Harvey Milk: "You Cannot Live On Hope Alone"

Harvey Milk was the first openly-gay man to be elected to public office, in San Francisco in 1977. His amazing speech, "You Cannot Live On Hope Alone," was given in 1978, shortly before he was assassinated.

Watch a great video of that speech created by Causecast:

Got Hope? Harvey Milk.

"Somewhere in Des Moines or San Antonio there is a young gay person who all the sudden realizes that he or she is gay; knows that if their parents find out they will be tossed out of the house, their classmates will taunt the child, and the Anita Bryant's and John Briggs' are doing their part on TV. And that child has several options: staying in the closet, and suicide. And then one day that child might open the paper that says "Homosexual elected in San Francisco" and there are two new options: the option is to go to California, or stay in San Antonio and fight. Two days after I was elected I got a phone call and the voice was quite young. It was from Altoona, Pennsylvania. And the person said "Thanks". And you've got to elect gay people, so that thousand upon thousands like that child know that there is hope for a better world; there is hope for a better tomorrow. Without hope, not only gays, but those who are blacks, the Asians, the disabled, the seniors, the us's: without hope the us's give up. I know that you can't live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you, and you, and you, and you have got to give them hope." - Harvey Milk, 1978

Proposition 8 Protest

Olympia will join cities all around the world in protest of the passage of Proposition 8 in California, the measure that took away hard-earned equal marriage rights for gays and lesbians. The Olympia protest will be at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, at City Hall. Please come, rain or shine.

For information contact Alec at alecclayton.com or Anna Schlecht at aschlecht@juno.com or go to http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com/

Keith Olbermann on Marriage Equality and Prop 8

Adam R wrote today on a PFLAG National Blog post Olbermann on Marriage Equality:

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC commented on his show recently about the passing of Proposition 8 in California, and his dismay and disappointment with the results. He wonders why anyone would want to deny another person the right to the same things that they enjoy. Be sure to watch this clip...

Keith Olbermann is thoughtful, powerful, and wonderful. He said:

You are asked now, by your country, and perhaps by your creator, to stand on one side or another. You are asked now to stand, not on a question of politics, not on a question of religion, not on a question of gay or straight. You are asked now to stand, on a question of...love. All you need do is stand, and let the tiny ember of love meet its own fate. You don't have to help it, you don't have it applaud it, you don't have to fight for it. Just don't put it out.

Please watch & listen to the whole commentary.

Thank you, Keith Olbermann.

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Please stand with us in Olympia on Saturday.
Olympia is joining in a nationwide protest of the passage of Proposition 8 in California, the citizens' initiative that took away the hard-earned right of gays and lesbians to get married.

Please join in the rally at City Hall, 8th Avenue and Plum Street, at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, Nov. 15. Bring signs and umbrellas. There will be guest speakers. We'll meet on the south side of City Hall on the steps to Council Chambers.

Please help spread the word.

If you have any questions, local contacts in Olympia are Alec Clayton at alec@alecclayton.com and Anna Schlecht at aschlecht@juno.com.

You can find posters, signs, and more information at http://jointheimpact.wetpaint.com.

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Also, see this post on my blog for a message from Rebecca Riots and a link to a free song to download: Rebecca Riots - A Thousand Hands (Wedding Song '08).

A statement from PFLAG's ED on the election of Barack Obama

Jody M. Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG, released the following statement on PFLAG National Blog following the election of President-Elect Barack Obama:

Lift Up Your Eyes to the Day Breaking For You

"All of us at PFLAG congratulate President-Elect Obama on his victory this evening. Tonight, our country has turned an historic corner, electing our first African-American commander-in-chief. As a United States Senator, and a candidate for the Presidency of the United States, Obama has been a steadfast friend to the LGBT community, our families and friends. We look forward to working with the new administration, and new Congress, in moving equality forward for our families and friends.

"Tonight, old prejudices have fallen, and outdated barriers have been broken. For those of us with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) loved ones, the significance of this moment cannot be underestimated. President-Elect Obama will arrive in the Oval Office as a remarkable advocate for our community and our families. He will be the first sitting chief executive to support repeal of the military’s prejudicial ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ ban on LGBT Americans, and the first occupant of the White House to support federal recognition of same-sex relationships. We believe our families have an invaluable ally in the White House, and LGBT Americans have a champion for ‘liberty and justice for all.’ We join our country in congratulating pro-equality candidates for Congress as well, as it appears we have obtained a significant majority of fair-minded candidates in both houses of Congress. Even as we await the results of ballot initiatives on marriage equality and adoption, we take great hope and inspiration in President-Elect Obama’s victory.

"In her 1993 inaugural poem to the nation, one of America’s greatest treasures, Dr. Maya Angelou, implored our nation to ‘lift up your eyes to the day breaking for you; give birth again to the dream.’ This evening, we have heeded Dr. Angelou’s call, and we embark on a new journey for America. PFLAG’s family, friends, supporters and volunteers are proud to join President-Elect Obama on that journey, and we salute his historic victory on this unforgettable election day in America."