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image: lavenderliberal.com
I just saw Milk and I highly recommend it. As a gay teenager at the time that the history depicted by this film took place, and as a gay man today, the experience of watching the film was bittersweet.
I love film. I was once a film major in college. Film transports me more so then watching a video, dvd, or streaming on the web. The experience of sitting in a theater watching light projected through film to create a story never ceases to amaze me. The social experience of sharing this story anonymously with strangers appeals to me on another level. Will they go and have conversations with their friends and family and share the experience like I’m doing right now?
Today offered me the chance to relive a moment in my history as a gay man that really is rare. A realization I had sitting in a dark theater watching light being projected through film. I remember Anita Bryant’s crusade. The news about Harvey Milk and his remarkable achievement of being elected gave me hope. At that time I had broadcast TV and newspaper accounts to fill the details about the events unfolding around the country. However far San Francisco and Dade County were to a NJ teenager at that time didn’t matter. The events hit me close to home. After all it was battle for and against who I am as a person.
I was struck by one particular scene where Clive was calling people from a pay phone to create a protest. A pay phone mind you. Good thing he had a pocket full of change. Juxtapose that against the social networking and new media that JointheImpact used to rally folks all around the world. You can see the progress that has been made by technology and society to recognize equality for all. The fight has not changed though. The same issues of bigotry, hate and denial of basic human rights is being fueled by certain religious institutions.
Harvey Milk emerged as a leader. As a gay man I will forever be grateful to him. I have to wonder though if with the advances that society has made in acceptance, the rights that individual has sued for, and the success that JointheImpact has demonstrated in using new media to organize, if a leader is needed today. After all, we have groups of people at local, state and federal levels simultaneously following his lead, empowered by his actions, and pissed off that they are being denied their rights. Do we need direction with all the tools that we have at our disposal? Or will the voice of many be stronger then the voice of one? From pay phones to social networks, activism has changed.
Harvey blazed a trail, and on this Thanksgiving I’m giving thanks to him for doing so. I hope one day soon to be giving thanks for being recognized by my country with full human rights.
34 Comments
your recommendation means a lot, MM.
digg
and reddit
Thanks Elliot. My recommendation and 700 billion will getcha’ a giverment bailout.
Thanks for the addition of the great graphic.
Really nice story, MM. Thanks for writing it. I may have to wait until it comes out on DVD so I can cry at home. I did not know Harvey Milk but admired him greatly and George Moscone was a friend. I live just south of SF and those were very dark days here. I wish you joy and peace and equality on this Thanksgiving.
Thanks, I was really taken back by the rare glimpse into the history of the fight for equality. I attend any type of show or film with no expectations and today I was really surprised by what I felt.
Equality will get here. I know it will.
As a hetero with strong support for human rights, I am sure I will enjoy this movie. If I might be so bold, I would like to suggest a couple other media presentations that had a profound effect on me in my thinking/viewpoints and ought to be more highly promoted for the homosexual cause.
Paragraph 175
The movie and the book.
Biographies of Oscar Wilde, Alan Turing, etc.
Enjoy.
Thanks for the suggestions, I’ll have to check them out.
The day is coming, Millineryman. One set of rules for ALL Americans.
I know it will. Honestly I never thought that marriage would be an option in my lifetime. It’s a shame for the those in CA who had their rights voted away.
There will always be some amount of bigotry and opposition but I think the rising percentage of young adults demonstrating greater acceptance than than their elders offers the brightest hope for the future.
You’re right about bigotry and hate, there will always be some opposition however I think there’s a fundamental shit in the conciseness of America after the last 8 years.
It’s more than a slingshot effect from the terrible reign of the so-called “compassionate conservatives.” A lot of young adults today didn’t grow up carrying the same baggage our generation did. They wonder what all the fuss is about. As time passes and they assume leadership roles, they’ll be less inclined to impose the discriminatory social order of past generations.
