GALAH poster quote from Harvey Milk. The secondary print reads: ‘Taped instructions in the event of his assassination’ (Poster: Gay and Lesbian Atheists and Humanists, via The New Gay)
Like just about every one of us, I was excited when Milk writer Dustin Lance Black was announced as the winner for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards last night, but a few things Black said in his acceptance speech bothered me.
Here’s an excerpt from Black’s speech, via GLAAD:
But most of all, if Harvey had not been taken from us 30 years ago, I think he’d want me to say to all of the gay and lesbian kids out there tonight who have been told that they are less than by their churches or by the government or by their families that you are beautiful, wonderful creatures of value and that no matter what anyone tells you, God does love you and that very soon, I promise you, you will have equal rights, federally, across this great nation of ours.
[ Wild applause from the audience ]
Thank you, thank you, and thank you God for giving us Harvey Milk.
That’s all well and good, but Harvey Milk himself had an extremely negative attitude toward religion, as the quote above from an old poster issued by the Gay and Lesbian Atheists and Humanists attests. As far as his own memorialization, Milk said, “I want nothing even smacking, or smelling or hinting of religion.”
Philip Clark, back in December 2008 at The New Gay, wrote about the poster above and did some additional research. In Randy Shilts’ book, The Mayor of Castro Street, Clark uncovered this quote from one of Harvey Milk’s three tape-recorded wills:
I hope there are no religious services. I would hope that there are no services of any type, but I know some people are into that and you can’t prevent it from happening, but my God, nothing religious. Until the churches speak out against the Anita Bryants who have been playing gymnastics with the Bible, the churches which remain so quiet have the guts to speak out in the name of Judaism or Christianity or whatever they profess to be for in words but not actions and deeds. God — and that’s the irony, God —churches don’t even know what it’s about. I would turn over in my grave if there was any kind of religious ceremony. And it’s not a disbelief in God — it’s a disbelief and disgust of what most churches are about. How many leaders got up in their pulpits and went to Miami and said, “Anita, you’re playing gymnastics with the Bible — you’re desecrating the Bible”? How many of them said it? How many of them hid and walked away? Ducked their heads in the name of Christianity and talked about love and brotherhood.
Harvey Milk clearly had little use for religion, but was he an atheist?
I’ve read and been told by several veteran California activists that Milk was a true non-believer, but Shilts, in his book, notes that virtually every aspect of San Francisco’s gay community laid some claim to the Milk legacy: “Gay Jews used Harvey to eke out greater acceptance from the City’s Jewish establishment, while the Gay Atheist League published a number of essays discussing Milk’s atheism.”
Whether Harvey Milk was a believer or a non-believer might not even matter at this point. What is important is that the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered kids out there — who don’t really care if some God or some church loves them — know that they too are regarded as wonderful, worthy and valued; and that, with a lot of damn hard work, they are also well on their way to full and unconditional equality under the law.
Click for Printable Version
The block quote states pretty clearly “And it’s not a disbelief in God — it’s a disbelief and disgust of what most churches are about.”
That doesn’t sound like unbelief to me at all.
And further up: “…my God, nothing religious. Until the churches speak out against the Anita Bryants…”
Since many Jewish and Christian churches are now speaking out in defense of gay rights, Milk’s “until” may well be now.
Harvey Milk did go to Jewish services at both reform, and a gay S.F.synagog a few times… and like me was a non-practicing Jew. We both were proud of our heritage. I was always taught to respect all God’s children, as well as those who do not believe in God. Like Harvey… I do not want religeous services,either.
Ironically, I knew Harvey Milk as a friend, and even though Harvey was gay and Jewish like myself… I did not support him, because I felt Terrance Hallinan, who was non-gay and Catholic was better qualified to represent all the people and businesses in the 5th District. When I first started to vote in the late 1950’s, I found myself voting for judges and candidates with Jewish sounding names… but as I got older, realized that I should vote for the person who was best qualified, and the least reason to vote for someone, was because of their religion or sexual preferences.
While supporting bloggers’ rights, let me say that there are still many churches and even Jewish individuals who are stating what may infuriate the gay community, for example:
(1) In early America homosexuality carried the death penalty in almost every state. Thomas Jefferson authored a bill authorizing castration of gay males. And the attitude towards Gaydom by all major religions is well known.
(2) Coming out of the closet into a bedroom is one thing, and bedroom stuff is no one’s business. But now we have unusual architecture: closets opening on to Main Streets. Google “Zombietime” and click on “Up Your Alley Fair” to see an advance of what gays want on every Main Street on earth.
And if any religion speaks out against this, just make them pay a “hate crime” fine or, better yet, kill them.
(3) In Luke 17 Jesus stated that just before His return to earth as Judge, two big worldwide “signs” will show that His return is near. One is called the repeat of the “days of Lot” (see Genesis 19 for details). According to this, anyone promoting Gaydom is actually hurrying up Jesus’ return as the Judge of all evil and is also helping to fulfill Jesus’ prediction – which, if you think of it, would be helping to make the Bible even more believable! Also check out the repeat of the “days of Noah” which will be insane violence worldwide for the sake of violence!
(4) Jesus also said that gays will ignore His predictions, which is why there will be all kinds of disasters including financial ones, earthquakes, wars, etc. See the effects of the biggest quake of all time in Revelation 16!
Sorry if I disturbed anyone. Go back to your bedroom – er, Main Street!
John
I’m not sure where you’re coming from John, but there are a whole bunch of lunatics out there hiding behind “religion” and making statements like this:
And that isn’t Fred Phelps.
“In early America homosexuality carried the death penalty in almost every state.”
So would you support a return to this policy?