LGBT tempers have been flaring and animosity growing at the Human Rights Campaign latest faux pas to relocate its San Francisco store and “action center” which is nothing more than a glorified gift shop, into the retail space where the late gay rights hero and activist Harvey Milk had his camera store.
Numerous uggestions have been made to HRC over the past week on how to rectify this almost total negative backlash about the move and save what little face it has left with one of the most popular and poetic ideas being that HRC sublet the space to The Trevor Project to operate a call-in center at the storefront for at risk LGBT youth.
Openly gay state Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) “Harvey would be pissed and amused and then try to leverage it. This might be the common ground solution,” said Ammiano. “He would want for us to not be fighting in public as much and come to some solution that would be really beneficial.”
Cleve Jones, who was close with Milk, has broached the idea with HRC officials.
“Try as I might, I can’t think of anything that would be more appropriate, more perfect for Harvey Milk’s store,” said Jones, who has repeatedly spoken out against HRC’s moving into the space.
Dustin lance Black who is on the Board of the Trevor Project said “Talk about an idea that Harvey would have loved, to have those phone calls from Altoona being answered in that shop and have a drop in space for those who come to San Francisco,” said Black, referring to Milk’s anecdote about receiving a phone call from a young gay man in Altoona, Pennsylvania.
As of this time over 500 people have added their names to a Facebook page which was launched (ADD YOURS!) to urge HRC officials to rethink their use of Harvey’s Store at 575 Castro Street. and to allow The Trevor project to sub lease it and for them to move elsewhere.
And what does the HRC think about this?
Spokesman Fred Sainz said it has no plans to sublease the store to another group. “That location will be an HRC action center and store,” said Sainz.
The arrogance of HRC is astounding.
A protest against HRC’s moving into the store is planned for this Saturday, December 18th from 12 noon to 2 p.m @ 575 Castro Street.
I URGE EVERYONE TO PASS THE WORD AND IF YOU ARE IN THE CASTRO AREA TO ATTEND.