Milk - The Politician

[timetraveller]

I've never heard of this person before was watching film2008 last night it showed New films to be released Next yr one titled "MILK" , With Sean Penn playing the Lead roll of the, First ever openly Gay Politician

Would like to know with the recent ruling on Same *** Marriages in the State of LA ..
Do you think this film will cause some controversy due to the content of the film ?

[brainplay]

Flash in the pan. People go to movies for entertainment. Documentaries do better at the video store.

What controversy would it stir? So there was an openly gay politician (City Supervisor, not a Senator or Congressman) in San Francisco. Big deal. Its San Francisco. People would be wondering if there hasn't been an openly gay politician.

They'll be more captivated with the last part of the movie concerning the murder and trial. Granted, the movie will probably portray Milk's murder with more emphasis than the mayor's murder.

[Ordie]

There is a bigger picture.

Growing up in San Francisco, the assasination of Mayor Moscone and Supervisor Milk was a watershed moment.

Background: San Francisco is both a city and a county. The Supervisors serve as a city council, and the Mayor is the chief executive (i.e. City Manager).

There was a crumodgeon of a Supervisor named Quentin Kopp, both he and Fienstein unsuccessfully ran for mayor. Since Fienstein received the most votes she was elected President of the Board of Supervisors. However, Feinstien agreed not to run for mayor and support Kopp's bid for mayor in 1979.

Both Kopp and Fienstien were considered conservatives representing the western portion of San Francisco.

Soon after Moscone's death, she became Mayor. She ran against Kopp as well as Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedy's) but she had a good run as mayor. The 1980's were good times (49ers winning the Superbowls, upgrading the cable cars, new skyscrapers) and she was Pro-Navy re-introducing fleet week. It was also tragic times especially for the gay community in dealing with a 'new cancer' that eventually became (HIV/AIDS).

As for the aftermath of the White Night Riots, its was a paradigm shift in San Francisco politics. It broke the back of the conservative Catholic politics and energized the progressives to this day.

Politics is a bloodsport here in San Francisco. Where every square inch is faught to the bitter end. Milk, Moscone, Feinstein, White and Kopp were political animals. You need to be in San Francisco politics and if you don't piss off people, you're not doing your job.

White invested his career with the Irish Catholic good ol' boy network through the ranks of the SFPD and SFFD. Moscone made a deal with the devil and allied himself with the progressives and gays to get elected. Feinstein was out of both loops. The events of 1978 was a clash of these political cultures.

2008:

Feinstein later went on to the US Senate paving the way for other San Franciscans including Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi more prominance in DC.

The local Catholic Church became less political locally but its Archbishops became more prominant at the Vatican (Cardinal Laveda is #2 next to the pope) SFFD and SFPD are less Irish Catholic today and more diverse.

The Gay community grew in numbers but never became a single voice or votng block as Milk envisioned. Much of it had to do with the AIDS crisis and the divisions within that community. Eventough they are credited for domestic partnership policies within San Francisco, they failed to reach out to middle America and immigrants in crafting equal marriage policies.

[TheSteve]

Flash in the pan. People go to movies for entertainment. Documentaries do better at the video store.

Seriously bro? That's all I'm going to say.

I haven't seen it yet but from what I've read it seems like a good movie and gay rights is still, obviously, very relavent. During the last elections here in Florida voters took away the rights of anyone in any other union other than marriage. This hurts probably just as many, if not more, hetero****** couples as homo******. Leave it up to the majority to protect minorities.

Anyway, I hope to see the movie soon.

[brainplay]

Do you think this film will cause some controversy due to the content of the film ?

Thanks for the history lesson there Ordie. Of course pertaining to the question posed, it really doesn't make much of a difference. Had this guy been from city other than San Francisco it might be taken more seriously.

TheSteve: Yeah seriously. Flash in the pan. Sorry dude. Maybe it will be a great movie. Maybe not. Not really interested myself. New dog movie looks more entertaining although my sister mentioned the ending was sad. Darn..