Harvey Milk's radical vision of equality - Lillian Faderman

Prevodilac: Ivana Krivokuća Lektor: Tijana Mihajlović

By 1973,

Do 1973. godine,

Harvey Milk had already been many things:

Harvi Milk je već radio mnogo stvari:

naval officer, high school teacher,

bio je pomorski oficir, profesor u srednjoj školi,

bit-part actor, and wandering hippie.

glumac u kratkim scenama i lutajući hipik.

But as he embarked on yet another life running a camera shop in San Francisco,

Ali, dok je počinjao još jedan život

vlasnika prodavnice foto-aparata u San Francisku,

he already found himself distracted.

već mu je pažnja odlutala negde drugde.

From the Watergate hearings on national news,

Od saslušanja o Votergejtu na nacionalnim vestima

to the teacher who had to rent a projector when her school couldn’t afford one,

do nastavnice koja je morala da iznajmi projektor

jer ga škola nije mogla priuštiti,

Harvey saw a desperate need for political reform.

Harvi je video očajničku potrebu za političkim reformama.

Milk strongly believed that tight knit neighborhoods

Milk je snažno verovao da su usko povezana naselja

were essential to the fabric of the city,

od ključnog značaja za strukturu grada

and that government should solve those community’s most practical problems.

i da vlada treba da rešava te najpraktičnije probleme zajednice.

From fixing potholes and putting up stop signs,

Od popravljanja rupa na putevima i postavljanja znakova za zaustavljanje

to promoting a friendly culture of cooperation,

do promovisanja prijateljske kulture saradnje,

Milk envisioned a more personal approach to local government.

Milk je zamislio ličniji pristup lokalnoj upravi.

This philosophy led him to run for the city’s Board of Supervisors

Ova filozofija ga je navela da se kandiduje

za gradski Odbor supervizora kao predstavnik svog okruga

as the representative for his own district,

which included the heart of American gay culture,

koji je obuhvatao srce američke gej kulture,

the Castro.

Kastro.

At this time, police brutality, discrimination and media stereotyping

U to vreme su policijska brutalnost, diskriminacija i stereotipi u medijima

plagued the LGBT community,

harali LGBT zajednicom,

labeling Harvey and his supporters as political outsiders.

zbog čega su Harvi i njegove pristalice dobili etiketu političkih autsajdera.

But Milk refused to downplay his sexuality.

Ali Milk je odbio da stavi u zapećak svoju seksualnost.

He was sure that gay rights could never be won from the closet,

Bio je siguran da se gej prava ne mogu dobiti skrivajući se

and he saw the Castro

i video je Kastro

as one of many minorities without representation in city politics.

kao jednu od mnogih manjina bez zastupljenosti u gradskoj politici.

Milk was determined to bring these basic government services

Milk je bio odlučan da donese ove osnovne vladine usluge

to all of San Francisco’s disenfranchised groups,

svim obespravljenim grupama u San Francisku,

regardless of race, age, or sexuality.

bez obzira na rasu, starost ili seksualnost.

But despite his flair for public speaking

Ali, uprkos njegovom smislu za javni govor

and open-hearted approach,

i otvorenom pristupu,

voters couldn’t see Milk’s radical vision.

glasači nisu mogli da vide Milkovu radikalnu viziju.

In 1973, he lost his first bid for the Board of Supervisors.

Godine 1973, izgubio je prvo nadmetanje za Odbor supervizora.

In 1975, he lost again.

Godine 1975, izgubio je ponovo.

A year later, he ran for the California Assembly– and lost.

Godinu dana kasnije, kandidovao se za skupštinu u Kaliforniji i izgubio.

Yet he tirelessly continued to support his district,

Ipak, neumorno je nastavio da podržava svoj okrug,

befriending bartenders, construction unions, and local Chinese grocers.

sprijateljio se sa barmenima,

građevinskim sindikatima i lokalnim kineskim trgovcima.

This earned him the affectionate title, the "mayor of Castro Street.”

Time je dobio titulu od milja „gradonačelnik Ulice Kastro“.

And when he ran his third campaign for the Board of Supervisors in 1977,

A kada je vodio svoju treću kampanju za Odbor supervizora 1977. godine,

Harvey finally won the seat–

Harvi je konačno osvojio fotelju,

becoming one of the first openly gay public officials in US history.

čime je postao jedan od prvih javnih zvaničnika

u američkoj istoriji koji su se otvoreno deklarisali kao pripadnici gej populacije.

Elated, Milk arrived in office determined to make lasting change.

Ushićen, Milk je stupio na funkciju rešen da donese trajne promene.

