Milk (2009) - Quotes

Embrace Uniqueness and Stand Out

Taglines: Never blend in

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Courage That Changed Lives and History

Taglines: His life changed history. His courage changed lives.

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Fighting for Lives Beyond an Issue

Dan White: You have an issue.

Harvey Milk: It's more than just an issue. This is our lives we're fighting for.

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Questioning Identification of Homosexuals in Legislation

John Briggs: It's time to root them out.

Tom Ammiano: How are you going to determine who is homosexual?

John Briggs: My bill outlines procedures for identifying homosexuals.

Tom Ammiano: How? Will you be sucking them off?

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Authenticity in Personal Identity

Scott Smith: Are you on uppers or something?

Harvey Milk: No, this is just plain old me.

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Skepticism Towards New Relationships

Cleve Jones: The new Mrs. Milk. I give it a week.

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Questioning Dan White's Attractiveness

Cleve Jones: (on Dan White) Is it just me or is he cute?

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Activism Against Anita Bryant's Campaign

Cleve Jones: Out of the bar and into the streets; Anita Bryant is coming for you!

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Embracing Identity and Authenticity

Cleve Jones: At least now you look gay.

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Disillusionment with Elections and Their Impact

Cleve Jones: Fuck that. Elections of any kind are nothing more than a fucking bourgeois affectation.

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Questioning someone's role in conversation

Cleve Jones: What are you, some sort of street shrink?

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Disinterest in Age and Experience

Cleve Jones: (after first meeting Harvey) Not interested, old man.

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The Importance of Hope in Life

Harvey Milk: Without hope, life's not worth living. So you, and you, and you... You gotta give em hope.

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A Message of Hope and Belonging

Harvey Milk: Tonight, it's become clear to everyone out there that they do know one of us, and now that they do, they can see that we are not sick. They can feel that we are not wrong. And they know that there must be, that there should be a place for us in this great country, in this world. A message of hope has been sent to all those young people, to all of those who have been afraid by this wave of hate, to all of those who have lost their homes, lost their hometowns. Tonight, we are clear that there is a place for us! My brothers and sisters, we can come home again.

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Confronting Cowardice in the Face of Danger

Harvey Milk: This is shit. Shit and masturbation. This is just a coward's response to a dangerous threat.

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Call to Action for Equality and Democracy

Harvey Milk: [[Statue of Liberty] My name is Harvey Milk and I'm here to recruit you. I want to recruit you for the fight to preserve your democracy. Brothers and sisters, you must come out! Come out to your parents, come out to your friends, if indeed they are your friends. Come out to your neighbors, come out to your fellow workers. Once and for all, let's break down the myths and destroy the lies and distortions. For your sake, for their sake. For the sake of all the youngsters who have been scared by the votes from Dade to Eugene. On the ] it says, Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free. In the Declaration of Independence, it is written, All men are created equal and endowed with certain inalienable rights. So for Mr. Briggs and Mrs. Bryant, and all the bigots out there, no matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words from the Declaration of Independence! No matter how hard you try, you can never chip those words from the base of the Statue of Liberty! That is where America is! Love it or leave it!

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Call to Action for Change

Harvey Milk: (to Cleve) March them right up to the steps of City Hall. When things start to look really bad- the city's first gay supervisor... will come out and play peacemaker. Do it with me. (Gives Cleve the bullhorn)

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Marching Together in Anger and Unity

Harvey Milk: I know you're angry! (cheers) I'm angry! Let us march the streets of San Francisco and share our anger!

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Rejecting Labels and Embracing Identity

Harvey Milk: I don't want to see another sign that says fucking "Machine" on it because this three-time "faggot loser" is running for Supervisor.

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Critique of Political Rewards and Machines

Harvey Milk: I don't think state assembly seats should be the reward for service to the Democratic Party machine. Machines run on oil and grease. They're dirty, they're dehumanizing, and they tend to be entirely unresponsive to the needs of anybody but those of their operator.

Embracing Change with Confidence and Style

Harvey Milk: (on his new look) I'm not gonna let those Pacific Heights biddies write me off because of a ponytail. And I like it. No more pot, no more bathhouses for me and my little poo.

Questioning the Teaching of Homosexuality

Harvey Milk: How do you "teach" homosexuality? Is it like French?

Movement Over Candidate: A Vision for Change

Harvey Milk: I'm not the candidate. I'm part of a movement. The movement is the candidate - there is a difference. You don't see it. I do.

Advocating for LGBTQ Representation in Politics

Harvey Milk: We need one of our own in office.

Reflections on a Life Unfulfilled

Harvey Milk: Forty years old — and I haven't done a thing that I'm proud of.

Reflection on Activism and Time Constraints

Harvey Milk: I wish I had time to explain all the things that I did. Almost everything was done with an eye on the gay movement.

The Risks of Activism and Prejudice

Harvey Milk: I fully realize that someone who stands for what I stand for... an activist, a gay activist... makes themself a target for someone who is insecure, frightened, terrified, and disturbed themselves. It's a very real possibility you see because — in San Francisco... we have broken the dam of major prejudice in this country.