Having said that, I am not suggesting for a minute that we should twiddle our thumbs while we wait for that day to arrive. It is critical that everybody keep up the pressure for change.
You’re right about the younger generation. I think that’s part of the reason the fundies pushed so hard. It was a last ditch effort.
With my straight friends it’s been interesting to see their reaction to all this. The more politically aware ones have always been vocal in their support, however those who aren’t were kind removed from exactly what’s been going on.
I can in those who weren’t so aware that they realize now what the threat is losing rights and where does it stop.
Unfortunately, I’m afraid Prop 8 wasn’t a last ditch effort. The bigots will always be able to obtain enough signatures to mount a new challenge. The tide is turning, though and as time passes it will be harder and harder for them to keep trying to put that genie back in the bottle.
That’s where I was going with what I was trying say at 22. I think the fundies realized that they had the older generations so they might as well push their agenda while they had the votes.
Wonderful diary, MM! I can’t wait to see this movie.
Thanks LL, Sean Penn delivered a strong performance. Great writing and directing too. This is one DVD I will own. I don’t own many, but this one is a keeper.
I saw a headline on Jezebel earlier — something like “Just FedEx the Oscar to Penn already”. One of the WaPo film critics gave rave reviews too.
I don’t see many movies but I hear about them. I’m having trouble thinking of anything that came out this year that might give Milk a run for it. Seems like it’s been mostly action flicks aimed at the youngsters.
Same with me. I’ll make an exception for this one and actually go to the theatre.
Elliott has a diary, too!
A Thanksgiving Carol
Thanks for critiquing this, Millineryman. I’ve heard good things and look forward to seeing it.
Have you ever been able to figure out the whole Log Cabin Republican thing, and why it’s okay for a select group to be gay?
I was a board member of a gay professional group in the late 90’s and we had some members who belonged to the Log Cabin. Some felt they were being noble by trying to change the party from within, for some it was about taxes, and for others they felt like they belonged to the mainstream of straight society and that mainstream gay society was too flamboyant.
This was before the fundie push of the 2000 and beyond, but what the reason is, if you rights are being denied, why do you support the party that doing it?
Ah, rather than not wanting to appear too flamboyant, I’m thinking they wanted to trick their constituancy, and appear straight. Vote against gays, even.
I might just be misinterpreting your comment but it seems like you might be lumping the Log Cabin Republicans in with closeted Republican pols who are as likely as their straight colleagues to support discriminatory legislation. As I understand it, the Log Cabin Republicans are open about their orientation.
The other thing that was intersting about this group was, the more liberal folks wanted to keep the group focused on gay business while the conservative side wanted to expand and bring straight business in the fold.
I have to say I was shocked when I found put about the Log Cabins. It never occurred to me that gay and lesbians would be republicans, let alone organize as a group.
I don’t know what percentage of the LGBT community the Lob Cabins represent. My guess is that it is statistically minuscule, however even if it is less than one percent of a demographic which numbers in the millions we could be talking about a large number of individuals.
I admit that I was very naive to think that at the time. According to the Wiki entry for the Log Cabins, they don’t release membership figures.
It seems to me that they don’t define themselves by their sexuality, and that actually is a good thing. It shouldn’t matter. At the same time I don’t understand how you can deny it, and support a party that denies your rights as a human being.
Quite true. I prefer old-fashioned S&M.
Here’s my interview with Gus about the film.
Great interview, thanks for sharing it.
Thers has a diary up!
CNN “Political Turkey” Snark: Bite Me, CNN
Have a good night ratfood. I did enjoy our chat and thanks for the support.
i will see it, because for one thing, i was living in sf that fateful november when dan white killed harvey & mayor moscone. also, if anyone remembers, it was the same month that the jim jones people’s temple guyana mass suicide happened, and the peoples temple originated in sf. it was a dark month for my beloved city by the bay.
so sorry I missed your thread in real time Millineryman –
I must say I was transfixed by Penn’s portrayal just in the trailer – can not wait to see it
gonna go watch David’s Van Sant interview