Forty-five years later

San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and San Francisco Supervisor Harvey Milk, who were shot and killed in San Francisco City Hall by former Supervisor Dan White on this date forty-five years ago. White was angry that the Mayor had refused to re-appoint him to his seat on the Board of Supervisors, from which White had just resigned, and that Milk had lobbied heavily against his re-appointment. 

San Francisco, where I lived at the time, was already reeling from the mass suicides and murders in Johnstown just days before.

 

Moscone's name is not as well known today as Milk's, even though both have buildings named for them.  Harvey Milk has become much better known in death, than he was in life.  Like with John F Kennedy, whom I wrote about last Wednesday, there have been a lot of "what if he had lived?" questions asked.  Certainly nobody knows for sure, but there have been a lot of changes since.  Some might argue that there has not been a mayor as progressive as George Moscone.  There have been other gay elected officials though, and not just representing San Francisco's heavily gay Castro district.

 

It is certain that both Moscone and Milk made a difference in this world.  They started some things that have continued following their deaths.  One huge tribute to them is that there have been regularly remembrances of that dark day when they were murdered.  On the night of the assassinations, it was an impromptu candlelight march started in the Castro and leading to the City Hall steps that was terribly moving. Tens of thousands of people took part that night with Joan Baez leading "Amazing Grace" along the way.

 

Forty-five years later we remember these two men, and I hope we always will.  I also hope that the day will come when being progressive or being gay is no big deal.