As his second term comes to a close, your president is milking his gay agenda for all it’s worth. Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus announced the U.S. Navy will bestow its highest honor by naming a warship for former gay rights activist and the first openly gay to be elected to public office as a San Francisco city commissioner, Harvey Milk.
The Navy has a longstanding tradition of honoring the most distinguished Americans by naming ships after them. Recently, the Navy bestowed this honor on retired Marine Col. Harvey Barnum, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry during the Vietnam War.
Barnum, made history a second time, when he was one of only two Medal of Honor recipients who survived, but never received their medal at the time-honored ceremony at The White House. The observance was
In 2009, your president bequeathed Milk the highest civilian medal the nation grants, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Five years later, Milk was the recipient of a postage stamp. In his native state of California, the state’s legislature acknowledges “Harvey Milk Day” every May 22.
What has been conveniently dismissed is the fact that Milk was a predatory pedophile. Milk’s sordid and infamous relationships with young boys was anything but locked away in a San Francisco closet. Milks sexcapades were documented by his friend Randy Shilts, a San Francisco Chronicle reporter who died of AIDS in 1994. Shilts’ book: “The Mayor of Castro Street,” details Milk’s adventures as a pederast and as a serial statutory rapist who had a lifelong penchant for underage, drug-addicted, runaway boys.
Here we have two men named Harvey from two completely divergent paths in American society receiving the same distinguished honor. One is a Marine awarded the Medal of Honor, the other a serial child molester murdered over politics and not his flamboyant homosexuality as the gay movement wants you to
World War one saw many great airmen, but there were two that stood out among the rest; Captain Edward Rickenbacker and 2nd Lieutenant Frank Luke, Jr. These men both demonstrated courage and bravery that ultimately asked them for their life. Both men received the Congressional Medal of Honor for their deeds of bravery, as well as earning the title of Ace. An Ace is someone that has shot down at least five enemy planes. Rickenbacker was nicknamed “Ace of the Aces”, while Luke was the first of only two men to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. Luke honored his country through his actions. Frank Luke Jr demonstrated superior characteristics that lead him to make a valuable contribution to World War I through bravery, skilled flying skills, and selflessness.
The Times of Harvey Milk suggests that the experiences of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender people in the 1980s and 1990s reflect on the dangers of visibility. While the election of the first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk, was a first, representing change in it’s own, the murder of Harvey Milk spoke even louder, specifically the short amount of time his murderer, Dan White, was sentenced. The film suggests that while being openly gay at the time, while accepted by some, remained and still remains a danger. Public leaders within the movement experienced violence, discrimination, and in Harvey Milk’s case murder. Even so, it is shown that with every injustice the community grows bigger and stronger, never losing the support of its community and allies. This is shown in the film by the silent, candlelight parade of 45,000 people on the night of the murder, followed by an angry, violent, riot following the sentencing of his murderer. Though Milk was murdered, a decade before he would have never been elected, he wouldn’t have had support, this was a pivotal point in the growth of the movement.
““Anger had no place among homosexuals of those years, only fear. Not only fear of the police but fear of himself”(Shilts, 4). Being gay was such a bad thing back then that even gay people feared themselves. I think a lot of people ask the question “well how come no one ever just spoke up and fought back?” In reality, it’s not that simple. People of the minority carried immense fear and felt such a burden about it because there’s nothing they can do it “fix” it. I also think it’s important to remember that Harvey always kind of knew he was going to be killed because of what he believed in. “This is Harvey Milk… This is to be played only after the event of my death by assassination… I fully realize that a person who stands for what I stand for, an activist, a gay activist, becomes the target or potential target for a person who is insecure, terrified, afraid or very disturbed with themselves”(275). This is just a pattern in history. You can look at almost any person who fought for justice in a social movement and a lot of them end up dead. If not dead, almost all have had multiple death threats thrown their way. Harvey knew this fact and he knew that it was a possibility. It goes to show how scary standing up for what you believe in is and why it’s not as easy just to fight
... United States. They are still honored and toasted at every Mess Night and Marine Corps Ball along with all of their fallen comrades who came before and will come after. These men are revered as gods and the battle fields where they fought and died are sacred grounds in the eyes of Marines. All the men who were at the Chosen Reservoir remember the bitter cold and fighting and are always remembered as the Frozen Chosin.
MacArthur, Douglas. “Duty, Honor, Country.” Sylvanus Thayer Award Acceptance. West Point, NY. 12 May, 1962.
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller was born on 26th June 1898, and died on 11th October 1971. He retired in 1955 as an officer of the U.S. Marine Corps and goes down in history as the only U.S. Marine to receive five Navy Crosses. He also fought the Haiti and Nicaragua guerrillas, the Korean War, and the World War II (Russell & Cohn, 2012).
