A political lesson we can learn from "Milk."

[CTyankee]

This is not a movie review. If it were, I would have posted it in the Lounge. It is, however, a look at the movie "Milk" for what we as activists can learn from Harvey Milk.

We see Harvey Milk start his long journey for election to local office by bringing together different segments of his district. He also rejects the counsel to avoid talking about gay rights, instead of a generic "human rights."

He begins with labor unions, winning over a largely hetero group by being on their side in the labor struggle. In return, they are helpful when he calls for a boycott of "Coors" beer. He is a self described "business man" but does not want businesses to get ahead in the district by discriminating against gays.

He talks to elderly people in his district about their needs. He makes them understand he is on their side and will speak for them.

The list goes on but he proves what I and many other activists who have been watching "the struggle" for over 35 years have learned: building coalitions is imperative and you can do it without sacrificing your own ideals. In fact, he got gays out of the closet at the same time he was building coalitions, which many people thought was an impossibility.

Harvey had a tough row to hoe and he was unsuccessful in many early campaigns. However, he became a national hero in the gay community and an organizing point for the struggle for equality. He inspired millions.

How proud he would be that, despite Prop 8, we have in place 2 strong state supreme court decisions that allow gay marriage. I'm sure that was almost beyond his imagination at the time.

Go see "Milk." It gives us a lesson to learn.

[Blarch]

1. I saw Milk last night...

It was a great film. But I can't believe Dan White only got 2 1/2 years for shooting the mayor.

He shot the fucking Mayor, and only got 2 1/2 years in jail for it ?

[ljm2002]

4. That slap-on-the-wrist sentence sparked riots...

...at the time. By gays and many, many others who were equally outraged.

Not long after White got out of prison, he committed suicide by running his car in his garage.

[mucifer]

2. I agree. This is exactly what Harold Washington, the first black mayor of Chicago, did.

He had a very strong coalition that included minorities, GLBT and liberal whites. The media didn't poll much in the minority communities and they were shocked when he won. It was very exciting. Without Harold, I don't know if Obama would have made it as far in Chicago. Harold gained the trust of many racist whites who realized Chicago didn't fall apart with a black mayor.

[Blarch]

3. agreed.