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Happy birthday and thank you, Harvey Milk
Today would have been Harvey Milk's 79th birthday, an occasion that got us thinking about Milk's fight for equal rights and what a whirlwind year it's been. In the past LGBT Americans have been fashioned into a tool to rally conservatives to the ballot box, but this year those tactics have lost ground, and we've even seen seen a few steps forward. One of Milk's philosophies was the importance of being out and letting the world know that gay people come in all varieties. Looking at recent events, the revelvence Milk's philosophy still rings true. While we've had plenty of setbacks, the recognition of gay marriages in states like California and Connecticut has meant that people are seeing images of gay couples marrying, whether they be gay rights icons Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin or a celebrity like George Takei marrying his partner, Brad Altman. The normalcy of these images did a lot to undermine the idea of gay marriage as a radical recalibration of the status quo. In the case of Takei (or Ellen DeGeneres and Portia DeRossi) the celebrity angle brought these images to apolitical people more likely to read an issue of People than Newsweek. Proposition 8 was a setback and a disappointment, but since then we've seen Vermont and Iowa take steps towards recognizing gay marriage in landmark ways. Vermont became the first state to recognize gay marriage through the legislature. Meanwhile, when Iowa's State Supreme Court struck down the state's ban on gay marriages, not only did it make Iowa the first Midwestern state to acknowledge gay unions, it was also the first time the courts ruled unanimously in favor of marriage equality. I can't help but think that the sight of gay couples who clearly have nothing in mind but the promise of a lifetime together helped make these steps forward happen.
Lt Dan Choi and Lt Col Victor Fehrenbach Meanwhile, being open and visible is playing a role in another important issue: the military's ban on gay servicemembers. Public opinion supports letting LGBT people serve openly, and people like Lt. Dan Choi and Lt. Col. Victor Fehrenbach are making people think harder about the idiocy of the policy. This year also saw the release of Milk, a film that turned out to be especially relevant, thanks to the failed fight against Proposition 8. The film prompted gay activists to look at how Milk fought Proposition 6 in his time, leading them to ask if the effort against Proposition 8 could have taken a few lessons from history. Meanwhile, for the people who don't pay attention to the news but care about celebrities, Milk offered powerful Oscar acceptance speeches from actor Sean Penn and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black. If you haven't had the chance to see it yet, why not take some time out of the day to celebrate Milk's birthday by watching The Times of Harvey Milk? Like so many historical documentaries, it's amazing to see how much things have changed and how much things are the same. Here's the film in its entirety: Submitted by on Fri, 2009-05-22 14:51. |
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i gotta say....
people like harvey milk and the lgbt rights movement should be in history books just like women's rights, etc
I had never heard of harvey milk before til i heard about the movie. Didn't know about Phyllis and del either til Ca legalized marriage for same sex couples the first time around.
Now, i guess i could've looked it up, but i also didn't think about it because i'm here in an age where it's more and more accepted. since prop 8 passed, i have definetely started doing research, if you will, on the history and stuff. moreso than i did before at least.
my point....without harvey and such others, not even afterelton would be here and it's hard to imagine, yeah? i think so anyway.
:-P
Agreed
Harvey Milk and the Briggs initiative should definitely be in history. It's basically the precursor to the gay marriage bans of '04 and '06.
I largest problem the LGBT has though is the perception that anything gay is 18+(Amazon ratings anyone?). The assumption that because we are fighting because of our sexual orientation that we are a mature subject is the source of many problems. They will never teach elementary and middle school kids this while parents protest, like they did when a lesbian was invited to diversity in Texas or when kids had to get permission slips to hear a elementary school kid's presentation on Harvey Milk.
No they won't teach the kids
But thanks to the 'net they'll find out anyway. At least the smart ones will, and they'll tell their less savvy friends.
Going on the anti-Prop 8 marches this past Fall was the most wonderful experience I've had as an activist in eons. The kids are MORE than alright. The younger GLBT generation is out and proud SO much earlier than the ones that came before.
And they're not going in.
Happy Birthday Harvey
I have to say The Times Of Harvey Milk is an amazing movie. I know many people avoid documentaries because they think they are boring, but I promise this one is one of the best ever made. It is funny, sad, and fascinating. You will never be bored by this film even if you already saw Milk.
Absolutely! Watch it!
Happy Birthday ...
We planned to have some friends over our place tonight for a Movie Night... to watch MILK. I had no idea today was Harvey's birthday. A Wonderful conincidence. Can't wait to check it out.
Cheers & Happy Birthday, Harvey.
Harvey Milk..
His sacrifice for fighting equal right to LGBT community is really touching my heart.(wherever i'm still not born yet in that year)and i live on other earth.but i know about his history from movie"Milk" and the movie make me cry when i watch it.
