Feb. 22 GLBT elected and community leaders gathered on the steps of the San Francisco City Hall to hold a news conference and rally in support of the campaign to get San Francisco International Airport renamed as the Harvey Milk San Francisco International Airport.
Among the speakers were California state Assemblymember Tom Ammiano; City Supervisor David Compos; Stuart Milk, founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation; former San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty; the Rev. Elder Troy D. Perry, founder of the Metropolitan Community Church; John O’Connor, executive director of Equality California; Adam Bouska and Jeff Parshley, co-founders of the NOH8 campaign and Rebecca Rolfe, executive director of the San Francisco LGBT Center.
I was honored to speak at this momentous occasion and the following is a transcript of my speech.
“This afternoon I stand before you to give a message to the good citizens of this great city: San Francisco.
You are so much more than just ‘The City by the Bay.’ You are that shining city on the hill that so many dream about. A city of social justice, a city of true diversity and equality.
A city that so many of us came to in the 1960s and ’70s and still come to feel free, to feel accepted. To feel like ‘family.’
In the 1970s I was blessed to meet and work with César Chávez, Harvey Milk and Jose Julio Sarria.
It was in the 1970s that homosexual Americans across this nation were faced with the homophobic crusade of Anita Bryant.
It was during those dark times that I saw many homosexuals sent to state hospitals; some subjected to electric shock treatment only because of whom they chose to love. We were thirsty for a true leader; one who could speak for us and our emerging civil rights movement; one who we could believe in; who was not perfect but was human and could give us hope. And you San Francisco gave us Harvey Milk.
He stood tall for all of us. He fought for all of us. Gays, straights, seniors, working families, small business people. Harvey stood with César Chávez, Delores Huerta and against the cruelty that farm workers suffered. So today I humbly stand here for him.
It’s my honor to chair the national campaign to get the U.S. Postal Service to issue a Harvey Milk stamp and to also be the national chair of a campaign to get a naval vessel named after Lt. Harvey Milk who was stationed in San Diego. (milkship.org and milkstamp.org)
And yes, I am proud to be the city commissioner that led the successful effort that last year made history, when San Diego became the first city in the nation to name a street after Harvey Milk.
These past two years I’ve also had the honor to work with Stuart Milk and the Harvey Milk Foundation, to travel to foreign countries and to learn and see first-hand how Harvey Milk has indeed become a global human rights icon and symbol.
For countless millions of people still oppressed, shunned and yes murdered Harvey Milk has become their hero.
I’ve been at Robert Kennedy High School in Los Angeles where mostly young students of color gather on Harvey’s birthday to volunteer and do community neighborhood service.
I’ve been in a high school in Rome, Italy where I saw the faces of young students eager to learn about Harvey Milk and his times.
I’ve been in Mexico where for one evening Mexican GLBT leaders and activists put aside their differences to come together to hear the story of Harvey in the words of his nephew Stuart.
I’ve talked to Canadian members of Parliament who have been inspired by the life of Harvey Milk.
San Francisco, your son Harvey Milk has truly become a global human rights icon and is most worthy of The San Francisco Harvey Milk International Airport.
In closing I leave you with this last message.
As we all get ready for this Sunday’s Academy Awards once again, loving history as so many of us do, it is so good to see a movie like Lincoln and it draws interest in his life and words.
I thus remember the immortal words of the secretary of state when Abraham Lincoln died: ‘Now he belongs to the ages.’
I say to you San Francisco that indeed your son Harvey Milk, ‘Now belongs to the world.’
Thank you and God bless.”
Nicole Murray Ramirez has been an award-winning columnist since 1973, and a Latino and gay activist for well over 40 years. He is currently a city commissioner and has served the last five mayors of San Diego. He is also a national board member of the Harvey Milk Foundation and chairman of the International Court Council of the USA, Canada and Mexico. Nicolemrsandiego@aol.com
There are so many more gay heroes other then Harvey Milk, and it’s time to honor them.
YAWN on harvey milk. Nicole is only hoping to make money off his name when the diner open
There were many, many more glbt’s in the fight than Mr Milk, and, maybe its time to start putting some emphasis on them as well, he was not the only one, love you, but, all Harvey is getting old.