Tuesday, May 03, 2011

EQCA: 
Harvey Milk Day/SF = Drinks, Dollars & Disco

Has a full-year elapsed since the Democratic gays at Equality California marked the Harvey Milk Day with a tightly-controlled fundraiser featuring Rep. Nancy Pelosi? Indeed, yes, and for the 2011 edition of this day of significance, so designated by the state of California, EQCA have again held any public meetings to engaged the community regarding marking this date.

I reported on Saturday that this organization's plan to commemorate Harvey Milk Day in Los Angeles was a pricey gala at a private estate in Bel Air featuring a reality TV star. Not exactly the educational vision EQCA said would accompany the day if legislation pushing the day of significance became law.

How will EQCA mark this day in Harvey's hometown? The day before, there will be a party at a Castro neighborhood bar, but not just any old fun-time on a Saturday night. This party will have alcoholic drink specials, with some proceeds benefiting EQCA, some folks in costumes and disco dancing.

For the clean and sober of our community, or those hoping our leading statewide political group would organize a Harvey Milk Day event or two with community input, and be more than another money-making opportunity for EQCA, better luck next year. Would it destroy this group if they ever reached out to the community and collaborated for once to work with grassroots folks, to stage bar events and activities that don't involve fundraising, kissing Democratic Party butts and corporate sponsorship to honor Harvey?

It's beyond me why decent and intelligent gay people say we need EQCA, and that the way it operates is just fine.

At EQCA, Harvey Milk ain't nothing but a reason to raise funds:

Happy Birthday, Harvey Milk!
San Francisco
Saturday, May 21
8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. 
Break out your hot pants, bell bottoms and best gold medallions
to celebrate the
Second Annual Harvey Milk Day
at The LOOKOUT
with cake, dancing, peace, love and
DISCO!
Costumes are HIGHLY encouraged.
Those in the finest costumes will be handsomely rewarded...
Drink Proceeds Benefit Equality California
Generously sponsored by

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