In 1965, radical human rights activist Malcolm X gave a speech regarding tactics freedom fighters should consider using during the violent area of the civil rights era. His speech declared that people of color should be respected as human beings, and if they were not, he and other activist intended to bring this right into existence “by any means necessary.” This quote insinuated that Malcolm X and his followers were ready and willing to use any tactics available to gain human rights, including violence. Since Malcolm X’s 1965 speech, this speech has been recreated and recited in churches, protests, and rallies.
On February 24, 1981 Roy was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his duty on May 2nd 1968 and was recognized for saving at least 8 soldiers.17 In 2001, the US Navy christened the USNS Benavidez, a cargo ship. Roy became a motivational speaker for children to stay in school and defended veterans being denied benefits.18 Roy Benavidez died on November 29, 1998, but will long be remembered as an American hero who highlighted the horrors of the Vietnam War during the six hours of hell.
John cleared his throat and continued, “At 10:55 Supervisor Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone were assassinated,” A unanimous gasp rose among all the men. Pure shock, that’s the only emotion I felt at hearing this devastating news. I had followed Harvey Milk’s career since he had been elected roughly a year earlier. Harvey Milk being the first openly gay man elected to public office had made tremendous leaps for the gay community. “I’m giving you all the rest of the day off to call your families and tell them you love them. In times like this it’s important to remember and cherish the things that we do have,” Everyone dispersed, gathered their things and began to file out of the door. I stayed where I was too stunned to move. Soon John and I were the only people left in the
The year was 1915, Carter G. Woodson had recently traveled from Washington D.C to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of emancipation. This gave him and thousands of other African Americans the ability to appreciate displays highlighting the progress African Americans had made since the abolishment of slavery. This occasion inspired Woodson and four others to form the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (now Association for the Study of African American Life and History or ASALH). This organization’s purpose was to recognize and promote the accomplishments and history of African Americans that often went unnoticed. In 1916, Woodson created The Journal of Negro History in hopes that it would familiarize people with the findings and achievements of African Americans. But Woodson wanted more; he wanted all people to celebrate and be aware of the great things African Americans had and were accomplishing. He wanted both whites and blacks to have strong, positive affiliations. Woodson decided the best way to accomplish these things was to create Negro Achievement Week.
All in all, the LGBT community faced a lot of hardships and problems but overcame those by the inspiration of one man, Harvey Milk. Becoming San Francisco’s openly gay city supervisor helped Harvey start a movement and achieved what he had been fighting for. Without his dedication, the LGBT community might not be the same as it is in today’s society.
Jackie Robinson, from early on in his life, was known for his great achievements in sports, but his achievements in sports only aided the greater goal of racial equality. Robinson attended Pasadena Junior College, where he often got in trouble for not cooperating with Jim Crow laws- laws that enforced segregation between African Americans and Whites. He also attended UCLA College where he met his future wife, but he was not able to finish because of financial difficulties. When he entered the Military he faced discrimination from other soldiers; this discrimination he faced showed him that sports were his true calling, not the military. He seemed destined to lead a career in bringing African Americans and whites together. Jackie Robinson played baseball at a time when it was segregated, a time where there were white leagues and African American leagues and the two did not mix. Being a civil rights activist, Robinson broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball, opening up sports to African Americans.
McKinley, Jesse. "Harvey Milk's Shop, Center of a Movement, Is Now the Center of an Internal Fight." New York Times. N.p., 19 Dec. 2010. Web.
A gunman claiming allegiance to ISIS walked into a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, killing 49 people. Suddenly the LGTB community was face to face with a reality that Republicans had espoused for a long time: Islam — and especially radical Islam — is no friend of the gay community. Trump doubled down on his Muslim ban, as the gay community stocked up on guns of their own for protection. Here was the perfect tragedy. It helped firm up the support of his base, and moreover opened up at least tacit support from the other side of the aisle. During the Republican Convention, a very successful businessman — who just “happened” to be gay — was featured. Before the convention had concluded, the GOP would give the LGBTQ community a standing ovation, no less than three times. Trump gained some of the ground he had lost...
Despite who you are, or where you come from in the world, there would have been a time during your life where you have experienced conflict either directly or even indirectly. It is during those times where the possibility of one growing and changing into a different person is at its highest. It is in these times where the priorities you previously once held so preciously come crumbling down to be nothing. Earlier this month I spent several days in San Francisco, while I was there I had the great opportunity to visit the Castro and remember the memorable heartbreak and happiness that Harvey Milk, myself Daniel Nicoletta and as well as many others had whilst fighting for gay rights. As I ventured around I realised that Harvey made his values