The nonbinding resolution, approved on a 9-2 vote, urges the secretary of the Navy to christen a ship the USS Harvey Milk. It supports the request of San Diego Rep. Bob Filner, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee.
Milk, one of the first openly gay officeholders in the nation, was serving on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors when he was gunned down in 1978 by his former colleague Dan White. Milk was a naval officer who served during the Korean War. Tuesday's vote came on what would have been Milk's 82nd birthday.
"LGBT people have always served in our armed forces," said Supervisor Scott Wiener, who sponsored the resolution. "For many, many years, our community was hidden and oppressed in the armed services. "Now, because of the repeal of 'don't ask, don't tell,' our community can serve openly and proudly," he added. "We must support our LGBT soldiers past and present. I can think of no better way to do that than to name a vessel for a Navy officer who went on to become one of the most important civil rights leaders in history."
But Supervisor Christina Olague voted against the legislation, not wanting to link Milk to the military. "I just do believe that there are more appropriate ways to honor somebody who in their last days of their life was opposed to war," she said, noting Milk's public opposition to the Vietnam War. "I also have, my entire life, been against the military-industrial complex."
Supervisor John Avalos said he sees the merits of the arguments on both sides of the debate. He and his City Hall aides turned to a Ouija board to ask for Milk's opinion.
We "actually put our hands on the Ouija board and the letters g-o-o-d-r-i-d-d-a-n-c-e-d-a-d-t came out. We asked Harvey, and Harvey gave us these letters: 'Good riddance don't ask, don't tell.' It was quite clear that Harvey Milk would have been opposed to 'don't ask, don't tell.' I can honestly say that's one aspect of this resolution that's really valid."
So instead of relying on their own judgments and critical thinking skills, they use a Ouija board to make decisions? About what I would expect from a city where they have only 37,796 religious adherents per 100,000 persons.
DCG
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