Was George Moscone who shepherded the bill that removed criminal penalties between consenting adults in this state that cost people their positions as teachers, as doctors, as nurses, as lawyers in those days. It was a bill that we orchestrated together. And george did what has never been done since, and that is cause the senate to hookup in a 20 to 20 tie in the late dimely was flown in from colorado to break the tie to give us that bill. That set the stage, scott, for all the things that have occurred in this state, and ultimately in this nation on the issue. I must tell you that George Moscone was extraordinary. applause and then george decided he wanted to be the mayor of his city. And believe me, it was a ball having george as mayor of this city. Mr. Mayor, i never had so much fun. [laughter] as i did with george, enjoying every aspect, having been a son of the city, having been raised by a single mother here in this city, and having an extended relationship with the Italian Commu
The city and county of San Francisco like no other. I suspect that much of my love of the city comes from my exposure to george in those very early years. George went through a considerable amount of evolutionary process politically. He allowed john burton to talk him into running for the state legislature. An unsuccessful effort for the state assembly. He went on to become, obviously, a supervisor in the city and county of San Francisco. And in those days it was a different city. It was dramatically different. There was no such thing as a socalled progressive, david campos. There was no such thing as somebody in that category. George moscone, philip burton, represented that which we all now richly enjoy. George went on to become a state senator. And in that capacity, scott, it was George Moscone who shepherded the bill that removed criminal penalties between consenting adults in this state that cost people their positions as teachers, as doctors, as nurses, as lawyers in those days. I
Remember my father and i do speak for my family in this regard. We are always and every day grateful that we live in a city that does not forget. But theres just something wrong in this notion that the day we remember our lost leaders is the most violent day of their lives, which in the case of my family was the most violent day of ours. Its almost as if were giving the senselessness of these deaths way too much respect by centering our love and passion and memory and yearning on the day the beating hearts of these two men, hearts that were so brave, so unflinching, so immensely loving so full of life that they seemed larger than life, the day those beating hearts stopped forever. Because, lets get this straight, george and harvey did not die noblely. There was no opera music. There was nothing heroic. There was nothing romantic to be found in the loss of my dads life. It was a senseless act. And i think why that is after all these years of loving to talk at these beautifully intention
For me harvey milks legacy was not so much about lgbt rights, though that was part of it. For me harvey milk was about civil rights and the rights of all people and the recognition that we as minimum bier of the Lgbt Community are connected to other communities, and that we cannot be for lgbt rights if were also not for the rights of other groups. That we cannot be applause only about the Lgbt Community. That if you believe in gay rights and lgbt rights, that you necessarily have to be for the rights of immigrants. That you necessarily have to be for the rights of women. That you necessarily have to be for the right for anyone who is disinfranchised in society. That to me is the essence of that legacy. And why its a legacy that transcends, transcends the Lgbt Community in terms whatv harvey milk was about. So, as an openly gay latino man, i am grateful for that legacy. And i am grateful that harvey milk, that george moscone, have become a beacon of light and hope not only for the Lgbt
Hostess went under. [laughter] applause but when i went to see the bust for that first time, a bust that i have to admit captured georges mile wide grin and dramatically imperfect teeth, i saw on the pedestal so many things that i didnt know were there. I saw the names of my brothers and sister inside a heart, my dads favorite movie, quotes by him how much he considered being mayor, honor bestowed on him, and the things made possible for people who didnt have power, who didnt have voice, there was so much more on that pedestal than death. And, so, i think its time to reclaim George Moscone from the narcissistic legacy or the senselessness of dan white or the well intentioned world of hollywood or the better intentioned world of theater. Its time to reclaim him from the places where the real george gets lost in the story of others, even in my own. And we gift him back to the city and to the people, to his friends and to his colleagues and to the citizens who are the fabric and texture a