes us more open and less fearful is not just a good thing but a necessary thing.

[John Bisceglia]

One of the BEST "connectin­g-the-dots­" comments that I've read regarding gay rights in a very long time. Profound, really. Thank you.

[Michael-Benibgui]

If only more teachers thought like you do....

[Norge]

Harvey was a human being with exceptional courage and exceptional humanity. The film was a fine tribute to an awful period in American history.

[Jim Michael]

The struggle to honor the memory of Harvey Milk with a day in May each year proves the old axiom that "No man is a prophet in his own land." Harvey Milk Day will become a reality, as will marriage equality. Governor Schwarzenegger has a choice to make. He can side with the haters, the bigots, and the other throwbacks to the pre-civil rights era. Or he can move the state forward and in so doing serve the moderate wing of his party and more importantly every person, family and friend of the LGBT community. The world recognizes Harvey Milk among the pantheon of heroic souls whose lives have been given up to secure the rights of others. Yes, the world recognizes him, but will his adopted home state do the same? We urge you to call Gov. Schwarzenegger and ask him to sign SB 572. He has asked a lot of Californians lately. Harvey Milk Day seems like a reasonable quid pro quo. He can be reached at 916-445-2841 or on the web at gov.ca.gov­/interact#­email .

[Anne Naylor - Huffpost Blogger]

Hello Jaspn,

I appreciate your post and your call for a move that will give hope to many. Thank you for standing up for those who will benefit from your voice and call to action.

With love and blessings to you,
Anne

[whitegayrepublican]

The thousands was a more befitting number as a poll during his death resulted in a tracking of more than 30,000 people that marched on San Francisco the day of his death and thousands more annually since.

Millions of gay people is the magic number in today's equations but not yesterday. Just a point of clarification.

[JohnFromCensornati]

There were millions of gay people back then as well. The fact that they were not marching in protests and parades does not mean that Milk did not offer them hope.

[JohnJames]

Their silence then was testimony to the profound anti-gay bigotry of the time when "coming out" in most instances meant estrangement from family and friends, loss of employment or worse. We've made some progress since then, but for millions of American gays little has changed. If all gay people, even for a day, had some visible sign of their sexual orientation this struggle of ours for equality and justice would immediately be over.

[yorkie]

May Milk be honored everywhere by being good ,natural, caring people. The common good was what he was all about. He was about a people reconciling with who we are..yes to gay people one and all...and to our families and friends, co-workers, fellow students alike to be free to be, accepting. We all need to remember Milk and his times, ways, hopes,dreams,,they are ours. May the world be made free to be who we are as well.... It will happen as cultural barriers break down,change,,and after some angst,,we will be accepted.

[TryToBeFlexible]

"Harvey Milk was a man who offered hope to thousands of people in the LGBT community and beyond"

Uh, don't want to alarm you, but there are millions of LGBT people in the USA alone, not thousands.

[WoodyCPM]

I good estimate would be about 30 million self-identified gay men and women with about another 30 or 40 million people who have had or occasionally have homosexual sex.