But his spirit still not end until now and will continue to the people who fighting for equal right to the LGBT community.Wish that all countries will allow same-sex marriage legally in the future.
Harvey Milk will been happy to see that his spirit still continue wherever he in heaven now.
Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday Harvey!
It made me proud to watch the movie to see that no matter how they
tried to make a change and they where defeated everyone stood together
and tried it until it worked. (Thanks to Harvey and his methods). Back in those
days the odds where very against us-not saying that present day there are a few
Issues that still are not resolved In middle Americas thoughts and actions. But
they made a difference. Thank You!
Present day.
The question(s) is always asked; What would of happened if JFK had the chance
to rebuild the country? Would Martin Luther King helped everyone be equal in
this world to continue his fight for Civil Rights?
Could you Imagine If Harvey was still alive. Maybe the AIDs Crisis of the 80 's
would have been addressed earlier then it was, Gays In the Military could serve
proudly and not be forced to resign because of there sexuality, and Gay Marriage
would be permitted everywhere. (Also Housing,Job discrimination);
Where is the next Harvey Milk? We need you!
interesting..
Where is the next Harvey Milk? We need you!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/05/24/frank-rich-dems-not-gop-s_n_207173.html
what stands out to me from the linked article is this: "As Wolfson said to me last week, they lack "a towering national figure to make the moral case" for full gay civil rights.There's no one of that stature in Congress now that Ted Kennedy has been sidelined by illness, and the president shows no signs so far of following the example of L.B.J., who championed black civil rights even though he knew it would cost his own party the South"
^ i always think the whole 'gay national figure/face of the movement' is really a weird thing. I wonder why we can't seem to get such a face for today. lots of people thought ellen would be the main person to change the vote on prop 8, but she didn't say much until people publically started calling her out on it. with DADT, we have Rachel Maddow constantly reporting on it more than other news channels. i'm trying to point out that maybe we won't find a 'harvey milk' quite yet because powerful gay people are focusing on one issue more than others. I understand not wanting to be be political, but then again, it sort of is a political issue. we can't get these rights without influencing politicians really.
another thing....they mention Ted Kennedy, i don't know why, but wouldn't Barney Frank also be up there in a way with Ted Kennedy...congress and all? if we need a 'harvey milk'- someone to speak up for ALL gay/equal rights issues and not just one or two...and if that person were to be from such a large scale, wouldn't Barney be the man? add to the fact that he is gay. if Kathy Griffin spoke up non-stop, i dont know if anyone would take her seriously enough because she is straight and honestly probably doesn't know these experiences of being discriminated against, etc.
what was my point? oh, right. (sometimes i go on for so long and forget my original thought) i dont think we're gonna have that 'one' person for all of us....but instead, we're just going to have to keep speaking up as a whole unless someone comes fort and decides "i will address every issue regarding lgbt citizens..." and they constantly speak up for every issue concerning equality for us.
Mr. Milk
Every time someone publicly and proudly comes out and says, "I am gay!", that is a part of the Harvey Milk influence, that you might not always think about and many aren't old enough to remember or even give him too much credit for. Harvey's mantra of being out and open was infectious during a time that it could have costed your life, which unfortunately and sadly had to happened to him.
The beauty of Harvey Milk was the fact that he lived and lived his life to the fulliest and to his very last breath. He wasn't just an iconic figure to gay people or important to Gay history but he was a true American hero. Harvey 's spirits/soul lives in each and everyone of us who has been denied or pushed around and made to feel less than. Harvey's fiery attitude has been instilled in the new generation of proud and out LGTB, who are not only fighting but doing in the Harvey Milk way and that is with grace and dignity.
Harvey Milk was just this unselfish spirt/soul, that wasn't just standing up for his own rights but he wanted to make sure that the rights of everyone was taken into consideration. Harvey grew up during a time that being gay was considered a disease, a sickness and was curable with horrible methods such as electric shock therapy and exoricisms and even castrations, where just the half of it. If you were alleged to be gay, your entire life was a living hell and all the sneaking around and hiding the one thing that is most important and that is being your trueself. I'm not saying that life for gay people has gotten any easier but it seems that Harvey's examples in life and in his untimely death were big and so inspiring.
Harvey felt that staying in the closet was a choice but he realized that it margainalized not only your civil rights but your human rights as well. Being out in numbers and groups was vital during his life and even to this very day. It's very important that we speak out against prejudice and homophobia but we have to start at home and that is with all the bigotry and homophobia that lies deep within our very own community. We have to put a stop to the very thing that was responsible for Harvey's death and that is HATE.
The saddest part of Harvey being going, is the fact that he never got the opportunity to see his vision in progress. We never got the chance to see Harvey as Commander and Chief ( The President) because you know he would have made a fine President.
Happy Birthday Harvey and may your beautiful spirit/soul rest in peace and harmony. Your legacy is being fulifilled.