Dustin Lance Black and Sean Penn, who received Academy Awards for their roles in the 2008 Harvey Milk biopic Milk, are expressing their opinions following Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s directive to eliminate Harvey Milk’s name from a Navy vessel.
As a gamer, I’m not here to fan the flames of division, but rather to shed light on a tactic often used: creating distractions to escalate cultural conflicts. This strategy is designed to provoke reactions that are self-serving, thereby widening the gap between us and our fellow advocates in other crucial rights battles across this nation. It’s a classic divide-and-conquer approach.
As I pen this message, I can’t help but express my astonishment. I’ve never witnessed a Secretary of Defense voluntarily plummet to the position of a Petty Officer with such ferocity, not even in my gaming worlds.
Word got out yesterday via a leaked memo that the USNS Harvey Milk will undergo a name change following some internal assessments within the Department of Defense. The department’s main spokesperson later verified this information, stating that an official announcement will follow once all internal reviews have been concluded.
According to a memo issued by Secretary John Phelan, additional vessels under consideration for name changes are currently those carrying namesakes such as prominent figures in the civil rights movement, including Thurgood Marshall, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, and Cesar Chavez.
The Pentagon declared that Secretary Hegseth is dedicated to naming Defense Department installations and assets in a manner that aligns with the president’s agenda, honors our country’s past, and upholds the warrior spirit,” according to their statement.
Black counters, “Those individuals appear to lack intelligence, not to mention wisdom and knowledge. Pete Hegseth comes across as insignificant and small-minded. It would be fascinating to have him meet some remarkable LGBTQ individuals who have had to fight tirelessly just to live their lives authentically.”
Black replies, “It seems they’re not the sharpest tools in the shed. Pete Hegseth strikes me as someone lacking intelligence, wisdom, and knowledge. He appears petty and insignificant. I’d relish the opportunity to introduce him to some truly brave LGBTQ individuals who have had to fight for their entire lives just to live openly as they are.
Following the success of “Milk,” directed by Gus Van Sant, which garnered widespread acclaim and was both critically and commercially successful, earning two Academy Awards – one for Black (the actor) and one for Sean Penn, who portrayed the leading role.
The movie opens showing Harvey Milk arriving in San Francisco, then follows his journey to political prominence as the first openly gay man to be elected to public office. Unfortunately, he was killed along with Mayor George Moscone by city supervisor Dan White in 1978. White was convicted of two charges of voluntary manslaughter and served five years in prison before being released.
According to Black, there’s a wealth of experiences Harvey had before my movie ends that are worth mentioning. He spent time on Wall Street, worked on Broadway, taught at school, and served in the Navy right here in California. Harvey was exceptional at everything he did, even his service in the Navy.
Black explains, “Harvey often emphasized, ‘This isn’t about personal pride, it’s about us all.’ And when he referred to ‘us all,’ he wasn’t limited to just the LGBTQ+ community. It encompassed racial and ethnic minorities, people who didn’t speak English fluently, elderly residents struggling with skyrocketing city rents, finding themselves homeless in their later years. It included union workers, particularly those who couldn’t afford to feed their children and required a fair wage. These were the groups he referred to as ‘us all.’ This was his coalition.
Harvey Milk is a significant figure in civil rights history, undeniably so,” Black adds. “Changing the name of a ship won’t alter that fact. If people are upset, great, let them be angry – but channel this energy into constructive actions. Follow Harvey Milk’s advice and reunite the groups who push for progress. End the disagreements and stand together again. That’s what Harvey would advocate.
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2025-06-04 22:54