He immediately introduced a bill outlawing discrimination on the grounds of sexuality

Odmah je uveo zakon kojim se zabranjuje diskriminacija na osnovu seksualnosti

and launched a major clean-up of the city.

i pokrenuo veliko čišćenje grada.

But not everyone was happy with this direction.

Ali, nisu svi bili zadovoljni ovim pravcem dešavanja.

Anti-gay sentiment was gaining national momentum,

Antigej raspoloženje je dobijalo nacionalni zamah,

especially in the form of California’s Proposition 6.

naročito u obliku Kalifornijskog predloga 6.

The proposition, which sought to make it illegal

Ovaj predlog, koji je zahtevao da se proglasi nezakonitim

for homosexuals to work in Californian schools,

da homoseksualci rade u kalifornijskim školama

would prove to be the biggest battle of Milk’s career.

pokazaće se kao najveća bitka u Milkovoj karijeri.

Supporters of Prop 6 attacked the LGBT community,

Pristalice Predloga 6 napadale su LGBT zajednicu,

calling them unfit to work with students.

nazivajući ih nepodobnim za rad sa učenicima.

But Milk urged them not to hide in fear:

Ali Milk ih je podsticao da se ne kriju u strahu:

“Come out to your relatives.

„Razotkrijte se svojim rođacima.

Come out to your friends, if indeed they are your friends.

Razotkrijte se prijateljima, ako su vam zaista prijatelji.

Come out to your neighbors, to your fellow workers…

Razotkrijte se komšijama, kolegama...

break down the myths.

srušite mitove.

Destroy the lies and distortions.

Uništite laži i izvrtanje stvarnosti.

For your sake. For their sake.”

Za vaše dobro. Za njihovo dobro.“

Alongside other activists,

Zajedno sa drugim aktivistima,

he ran an incandescent campaign against hate.

vodio je užarenu kampanju protiv mržnje.

On November 7, 1978,

Dana 7. novembra 1978,

Prop 6 was defeated in a landslide.

Predlog 6 je poražen velikom većinom.

It was proof that Milk’s message was gaining traction.

Bio je to dokaz da je Milkova poruka dobila na snazi.

But just twenty days after this inspiring victory,

Ali samo dvadeset dana nakon ove inspirativne pobede,

he was assassinated at City Hall–

ubijen je u gradskoj većnici

killed alongside San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.

zajedno sa gradonačelnikom San Franciska Džordžom Moskonijem.

Both men had been murdered by Dan White,

Obojicu ih je ubio Den Vajt,

a former fellow supervisor,

bivši supervizor

who had positioned himself against those he called "radicals, social deviates

koji je zastupao poziciju protiv onih koje je nazivao

„radikalima, društveno devijantnima i nepopravljivima“.

and incorrigibles.”

He had frequently clashed with Harvey at Board meetings,

Često se sukobljavao sa Harvijem na sastancima odbora

and resented the spirit of change which Milk personified for many.

i prezirao je duh promena čijim su oličenjem mnogi smatrali Harvija.

The night of Milk's murder,

Te noći uoči Milkovog ubistva,

thousands marched by candlelight through the city.

hiljade ljudi je marširalo kroz grad uz svetlost sveća.

In the wake of this tragedy,

Odmah nakon ove tragedije,

yet another injustice arose.

dogodila se još jedna nepravda.

In a highly controversial verdict,

U veoma kontroverznoj presudi,

White received a sentence of only seven years and eight months–

Vajt je dobio kaznu od samo sedam godina i osam meseci,

a decision that sparked uproar throughout the city

što je odluka koja je podstakla metež kroz ceo grad

in what became known as the White Night Riots.

u okviru onoga što je poznato pod imenom Nemiri belih noći.

But even after his death,

Ali, i nakon svoje smrti,

Milk continued to preach his hopeful cause.

Milk je nastavio da propoveda svoju misiju punu nade.

He left his friends and followers a total of three different tapes

Ostavio je svojim prijateljima i sledbenicima tri različite trake

to be played in the event of his assassination.

da se puštaju u slučaju njegovog ubistva.

They leave us with a call to action,

Ostavljaju nam poziv na akciju

and a reminder that everyone is welcome in the fight against injustice:

i podsetnik da su svi dobrodošli u borbi protiv nepravde:

"I ask for the movement to continue…

„Tražim da se pokret nastavi...

and if a bullet should enter my brain,

i ako metak uđe u moj mozak,

let that bullet destroy every closet door…”

neka taj metak uništi sva vrata iza kojih se gej ljudi kriju...“