Archive of Hope

by Milk, Harvey

  . . .

  San Francisco is justly famed for its cultural heritage—a symphony hall orchestra, a ballet, and an opera that are not only well known and well beloved by its inhabitants but are world-renowned as well. Newspaper and television coverage of their troubles and their triumphs is extensive. Their patrons number not only San Francisco’s own “four hundred” but students from universities both in the City and across the Bay. All of these cultural activities run deficits that are made up for by the generosity of the wealthy—as well as by the prices charged for both box seats and those in the balcony. There is no question but that the symphony and the opera and the ballet cater to the affluent and the culturally inclined: there are no free performances.

  As a frequent patron of all of these cultural events, I am quite fond of them. But not too far from the center of these activities, in a building that should have been renovated and enlarged years ago, a different sort of performance is held daily from nine in the morning until nine at night. There are no stars and there is no music. The attendees are not the affluent—though they’re not excluded, nor necessarily those with a taste for culture—though culture is high on the agenda. The patrons include both the poor and the rich, the students and the entertainment-starved, the blue collar and the executive, the very young and the very old. The performances are held in silence and the performers are tiny black figures on white pages. There is no charge: it is free to all.

  I do not know the total attendance at the opera and the ballet and the symphony. Whatever the figures are, they’re dwarfed by the number of people who daily use our library.

  A Performing Arts Center represents the ego of a great city, the public library represents its heart. More than any of our other cultural assets, it is the library that currently suffers from neglect. It gets neither publicity nor applause, even though is serves in silence the needs of all and asks no price for services rendered. It provides fantasies for the young, solace for the old, and information for all who seek it.

  We can live, though perhaps not so richly, without a Performing Arts Center. Without an expanded, functioning library that serves the need of everyone—the masses as well as the elite, the poor as well as the wealthy—we suffer an impoverishment of the spirit and the City dies a little.

  PART TWO

  The Grassroots Activist Becomes “The Mayor of Castro Street”

  16

  “Au Contraire . . . PCR Needed”

  Column, Bay Area Reporter, February 9, 1975

  Given Milk’s outspoken moral outrage regarding homophobic police harassment and violence, especially in the wake of the Castro 14 confrontation the previous September, the conciliatory position he here takes in his Bay Area Reporter "Milk Forum” column, encouraging a positive attitude and public friendliness toward police and endorsing the Police Community Relations (PCR) Department and its seminars, may come as a surprise. Just months before, he had railed against what he called “police sickness,” asking publicly why “police officers were allowed to make wanton assaults against citizens” why crowded sidewalks outside bars in the Castro were targeted, but not those in front of the city’s elite theaters; and why there were no openly gay members on the force. At the time he had been criticized for his attacks on the Police Department by Thomas Edwards, gay rights activist and District Chairman of the PCR, which Milk argued was merely another symptom of errant accommodationism and tokenism by so-called “gay leaders.” Thus Milk’s desire and capacity to seek workable solutions to the city’s problems, regardless of deep differences and animosities, is noteworthy.

  It is also worth noting that soon after this column was published, Milk announced his candidacy for supervisor. During the 1975 campaign, Milk’s political presence and public record criticizing local government and downtown interests forged stronger bonds with some unlikely constituencies, namely the unions. Milk gained the endorsements of the Building Construction Trade Council, Beer Truck Drivers local, and the Fire Fighters local. He didn’t get the support of the police union, despite the fact that he was one of only two candidates to oppose the incumbent Board of Supervisors in support of the August police strike pursuing a wage increase (though he also filed a class action law suit in District Court against Mayor Alioto and SFPD officials for failing to protect citizens during the strike), and in the strike’s wake to fight against Board-sponsored retaliatory initiatives on the ballot. In an exchange politico Michael Wong recounted, he wanted to support the ballot propositions to get even with the Police Officers Association, but Milk objected: “The Supervisors fucked the union and refused to meet with them . . . they had no choice but to strike. You cannot hurt labor . . . we need them. . . . the rank and file are decent working people like you and me.” Decent working people like GLBTQ residents, whom Milk urged here to set aside deep hurt and legitimate rancor for the sake of protection and progress in the city’s neighborhoods, for themselves and for everyone.

  . . .

  Some people argue that there should be no need for an organization such as the Police Community Relations. They say that the fact that it exists means that something is amiss. They say that there should be no need for a group to improve relations between the police and the community. They are right. But if they were to continue their logic one step, they would also have to say that there should be no need for police. The very fact that there is a police force means that something is amiss. They are right.

  But things are not as they should be. People do steal, rob, mug, kill, rape, etc., etc. Thus, there is a need for the police. And because of some police, there is a need for improving attitudes between the police and the community. Because of the nature of man, we need police. Because of the nature of man, we also have come to need Police Community Relations . . . but a meaningful PCR and not tokenism. Things must change. Man must stop his robbing, his killing. The police must stop their misuse of power, i.e. their attack on last week’s anti-Viet Nam demonstrators and the press, the Castro Street Sweep, their harassment of gays. It adds up that on both sides, there is a percentage of people who abuse the rights of others. The question is what can be done to help change the thinking of the percentage of the people?

