Harvey Milk's radical vision of equality - Lillian Faderman

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Bruce Sung

By 1973,

到 1973 年時，

Harvey Milk had already been many things:

哈維米爾克已經有許多身份：

naval officer, high school teacher,

海軍軍官、高中老師、

bit-part actor, and wandering hippie.

小角色演員，以及流浪的嬉皮。

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

但，當他開始從事另一種生活， 在舊金山經營一間相機店，

he already found himself distracted.

他已經發現他自己的 注意力被拉走了。

From the Watergate hearings on national news,

從全國新聞上的水門案聽證會，

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

到因為學校無法負擔投影機 導致老師必須要去租借，

Harvey saw a desperate need for political reform.

哈維看到了政治改革的迫切需求。

Milk strongly believed that tight knit neighborhoods

米爾克堅信，讓城市的鄰里

緊密地交織在一起是必不可少的，

were essential to the fabric of the city,

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

且政府應該要為社區解決 它們最實際的問題。

From fixing potholes and putting up stop signs,

從填補道路上的坑洞， 到設立停止標誌，

to promoting a friendly culture of cooperation,

到推動合作的友善文化，

Milk envisioned a more personal approach to local government.

米爾克想像出一種更個人化的 方式來接近地方政府。

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

因為這哲學，他去 競選該市的市參事，

as the representative for his own district,

想成為他所屬轄區的代表，

which included the heart of American gay culture,

這個轄區包含了美國 同性戀文化的心臟地區，

the Castro.

卡斯楚區。

At this time, police brutality, discrimination and media stereotyping

在這個時期，警方的蠻橫、 歧視，以及媒體的刻板印象

plagued the LGBT community,

都在折磨著 LGBT 族群，

labeling Harvey and his supporters as political outsiders.

將哈維及他的支持者貼上 「政治外人」的標籤。

But Milk refused to downplay his sexuality.

但米爾克拒絕 在性向方面採低姿態。

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

他很確定，不出櫃就 永遠無法贏得同性戀權利，

and he saw the Castro

他把卡斯楚區視為在城市政治上，

as one of many minorities without representation in city politics.

沒有人代表的許多弱勢族群之一。

Milk was determined to bring these basic government services

米爾克很堅決要將 這些基本政府服務帶給

to all of San Francisco’s disenfranchised groups,

舊金山所有權利被剝奪的族群，

regardless of race, age, or sexuality.

不論種族、年齡，或性向。

But despite his flair for public speaking

但，儘管他有公開演說的才能，

and open-hearted approach,

以及打開心胸的方法，

voters couldn’t see Milk’s radical vision.

投票者仍然無法了解 米爾克的激進遠景。

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

1973 年，他競選 市參事的初次嘗試失敗了。

In 1975, he lost again.

1975 年，他又沒選上。

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

一年後，他參選加州 眾議院——敗選。

Yet he tirelessly continued to support his district,

但，他很堅韌地繼續 支持他的轄區，

befriending bartenders, construction unions, and local Chinese grocers.

結交酒保、建築業工會， 及當地的的中國食品雜貨商。

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

這讓他得到了一個很親切的 稱號：「卡斯楚街頭市長」。

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

1977 年，哈維 第三次參選市參事，

Harvey finally won the seat–

他終於贏得一席——

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

成為美國史上最早公開 同性戀身分的公職人員之一。

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

米爾克十分興奮，上任後 決心要做出持久的改變。

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

他馬上提出法案， 禁止以性向來歧視人。

and launched a major clean-up of the city.

並且發動了城市的重大整頓。

But not everyone was happy with this direction.

但，並不是所有人 都樂見他採取這個方向。

Anti-gay sentiment was gaining national momentum,

反同性戀的情緒 開始有全國性的氣勢，

especially in the form of California’s Proposition 6.

特別是以加州六號 提案的形式展現出來。

The proposition, which sought to make it illegal

這個提案的訴求是要讓

for homosexuals to work in Californian schools,

同性戀在加州的學校工作 成為不合法的行為，

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

這是米爾克職涯中 最重大的一場戰役。

Supporters of Prop 6 attacked the LGBT community,

六號提案的支持者 攻擊 LGBT 族群，

calling them unfit to work with students.

宣稱他們不適合做 和學生相關的工作。

But Milk urged them not to hide in fear:

但米爾克力勸他們 不要因為恐懼而躲藏：

“Come out to your relatives.

「向你的親戚出櫃。

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

向你的朋友出櫃， 如果他們真的是你的朋友。

Come out to your neighbors, to your fellow workers…

向你的鄰居出櫃， 向你的同事出櫃……

break down the myths.

打破迷思。

Destroy the lies and distortions.

摧毀說謊和扭曲。

For your sake. For their sake.”

為了你自己。為了他們。」

Alongside other activists,

他和其他激進主義分子一起

he ran an incandescent campaign against hate.

進行一項輝煌的運動，對抗仇恨。

On November 7, 1978,

1978 年 11 月 7 日，

Prop 6 was defeated in a landslide.

六號提案被壓倒性地打敗了。

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

這個結果證明了米爾克的訊息 越來越受到大家歡迎。

But just twenty days after this inspiring victory,

但，在這鼓舞人心的 勝利過後二十天，

he was assassinated at City Hall–

他在市政廳被刺殺——

killed alongside San Francisco Mayor George Moscone.

和舊金山市長喬治 莫斯科尼一同被殺害。

Both men had been murdered by Dan White,

殺害兩人的兇手都是丹懷特，

a former fellow supervisor,

他是前任市參事，

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

他給自己的定位是對抗他所謂的

「激進分子、社會異議者， 以及固執的人。」

and incorrigibles.”

He had frequently clashed with Harvey at Board meetings,

在委員會的會議上， 他經常和哈維發生衝突，

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

且很痛恨在許多人心中 米爾克所代表的改變精神。

The night of Milk's murder,

米爾克被謀殺的那晚，

thousands marched by candlelight through the city.

數千人帶著燭光在城市中遊行。

In the wake of this tragedy,

在這場悲劇之後，

yet another injustice arose.

又發生了一件不公的事。

In a highly controversial verdict,

懷特只被判刑七年八個月，

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

這項裁決非常受到爭議——

a decision that sparked uproar throughout the city

這個決定點燃了全市的騷動，

in what became known as the White Night Riots.

發生了大家所知的 「懷特之夜暴亂」。

But even after his death,

但，即使在米爾克死後，

Milk continued to preach his hopeful cause.

他仍然持續鼓吹 他那充滿希望的目標。

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

他總共留給他的朋友和追隨者 三支不同的錄音帶，

to be played in the event of his assassination.

若他被刺殺，可以拿來播放。

They leave us with a call to action,

這些錄音帶呼籲我們採取行動，

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

並提醒我們，歡迎 所有人參與對抗不公：

"I ask for the movement to continue…

「我請求運動能繼續下去……

and if a bullet should enter my brain,

如果有一顆子彈擊中我的腦部，

let that bullet destroy every closet door…”

讓這顆子彈摧毀所有櫃子的門……」