Five Reasons Why Schwarzenegger Should Sign Harvey Milk Day Into Law

categories: LGBT Celebrities, LGBT History, LGBT Politicians, State LGBT News

Published September 04, 2009 @ 05:46AM PT

Harvey Milk

For the second straight year, a bill in the California legislature has passed both the State Senate and the State Assembly, pushing forward the creation of May 22 as an annual day to celebrate the life and leadership of Harvey Milk. Milk, of course, is one of the most prominent LGBT politicians in U.S. history, a former San Francisco City Supervisor assassinated in 1978 as his political career was climbing.

Last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill naming May 22 as Harvey Milk Day because he didn't think Milk was well known enough outside of San Francisco. That excuse has since flown out the window. But it's not stopping rabidly conservative groups from trying to lobby Gov. Schwarzenegger to veto the bill, and send Harvey Milk back into the closet. It's time to let Schwarzenegger know what we think.

Below are our five reasons why the Governor should sign into law Harvey Milk Day. Meanwhile, please feel free to send a message to the Governor via Twitter - twitter.com/Schwarzenegger - letting him know that signing into law Harvey Milk Day will send a message that people who champion equal rights deserve to be held up as heroes; and not the nutty folks on the right-wing fringes of society who seek to criminalize people like Milk. A few Re-Tweet suggestions:

@Schwarzenegger: please sign into law the Harvey Milk Day bill and celebrate one of the nation's foremost LGBT heroes;

@Schwarzenegger: Sign Harvey Milk Day! Stand up for equal rights for all!

@Schwarzenegger: Please sign into law the bill recognizing Harvey Milk Day. Harvey's a national hero; he deserves to be remembered.

@Schwarzenegger: It's not a tumor!

OK, forget that last one...but some movie lines beg to be re-tweeted. Here are our five reasons for Gov. Schwarzenegger to sign into law Harvey Milk Day.

1.) If he's good enough for the White House, shouldn't he be good enough for California? Earlier this summer, Harvey Milk was given a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom by the White House, celebrating his convictions and his work for equal rights for all.

2.) Because Cesar Chavez needs company. California already has a day remembering the life and work of Cesar Chavez, one of the leading activists of the past century for labor rights and equal rights. Having a Harvey Milk Day certainly seems compatible with days - like Cesar Chavez Day - already set aside by the state.

3.) Is that your profile rising, or is it just me? Gov. Schwarzenegger's excuse last year in vetoing the bill was that Harvey Milk's profile wasn't well-known enough outside of San Francisco. This year? Not so much. That's what a major blockbuster film that won several Oscars will do for one's profile. Harvey is now seen by a wide majority of the country as an LGBT icon, and certainly a pioneer in the struggle for LGBT rights.

4.) It's All About the Benjamin's, Baby. Harvey Milk is a man that brings in the money. Look at the success of his movie earlier this year, as well as the success of books about him, like The Mayor of Castro Street. This is yet another way for California to both celebrate a messenger of equal rights, and practice good business sense. After all, as California State Sen. Mark Leno put it, "If there's one thing Arnold Schwarzenegger understands, it's box office." Harvey certainly delivered on that front.

5.) Because it's the right thing to do. LGBT icons shouldn't be collecting dust in the closet. Their lives should be celebrated, and their victories remembered. There's no better time to enact Harvey Milk Day. So please do it, Governor. Don't let the crazies on the right - who are trying to twist Harvey's political image for their own warped agenda - win on this one.

(Photo courtesy of StrangeDeJim's Photostream on Flickr.)

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Comments (5)

There are many heroes in America. If each had their day, we would have 7 days a week holidays. Might not be so bad!

Posted by Otto VonAuchvetter on 09/04/2009 @ 10:08AM PT
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Arnold Schwarzneggar must sign the bill which would create "Harvey Milk Day". Harvey Milk was famous when he was alive, but even more famous now because a popular movie and a Presidential Medal honoring his activism for LGBT equality. If Arnold Schwarzneggar does veto that bill, the veto would be unjustified because it would signal that intolerant conservatives have rule over the commeration of Harvey Milk. There must be a "Harvey Milk Day" in California.

Posted by Edwin Bonilla on 09/04/2009 @ 05:25PM PT
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It's sad, tonight, I was just minding my business on facebook, and saw an ad with a picture of a little child urging people to reject "Harvey Milk Gay Day" in order to "Protect the children". Obviously, I did not click on the ''like'' and clicked on the X that means I dislike it, based on the reason I found it offensive.

Posted by Benny Smith on 09/04/2009 @ 08:38PM PT
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Thanks for blog Michael, was looking for petition action but will share this on fb too.

Off the subject of HMDay but Benny, the same people who keep their children out of 'government' schools, and won't let them watch Obama's speech' are doing this.

It was the 'WINNING' hit against Prop H8 and is being used in Maine now.

NOM's fear letter and a great rebuttal by GoodAsYou are here, if you are interested. http://tinyurl.com/krl7xs

and on DKOS there is a great parody of the the NOM Storm ad for the Maine campaign. here

http://tinyurl.com/ym4gp4

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 09/05/2009 @ 08:31AM PT
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Thanks for blog Michael, was looking for petition action but will share this on fb too.

Off the subject of HMDay but Benny, the same people who keep their children out of 'government' schools, and won't let them watch Obama's speech' are doing this.

It was the 'WINNING' hit against Prop H8 and is being used in Maine now.

NOM's fear letter and a great rebuttal by GoodAsYou are here, if you are interested. http://tinyurl.com/krl7xs

and on DKOS there is a great parody of the the NOM Storm ad for the Maine campaign. here

http://tinyurl.com/ym4gp4

Posted by Lee Dorsey on 09/05/2009 @ 08:31AM PT
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Author

Michael is the Communications Director for the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School, and previously was Communications Director for Pax Christi USA, a progressive Catholic human rights organization.