  There always will be some who will not play by the rules. There always will be someone who will take advantage of others. There will always be some who, for many reasons, will create an unsafe atmosphere. There are deep rooted reasons for this . . . lack of education, lack of of job opportunities, frustrations, etc. These are paramount problems that will only be solved when our elected leaders get the guts to attack the problems instead of the crises. No PCR unit can hope to solve these deep rooted problems. What a PCR unit can solve is the attitudes on the surface and the attitudes that exist for lack of understanding on both sides. The PCR can bring their various communities together and work on improving attitudes. It is no easy task. There will be no fast solution. The Eureka Valley PCR is correct in trying to solve some of the local problems before trying to solve the citywide problems. If you can not improve your own area, how can you have the ability to solve things on a larger scale? A great opportunity to improve relations has been formed—the local seminar. It will offer the police the chance to explain in detail the problems that they face—and they do have problems. If the gay community is able to get a fuller understanding of the police, maybe some of the confrontations will lessen. The burden will then be transferred to the police to understand the life style and the frustrations of the gay community. If that happens, we might see less and less police harassment and less and less instances of police beating up gays.

  The end result is what we are after. We wish to live and work in harmony. In order to do that, many of us will have to improve our attitudes towards the police. Few among us, including myself, have never yelled, “pig.” That must change. Instead of making faces at the police, we must start to smile and be friendly. We must welcome them. That may sound strange coming from this pen, but I look to the end result. If the gay community welcomes th
e police and makes friends with them, we can then expect the police to respect us and our rights. It has to be a two-way meeting and I have no hesitation to take the first step. I will take that step, but, I in turn want to see the police take the next step!

  Last Saturday night in front of the Regency theatre there were about 500 people waiting to get into the movie. The sidewalks were blocked. Even though you could not pass, there were no arrests for “obstructing the sidewalks.” Last week at the Hilton, there was a Photo Show. In all the ads there was mention of a holographic exhibit. The center of that exhibit was a hologram of two naked women kissing and licking each other’s breasts. Even though there were no warnings and even though children were watching, there were no arrests for “obscenities.” The “double” standards against the gay community must stop. Gays must not be arrested on made up charges. Gays must not be arrested for doing the same things straights are doing. Gays must not be beat up by the police . . . (we have on file incidents of that happening).

  Once there are steps taken, then the next step can be taken. That is where the entire community, gay and straight, can help the police. Last year in this city, 40,000 serious crimes were reported. Over 100 per day! Add to that [the] number of serious crimes not reported. Something has to be done to lower that rate rapidly. While police are busting gays for obstructing the sidewalks and while gays are yelling “pig,” people are being mugged, robbed, and murdered. All that negative police energy, not to mention the tax payer’s money, being spent in harassment of the gays must be turned into a positive force against serious crime. Instead of looking for a gay to beat up, the police should be looking for criminals. The gay community can be of help. The upcoming Eureka Valley PCR seminar can open the door for the gays who have been victims of the police and for those police who hate us. But it is a step that must be taken. The end result will be not only an ending of harassment, but also a lowering of serious crime . . . all benefit.

  With the end result in mind, I ask the gay community to continue to take a very active role in all local PCR units. To attend the Eureka Valley PCR seminar with a positive approach rather than a disruptive approach. The problems will not be solved overnight. Hatred has taken years to build. It will take time to overcome. But if the gay community takes that first step and makes it positive, friendly, and warm, then maybe those police who have abused their authority will take the next step. We have questions about some of the police leadership. We may even have hate. We have to bury that, not only for our own sake, but for those gays who will follow us in the years to come. We have the opportunity to show not only this city, but the nation, how to bridge the communities. It would be a shame if we don’t make the most of it.

  17

  “Harvey Milk for Supervisor”

