Last Sunday was Harvey Milk’s birthday — he’d be 81, just imagine! — and efforts have begun to convince the United States Postal Service to issue a Harvey Milk stamp. Among the first openly gay elected officials in America, Harvey remains a national icon for his statement — still as valid today as when he said it about the kid in middle America who saw no gay or lesbian role models around him or her — “you gotta give them hope!”
Thanks to a remarkable major motion picture and a Presidential Medal of Freedom, Harvey’s almost mainstream-acceptable now in a way that would probably startle him. And that brings us to the point of this evening’s post: let’s have a stamp with Harvey Milk on it!
As we approach what would have been Harvey Milk’s 80th birthday on May 22nd, we have a chance to honor his legacy and celebrate his contributions to the LGBT community – and the nation – through a commemorative stamp.
As one of the first openly gay men elected to public office in the United States, and as the first in California, Milk inspired a generation of activists and continues to be a lasting symbol in the fight for full equality. As a 2009 recipient of the Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, Harvey Milk has already been nationally recognized as a pioneer in the fight for civil rights of gays and lesbians.
Just in time for his 80th Birthday, it’s time to honor Harvey Milk with an official US Postal Service stamp. A stamp, which would be sent around the world and collected for generations to come, would demonstrate our national pride in Milk’s accomplishments and the recognition of the LGBT community that he fought for.
Sign on to this letter urging the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee to recommend a stamp in honor of Harvey Milk to the Postmaster General. Sign on before May 22nd, Milk’s 80th birthday!
Petition text inside
Honor Harvey Milk with a U.S. Postage Stamp
Dear Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee,
I respectfully request that a commemorative stamp be issued soon honoring Harvey Milk and his work in the LGBT movement for civil rights and equality. As the first openly gay man to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Milk helped open the doors for gays and lesbians in the United States by championing the civil rights for homosexuals. Since Milk’s murder in 1978, he has remained a symbol of activism for the LGBT community.
President Obama awarded Harvey Milk the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. As you know, this is America’s highest civilian honor, awarded to individuals who make an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interest of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.
The former Governor of the State of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, inducted Harvey Milk into the California Hall of Fame to honor his contribution to California saying he “embodies California’s innovative spirit and has made a mark in history.”
Harvey Milk is revered nationally and globally as a pioneer of the LGBT civil rights movement for his exceptional leadership and dedication to equal rights.
Please honor Harvey Milk with a commemorative U.S. postage stamp, because he is a true American hero and a champion of civil rights for all people. Thank you.
What Do You Think?
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.