The US Supreme Court will decide within the next month or so whether marriage equality will be the law of the land. Folks are hopeful. Same-sex marriage is now legal more places than ever and people are hopeful that someday all barriers will be gone. Ireland is voting right now on the matter and is poised to leave tolerance far behind and replace it with true equality. These are the hopeful things that Harvey Milk spoke about.
Today is the birthday of that American politician, Harvey Milk, who became the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California and who in death, became an lgbt icon. Because of his legacy, today in California is a day which is annually recognized as a day of special significance for public schools. Last year on this date, the United States Postal Service issued a new forever stamp featuring Milk's face. Recognition of an lgbt hero - certainly a hopeful sign.
It was way back in 1978, not long before an assassin's bullet would end his life, that Milk told crowds "you have to give people hope." There are still hate crimes and there is still discrimination, and many lgbt people might see the future as hopeless, but it is not. More and more people are standing up to bigots and haters and saying enough! Change, even though it may at times seem slow, is coming. I think Harvey Milk would be hopeful. I think there are many positive events around the world that are indeed giving people hope!
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