  Campaign letter, February 26, 1975

  Politico Michael Wong observed in his diary that “Harvey did not change his platform very much” after the 1973 campaign. “He was a better speaker and his statements were more refined.” Indeed, Milk’s populism again underwrote and punctuated his platform, as his campaign brochure made plain with this series of questions: “What have you got in return for past increased taxes? Better police protection? Better Muni service? A more efficient purchasing department to save taxpayer’s money? Why didn’t the present Board of Supervisors ever give you a chance to vote, either way, on the Yerba Buena Project? Why did the Supervisors allow $100,000 to be spent on an ‘I Love Muni’ campaign when a lack of money for spare parts idled up to 100 vehicles at a time? Do the Supervisors ride Muni themselves? What have the Supervisors actually accepted for our ever increasing police budget? Police who arrest senior citizens for playing poker? In the recent police and firefighters strike, why did the Supervisors start negotiations so late? And why did they admit they were ‘powerless to do anything’ before the strike—but can now find a dozen ways to ‘punish’ police? AND WHAT ABOUT TAXES?” Milk’s now-familiar “us vs. them” trope found its surest configuration in this race against the incumbent supervisors he hoped to unseat—or at least one (“I ask for just 1 of your 6 votes for Supervisor.”). “I accuse the present Board of Supervisors of creating an atmosphere that has led to municipal strikes, poor city services, an out of hand city budget, and a City Hall that yawns at the plight of the neighborhoods.” Although once again Jim Foster and most other powerful members of the gay establishment opposed Milk’s candidacy, his support among GLBTQ voters flourished, and he garnered a remarkably diverse array of endorsements, including the San Francisco Black Political Caucus, The Democratic League, San Francisco Tomorrow, Homeowners of Western Addition Association, Citizens for Justice, Harry S. Truman Democratic Club, Associated Democratic Club, Citizens for Representative Government, Frank R. Havenner Democratic Club, National Women’s Political Caucus, People’s Democratic Club, San Francisco Building and Construction Trade Council, Seniors Union for Social Justice, and the Union Labor Party.

  Nevertheless, Milk lost for a second time in the 1975 election, finishing seventh behind six incumbents, with 53,000 votes—once again proving that had there been district elections, he would have been victorious. Milk’s optimism for deepening and expanding GLBTQ power never faltered; he always urged his supporters to discover their political and economic agency in the interest of redressing material grievances by exercising their votes, opening their wallets, and finding their voices, which he exemplified. His passionate voter registration drive had made a difference, if not in bringing him to the Board, then in bringing GLBTQ people into fresh and consequential focus for those coming into power, including George Moscone, whose mayoralty would mean change for minorities throughout the city.

  . . .

  Dear Friends,

  It probably comes as no surprise to most of you, but I am going to run for Supervisor again this year. One of the more important reasons for venturing into the political arena once again is to let the 17,000 people who voted for me last time know that my attempt at political office wasn’t a one-shot affair. To have won the first time out, with limited funds and limited experience, would be to have expected a miracle. This time, it’s a whole new ball game.

  Winning an election requires both financial support and lots and lots of hard work, along with the cooperation of others. That is why we’ve turned Castro Camera into a voter-registration headquarters for our neighborhood—Senator Moscone perked noticeably when he discovered that we registered more than 2,500 people for the Governor’s race last November. We have just begun to get this year’s drive rolling again.

  But that’s only part of the overall picture. To expect to carry an election on the Gay vote alone is wishful thinking. The Gay vote is powerful, the Gay vote can make a difference. But it is the tremendous straight vote which makes the real decisions. With this fact in mind, I’ve gone into the straight community—at many functions I’ve been the “token” Gay. I’ve tried to build a bridge between “us” and “them” because I believe that contact with the straight community is a two-way street and it is only by it that we can gain what we all want: equality and acceptance. This is exactly what we have attempted to do with the merchant’s group in the Castro neighborhood. The Castro Village Association started with twelve Gay—and one straight—merchants about a year ago. Through hard work and sustained effort, we now number more than 55 members, many of them are straights, including the banks. We’re trying to make our neighborhood a place where the two diverse communities can live and work together. We want it to become a model of economic strength within the City. We have moved in the right direction.

  . . . In this campaign, I am not going to be a “one issue” candidate. There are too many problems which desperately need solving to indulge in a simple one-issue campaign. I intend to fight for a better sense of spending priorities in city government, calling upon my own financial background. As a small businessman, I intend to fight for the needs of small businesses rather than solely for the interests of “Downtown.” I will call upon my work with the police dep
artment, and my experience with top police officials, to recommend more successful ways of fighting serious crime. And, finally, I will draw on my daily contact with our community to fight for the needs of all people in The City. This campaign will be conducted on several levels but perhaps it can best be summarized by saying it will be a “populist” campaign.

  With all this in mind, I fully realize that I am going to need a hell of a lot of positive help and criticism. Thus, I am inviting you to an open meeting to help set some guidelines and get a more rounded and united viewpoint from our community [in order] to put our campaign together. Win or not, the fact that we’re willing to wage a hard, uphill fight for what we feel is right will provide help and courage to others. While on my various speaking engagements, both here and away from The City, I’ve found that young Gays, especially, as well as those just emerging, derive encouragement and strength from our battle for equality and acceptance.

  I regret that this is a form letter and not the individual one I would like it to be. But there are so many different people and so many varying viewpoints and I want to hear from them all. I hear a great deal from the people I meet on the street, in the shops, in the bars, and at the many meetings which I attend. Now I want to hear from you!

  Please join me on Sunday, March 9th, at 2 P.M. at Castro Camera, 575 Castro.

  If you are unable to attend but would like to join us in this important campaign, please give me a call at 864-1390 or stop by the store at your convenience.