“On the Declaration of Independence, it is written,
“All Men Are Created Equal”. No matter how hard you try,
you can never erase those words” 

Milk. The latest film from Focus Films staring Sean Penn in a movie about the life and death of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay publicly elected official to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Originally the owner of Castro Camera, a camera shop in San Francisco’s predominantly gay district, the Castro, he first ran in 1973 unsuccessfully. His campaign met with opposition from the gay political establishment in San Francisco as he was labeled as ‘theater’ due to his loud, brash, outspoken style earning media attention and votes (although not enough to win). He campaigned in the next two election cycles and dubbed himself as the ‘Mayor of Castro Street’ led the gay political movement in fierce battles against anti-gay initiatives. Milk was elected city supervisor in 1977 after San Francisco reorganized its election procedures to choose representatives from neighborhoods rather than through city-wide ballots.

“If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door”

After serving 11 months with the Board of Supervisors and being responsible for passing a stringent gay rights ordinance in San Francisco, on November 27, 1978, Mayor George Moscone and Milk were assassinated by Dan White, another city supervisor who had recently resigned and wanted his job back. Both Milk’s election and the events following his assassination demonstrated the liberalization of the population and political conflicts between the city government and a conservative police force. (from Wikipedia)

In 2008, we have an uphill battle, especially in West Virginia. However, think about it. Harvey Milk was killed fighting for equality. Fighting for your right to love your partner, your right to be free from discrimination in the workplace and in housing, your right to live your life free from fear.

There are countless warriors that have come before us in the struggle for equal rights. People who have been beaten, kicked and murdered demanding the respect that we deserve. It’s up to us to lift up their names and carry the torch..to prove that they are not in vain, that their work lives on until we are all free. Gay Rights requires more of you than attending a Pride Parade or a Drag Show.  We need you on the ground. You owe it to the Harvey Milks, the Matthews Shepards, to every teenager in school who contemplates suicide because of their sexuality.

DO YOUR PART!