Milk, Riots, Doves and Hawks

As a newcomer to San Francisco (and also someone who has a protestant work ethic when it comes to being a tourist), a visit to the GLBT Museum in the Castro was on my To Do list.

And the timing seemed perfect. That Sunday was Harvey Milk Day, a state-sanctioned holiday to mark the birthday of Harvey Milk, the first openly-gay elected politician in California, who was assassinated in November 1978. Although I knew of him, like many, I only really understood his role in the politics of gay liberation through the 2008 film, starring Sean Penn.

Harvey Milk is inextricably linked with the Castro - a place where he lived and worked, his political powerbase (so much so, they called him The Mayor of Castro) and his legacy. Like many gay men in their 30s, I don’t have any recollection of the historic context for the life of Harvey Milk. The gay rights movements flowered in cities like New York, London and San Francisco in the 70s, but I grew-up in the 80s - a child of the AIDS generation - when being gay was more linked to tombstones and Clause 28 than free love and liberation. So, I have a fascination with what it must have like - the fact that the social mores and behavioural norms were so different; the palpable sense of change that (I imagine) must have been in the air.

I'm also intrigued by the sense of community and drive, the optimism and possibility that seems intoxicating in these jaded and cynical times of ours. It was clear that significant number of people within this 'movement' were giving-up the prospect of a ‘normal life’ to fight for their cause. There was a sense of life & death importance around the issues that they were dealing with - people were harassed, in danger of losing their livelihoods, subjected to widespread verbal and physical abuse, often estranged from their families...

To me, in my comfortable 21st Century gay life, it often feels like the war is over. I guess like many of the ‘struggles’ for equality, we’ve reached a glass ceiling. We’ve reached a comfortable plateau.

That’s why it was interesting to learn of another anniversary: last Saturday was the 32nd anniversary of the White Night Riots. Lots of people know about the seminal influence of the Stonewall Riots - 10 years earlier - that signified the start of a concerted gay rights movement. But I had not heard about the White Night Riots, where thousands protested the verdict on Harvey Milk’s killer (voluntary manslaughter - the most lenient conviction possible)

One thing that I find so interesting about these events is that they were unplanned and sponteous - and resulted from a flash of anger, an explosion of outrage. What made this seem so powerful was that it was such an awakening. A rising anger amongst a community that had fought and won their first victory, they had seen the power in their hands.

And then had it taken from them. Their democratically elected leader had been assassinated. And the establishment had seemingly closed ranks and allowed his killer to get away with murder.

And so there was a riot. It started as a peaceful demonstration, but the frustration and rage couldn’t be contained, and ended in damage to property and injuries to both protesters and police.

Here’s the rub. When the media interviewed leaders in the gay community over the following hours and days, they couldn’t find a single one - not one - who would apologize for what had happened. Now, by no means am I condoning violence as a tool for political campaigning. My starting point and credo about conflict resolution is always that non-violence should be the way. I guess that’s why I’m so intrigued by this instance of the gay community benefitting from an unapologetic outpouring of violence and aggression. And that seems so, well, "un-gay".

In the history of gay politics the White Night Riots were a turning point. To quote Wikipedia again: “This led to increased political power in the gay community, which culminated in the election of Mayor Dianne Feinstein to a full term, the following November. In response to a campaign promise, Feinstein appointed a pro-gay Chief of Police, which increased recruitment of gays in the police force and eased tensions.”

So, I’m kinda forced to admit - maybe I should take a leaf out of the American history book, put away my dovish tendencies, and get both angry and get recruiting?

Link to post on: So, what gets me angry these days?

In the Land of the Free, shouldn't we campaigning to promote our way of life in other countries? If America can use interventionist policies to protect its national interests abroad,

shouldn't the United States of Gays do the same? Why shouldn't we be using our hard-earned Pink Pounds (for the Brits) or (even more cheesy) our Dorothy Dollars to secure rights for our brethren in other territories? Look at the way the Mormons intervened in the Prop 8 argument in California. And US evangelicals are exporting anti-gay rhetoric to Africa. Well, shouldn't the gay rights lobby be doing the same?

Is it time for the Gay Hawk?