‘Harvey Milk Day’ in California schools

At age 33, he seduced and had sex with a 16-year-old boy, and admitted to being attracted to young, boyish-looking men (many with substance abuse problems, who were easy victims) his entire life. He lied about his military background in order to gain sympathy and votes for public office, and espoused the idea that multiple sexual partners at one time was right and healthy.

Does this sound like the kind of man you would want your child to look up to and celebrate in school? If you live in California and utilize the public school system, soon you may not have a choice.

SB 572 only awaits the governor’s signature to become law, and make May 22 “Harvey Milk Day” in California schools, celebrating the man whom I described in my opening paragraph. In the legislative text, it reads: “It is the intent of the Legislature that the exercises encouraged in this section be integrated into the regular school program, and be conducted by the school or institution within the amount otherwise budgeted for educational programs.”

Nowhere in the legislation does it spell out the limitations of this bill, or give any rights to parents who may be uncomfortable with such a blatantly anti-family message.

This is a heated issue, and I know I’m asking for it by saying that such a state holiday is inappropriate. Here on EverydayChristian, a great many discussions have started both for and against gay rights, and I think it’s an important conversation that we need to have. The caveat is that we need to do so as discerning adults. Simply indoctrinating children without giving them a chance to think critically about these issues, is detrimental to our families and our faith.

Also, Harvey Milk was far from the loving, monogamous gay man that so many hold up as an icon for LBGT rights, as shown in his biography, The Mayor of Castro Street: “…sixteen-year-old McKinley was looking for some kind of father figure…At 33, Milk was launching a new life, though he could hardly have imagined the unlikely direction toward which his new lover would pull him.” (pages 30-31) “It would be to boyish-looking men in their late teens and early 20’s that Milk would be attracted for the rest of his life.” (page 24) “Harvey always had a penchant for young waifs with substance abuse problems.” (page 180) “Harvey confided one night that at twenty-four, Doug was the oldest man Harvey had ever started an affair with.” (page 237)

A concerned citizen recently wrote into the Santa Clarita Valley News, stating his opposition to this legislation. The newspaper posted this reply: “Editor’s note: SB 572’s language on this topic actually reads: ‘All public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to observe those days and to conduct suitable commemorative exercises as follows… On Harvey Milk Day, exercises remembering the life of Harvey Milk, recognizing his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state.’ The bill does not require anyone to discuss or promote homosexuality, bisexuality or trans-sexuality.”

This argument is intellectually dishonest and frankly, a bit insulting to the opposing view’s intelligence. Not only is it impossible to celebrate the first openly gay man elected to public office without mentioning his sexuality, but insisting that it’s not required is rather like assuming that we can discuss Brett Favre without ever mentioning football, or hoping to talk about FDR without bothering to bring up a little time called World War II.

If you live in California and want to oppose this legislation, SaveCalifornia.com has a plethora of resources, that make communicating with state leaders both easy and effective. I would encourage you to make a stand for our children’s education, and for the traditional values of family and committed marriages. A man who said this… “As homosexuals, we can’t depend on the heterosexual model…We should be developing our own life-style. There’s no reason why you can’t love more than one person at a time. You don’t have to love them all the same…” …does not deserve to be widely celebrated in schools, nor held up as a hero to our kids.

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  1. KarenKerr said:

    I can’t believe this! Ok, I understand that us as a country may want to honor the first openly gay man to be elected into office, I get that. However, since this guy also seems to be a liar as well as a guy that seduced a 16 year old boy, we shouldn’t honor him. Honoring him would be condoning his behavior. I’m sorry, but giving this guy a holiday, and giving children the day off of school, isn’t a good idea! What are we suppose to tell our children when they ask who he is and why we’re honoring him? I’m glad you’ve brought this to our attention. Us, as a nation, should have the say-so when it comes to holidays that our children will be forced to acknowledge.

    October 8, 2009
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  2. Preston Kerr said:

    Ah the great ideas that come from State Legislators. We have Hollywood supporting the actions and work of a pedifile, and now we have the great state of California deciding it’s a great idea for students to be taken out of school spending the day honoring and celebrating the life of an openly gay pedifile and criminal. As a teacher, I am openly against this. I have no problem with the fact that he was gay, my issue lies with the fact that he was shady, a criminal, and a very poor role model. What’s next, honoring Charles Manson for his ability to get people united behind a cause? Nice work, Dani.

    October 9, 2009
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  3. Carlos Diaz said:

    What I understand is that the first king of the unified tribes of ancient Israel. David, son of Jesse, seduced and impregnated the wife of another man, had the man brought from the battlefield so that he could lie with his wife, the man did not, so the king had him sent to the front line so that he could be killed. What I understand it that the prophet of God got the king to condemn himself (oh, but wait, he was king; the king is above the law…), but he didn’t suffer the normal Old Testament punishment for this action– stoning, to death. I’m sorry, but I will not allow my future children to ever read that story in the Bible.

    October 9, 2009
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