People in the state of California, or at least those who have their ear to the ground on California issue, may remember that last year, a bill was proposed that would designate May 22nd as "Harvey Milk Day" in the state. The bill itself said:
Existing law requires the Governor to proclaim certain days each
year for specified reasons. Existing law also designates particular
days each year as having special significance in public schools and
educational institutions and encourages those entities to conduct
suitable commemorative exercises on those dates.
This bill would require the Governor to proclaim May 22 of each
year as Harvey Milk Day, and would designate that date as having
special significance in public schools and educational institutions
and encourage those entities to conduct suitable commemorative
exercises on that date.
You can view the full text of the bill here
Seems mild enough, eh? Apparently not for conservatives in California (and likely around the nation as well). They rallied and cried and Governor Schwarzenegger folded under the pressure, vetoing the bill (keep in mind that this was several months after his change-of-heart on gay marriage, but a few months before Proposition 8 was passed).
And that was the end of it...Until this year, when State Senator Mark Leno once again introduced the bill in the State Senate, hoping "Milk"'s success and Proposition 8's passage would be enough to change the Governor's heart on the issue.
But wouldn't you know it, the ultra-right wing is at it again. Your conservative friends might be sending you this doosey of a forward in the coming weeks (Thanks to the lovely folks at snopes.com for catching one from their inbox)
Dear Friends,
This is a time for immediate action. While we are working to protect marriage, our legislature has moved forward with more Gay Rights legislation. Presently AB 2567 sits on the Governor's desk, awaiting his signature. This bill would make it mandatory for every Public School to set aside May 22 as Harvey Milk Day where it will be mandatory to explain Gay Rights and the accomplishments of Harvey Milk to bring about this agenda.
It is important that calls are made today and tomorrow (Thur and Fri).
ACTION: CALL SCHWARZENEGGER TO STRONGLY OPPOSE AB 2567 AND URGE HIM TO VETO
AB 2567.
Dial 916-445-2841
1 for English
2 To speak with a staff member (It's painless and just takes a minute.)Tell
the staffer that you are strongly opposed to AB 2567 Harvey Milk Day, and
urge the Governor to Veto AB 2567.
or if you get a recording...follow the instructions to voice opinion:
Would like to express opinion on AB 2567 press 1 then
Press 2 to oppose bill
They will ask for your first name and what City you are calling from, only if you get a staff member, the recording just records your vote.
Please, Please call it takes about 2 minutes!
Thank you for your prompt action,
Not surprisingly, the forward is filled with incredible factual errors, the biggest one being the claim that schools would be required to teach about homosexuality on this day and put it in a positive light to "further the agenda".
Of course, you can all simply read the text of the bill and find that it only requests:
encourage those entities to conduct suitable commemorative
exercises on that date.
Still, a more vile e-mail is also circulating:
Already on Governor Schwarzenegger's desk is a very bad bill that will push
even more homosexual, bisexual, and transsexual indoctrination upon children
as young as kindergarten. AB 2567 would designate every May 22 as
'Harvey Milk Day' in California's government school system.
Harvey Milk was a homosexual activist who was a San Francisco supervisor
until he was killed in 1978. Milk championed homosexual experimentation,
sexual activism, and the abolishment of sexual boundaries. He also regarded
organized religion as dangerous.
The text of AB 2567 states that 'On Harvey Milk Day, exercises remembering
the life of Harvey Milk and
recognizing his accomplishments as well as the contributions he made to this
state' should be conducted; specifically, 'all public schools and
educational institutions are encouraged to observe...and conduct
suitable commemorative exercises.' In other words, anything and everything
Harvey Milk believed in or is now purported to believe in will be inculcated
into children's impressionable minds.
If signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger, every May 22, AB 2567 will
positively portray to children homosexual experimentation, homosexual
'marriages,' sex-change operations, and anything else that is 'in the
closet.' There are no limits on the 'suitable commemorative exercises' that
can be conducted. Obviously, AB 2567 has nothing to do with academic
excellence.
Yup, once you start acknowledging gay politicians in school, it's only one small step until you have Shop class turned into "Sex-Change Operations for Beginners" and start forcing young boys to make out with one another in school.
Even more outrageous are some of the word-of-mouth rumors being spread around my local community, in which some are claiming that Harvey Milk Day would actually be designated a holiday (As in, no school) and MLK Day would have to forfeit its day-off, a claim that is an obvious fallacy.
But e-mail forwards aren't the only way conservatives are getting attention. Richard Kirk from the North County Times attempts to make a connection between Ms. California and Harvey Milk Day. According to Mr. Kirk, Harvey Milk Day is just another step in the Liberal/Mainstream Media/Obama/Keith Olbermann's agenda to turn America into a 1984-esque society where any dissent from Leftist opinion is promptly squashed out.
Make no mistake, the left and the mainstream media will not tolerate dissent ---- especially on their "entertainment" turf.� And now Obama's minions are out to muzzle talk radio.
The same intolerance was on full display when opponents were targeted for financial reprisals during and after the Proposition 8 election ---- and when a member of the Sacramento arts community had to resign for donating to the wrong side.
If anyone wants to see the future of California, it isn't "Carrie Prejean Day," as Vista school board trustee Jim Gibson would have it. Rather, it's "Harvey Milk Day" ---- or else!
Scaaaaaaaary!