Milk

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May 22nd is dedicated to the brave and courageous Harvey Milk, for inspiring us to continue his vision of a better tomorrow, filled with hope and equality in a world without hate.

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I know you can’t live on hope alone, but without hope life isn’t worth living. So you and you and you, you’ve got to give them hope.

Harvey Milk 

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Negative Forces in San Francisco: The White Night Riots

On May 21, 1979, the White Night took place in San Francisco. These were a series of violent events emerging from the announcement of the light sentence Dan White received for assassinating of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. 

While the gay community of San Francisco had a longstanding conflict with the San Francisco Police Department, this surprisingly light sentence his killer received by virtue of the famous "Twinkie Defense" made the opposing forces even more angry. White’s position as a former police officer intensified the community’s anger towards the police department. The gay community originally started their peaceful revolt down the Castro district of San Francisco. Once the crowd's march arrived at the San Francisco City Hall, the real outburst began. Violence between the SFPD and gay community intensified and caused hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of property damage to City Hall and the  area around. 

Not only was the surrounding area and streets of San Francisco hurt and damaged, but patron were beaten and hurt. After hours after the riot, the police even raided a gay bar in the Castro District, leading to several injuries and beaten patrons. 

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“All young people, regardless of sexual orientation or identity, deserve a safe and supportive environment in which to achieve their full potential.”

Harvey Milk

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Milk (USA, 2008)

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Curious Student: What kind of person was Harvey Milk and how did he recruit so many people?

Researcher: Harvey was a friendly, charming, yet passionate politician who faced adversity and many skeptics. He recruited so many people by providing a new family, many did not have in San Francisco.

Curious Student: How did this rise of the homosexual community's political power affect the other members of the community?

Researcher: Well, of course with progress and success comes hardships and even death in this case. Harvey Milk was seen as a Modern form of Masculinity, that many including Dan White did not approve. The film examines the controversy between traditional normal masculinity and modern masculinity.

Curious Student: Can you explain more about Traditional vs Modern Masculinity?

Researcher: Don't worry, just click the Connection tab to see more information!

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“To sit on the front steps — whether it’s a veranda in a small town or a concrete stoop in a big city — and to talk to our neighborhoods is infinitely more important than to huddle on the living-room lounger and watch a make-believe world in not-quite living color.”

Harvey Milk

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Through this clip, the importance for equality that Milk exemplifies is clearly shown.  Milk is fighting for equality amongst gays of San Francisco, and with a starting place such as Castro street where he is able to find people who have been subject prejudice, and been neglected of equal opportunities as heterosexuals. Cleve Jones represents the average homosexual individual of Castro street.  He is young, ambitious, and treated as a minority.  Because Jones is one of several individuals that have been the recipient of negative views from heterosexuals on Castro street, he needs a strong willed man like Milk to help bring his ideas of equality to fruition.  This helps relate both to how one defines masculinity, as well as the importance of Castro street.  

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San Francisco Demographics

Curious Student: What effect did the demographic have on Harvey Milk?

Researcher: San Francisco, has a gay population of 825,863, which is ranked 11th amongst the other countries. This lead Harvey to have a stronger presence and more value to his actions because he was speaking for a community that before had no voice.

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About Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk was born May 22, 1930, in Woodmere, New York. Harvey was a visionary was civil and human rights leader who came out as one of the first openly gay politicians in the United States.

Harvey Milk first began in a small camera shop located on Castro Street, the heart of the city’s growing gay community.

His 1977 election to San Francisco's Board of Supervisors brought a message of hope to gays and lesbians across the country.

He was a powerful advocate for united, safe neighborhoods, and influenced the mayor’s administration to improve services for the Castro such as the community policing, and library services.

Though he started with improving San Francisco, his ambition helped him succeed and help people all across the country.