I remember Harvey

I remember hearing the stereotypical jokes about limp wristed swishy homosexuals as I was growing up.

I remember Cousin Psycho calling me "fag," "femmy," "queer," and "faggot" because I was different from him in that I didn't like killing small fur bearing animals and song birds and because I did not try to date rape every girl I went out with.

I remember a time in this country when you could get beaten up for being homosexual, and I'm sad to say that in some places, including the area I live in, this is still true.

I remember a time when it was professional suicide for homosexuals to come out of the closet.

I remember when Harvey Milk became the first out gay man to get elected to public office in this country. I was living in Jonesville, not exactly a hotbed of political tolerance but it turns out it was a hotbed of homosexual activity, especially among females, and I thought it was a good thing that a gay person was finally in a position of power, even if it was in a city that was across the country from me.

I remember when Dan White gunned down Harvey Milk and George Moscone and I remember thinking that it was such a shame that those two men had to die at the hands of such a bigoted asshole.

I remember Anita Bryant's anti homosexual crusade and how the "Christians" in Jonesville backed her publicly and loudly. I remember they said that the homos were going to recruit in the schools because they could not reproduce. I then expected to be recruited but it never happened. It didn't happen in college either. And I was kind of disappointed because I had my response all figured out if they did try to recruit me. I was going to give them the speech I got from girls in high school and college who did not want to date me, "Thanks, really. I'm flattered but I don't like you guys like that. I only like you guys as friends. We can be friends but that's it." Then I was going to give who ever tried to recruit me a chaste hug or a pat on shoulder.

I tell you all that because Sparky and I saw this last night:

And seeing it brought back a lot of memories about the gay rights movement and growing up in the mid and late '70's.

As you all know by now, this film tells the story of Harvey Milk's life in San Francisco when he became an activist and a city supervisor. The film shows parts of Milk's life journey as it mirrored the journey of the gay rights/equality for all movement.

It's a fine film and yes, Sean Penn deserved his Oscar for it. He turned in a fearless performance as he lost himself in this role. He's a big time movie actor, which is different from being a big time movie star. Bruce Willis is a movie star, Sean Penn is a movie actor and if you can't tell the difference then you are a Philistine and you need to stop reading my blog.

I highly recommend this film and even though it's sad, it's actually hopeful too. I think it would have tickled Harvey Milk pink, don't excuse the pun, to see his story get told to millions of people. And I'm pretty sure that Harvey would love what Sean Penn and Gus Van Sant did with his story. I hope closeted gay people see this and it gives them the courage to come out and live their lives honestly. I hope gay teens see it and it gives them hope for a better tomorrow. I hope straight people see it that they get a better understanding of what it is to be gay in this country. I hope everyone sees it and that they then join the fight for equality for gays, lesbians, and transgendered people. I hope this film is seen by the hundreds of thousands of intolerant Christians, Jews, and Muslims, and they they see that their fight against equal rights for gays is misguided and a crime against the gods they claim to love and serve.

I remember Harvey Milk and I hope you will too long after you see this powerful film.