Harvey Milk

[FaithLikeARock]

Harvey Milk was the first openly gay supervisor in San Francisco. He was assassinated November 27th in 1978 by Dan White, a devout Christian who had resigned from his position as supervisor.

He first shot the mayor, George Moscone, then Harvey Milk.

He was charged with manslaughter and received five years before he was released.

Now, is that justice? White had arrived at City Hall with a gun and spare bullets and he took every precaution to avoid metal detectors. It was clearly intentional. He murdered not just two people, but two politicians. In most cases, that merits at least life imprisonment. Yet somehow it was dismissed as an unintentional murder worthy of only a few years in jail and absolutely no mental rehabilitation.

Do you think it was fair? Do you think the outcome would've been different if White wasn't a Christian? What if he were gay and had assassinated a Christian officer? Why if it have been any other combination of color, religion, sexual orientation or culture?

 

[FaithLikeARock]

This is the assassination of two politicians Fundie. Why not come up with a reply that worthwhile? If you want to ask questions about a crime, make your own thread. Don't come in and litter mine. If you don't have a real response, don't respond.

 

[QuakerOats]

I think anyone who's committed murder, regardless of religion, race, or sexual orientation, deserves life in prison, premeditated or not. I really can't say if the courts were lenient on him because he was a Christian. It may be possible. Without knowing all the details in a case, it's difficult to say.

 

[Beanieboy]

This is the notorious Twinkie Defense, where he argued that stress and his diet of Twinkies made him do it. I think it was because Milk fought against the injustice of the law for gays in San Francisco (where they were not allowed to teach, for example), and was a bit of a target, as MLK, Malcolm X, JFK or any other person who dared challenge the status quo.

I also think that White was given an unjust sentence because he was white, and straight, and in a place of power in the government.

This is the result of basically allowing White to "get away with murder", the chant of the people.

 

[FaithLikeARock]

Apparently the sentence was reduced because psychiatrists claimed he ate too much junk food and that made him incapable of controlling himself. Despite the fact that he planned it and carried extra bullets and crawled through a window to get in. Obviously science wasn't exactly the best in the 60's but honestly, I'm sure his religion and his families "BUT HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD PERSON!" argument had something to do with it.

 

[Funny Fundie]

This is the notorious Twinkie Defense, where he argued that stress and his diet of Twinkies made him do it. I think it was because Milk fought against the injustice of the law for gays in San Francisco (where they were not allowed to teach, for example), and was a bit of a target, as MLK, Malcolm X, JFK or any other person who dared challenge the status quo.

I also think that White was given an unjust sentence because he was white, and straight, and in a place of power in the government.

This is the result of basically allowing White to "get away with murder", the chant of the people.

A better analysis. But no doubt it has nothing to do with dude's sexual orientation. If he were gay he may have received less/more?

 

[Funny Fundie]

Apparently the sentence was reduced because psychiatrists claimed he ate too much junk food and that made him incapable of controlling himself. Despite the fact that he planned it and carried extra bullets and crawled through a window to get in. Obviously science wasn't exactly the best in the 60's but honestly, I'm sure his religion and his families "BUT HE'S ALWAYS BEEN A GOOD PERSON!" argument had something to do with it.

The crap analysis. Claiming religious affiliation was the result of the reduced sentence.
Horrible thinking. Just horrible. Stay away from any and all law schools. Thanx...

 

[Beanieboy]

A better analysis. But no doubt it has nothing to do with dude's sexual orientation. If he were gay he may have received less/more?

Maybe. However, if Milk were straight, I think he would have been. This was a time when gay bashings were all but ignored, and even before the Gay Panic Defense came up from hell. I don't think politicians, who were enemies with Milk because he fought against their injustice, were upset that he was dead.

 

[Funny Fundie]

Maybe. However, if Milk were straight, I think he would have been. This was a time when gay bashings were all but ignored, and even before the Gay Panic Defense came up from hell. I don't think politicians, who were enemies with Milk because he fought against their injustice, were upset that he was dead.

But you know and I know that alot of people sympathetic to gay rights back then were still occupying the closet and high office. Indeed, there were many liberal thinkers back then; there's no doubt that trying to come out of the closet as Mayor at a volatile time would be asking for trouble (just playing a guitar like in Hendrix/Morrison/Lenin is grounds fro death by assasin), but to think that this is an issue of gay rights and persecution of gays thru unequal treatment grounds? I don't think so. Not now, anyway...

 

[Beanieboy]

But you know and I know that alot of people sympathetic to gay rights back then were still occupying the closet and high office. Indeed, there were many liberal thinkers back then; there's no doubt that trying to come out of the closet as Mayor at a volatile time would be asking for trouble (just playing a guitar like in Hendrix/Morrison/Lenin is grounds fro death by assasin), but to think that this is an issue of gay rights and persecution of gays thru unequal treatment grounds? I don't think so. Not now, anyway...

So, 5 years in jail for killing 2 people in premeditated murder is just to you?

 

[Funny Fundie]

So, 5 years in jail for killing 2 people in premeditated murder is just to you?

Based on the twinkie defense, of course not. The twinkie defense sounds like some kind of legal play we can expect from the neocons or something...

 

[Beanieboy]

Based on the twinkie defense, of course not. The twinkie defense sounds like some kind of legal play we can expect from the neocons or something...

But based on "the guy was under a lot of stress, and who hasn't killed a few people when they had a bad day?", you think it was just?