Latest news with #Milk
San Francisco Chronicle
8 hours ago
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
What the Supreme Court's latest decision on LGBTQ inclusion means for California
Parents with religious objections to schoolbooks that favorably refer to lesbians, gays or transgender people have a right to be notified and remove their young children from class, the Supreme Court has ruled in the latest of a series of cases condemned by LGBT advocates. But it may not be the last word in California. Friday's 6-3 decision in a case from Maryland came a week after the same Supreme Court majority upheld laws in Tennessee and 26 other states denying puberty blockers and other gender-affirming care for transgender minors. A month earlier, the justices allowed President Donald Trump to expel thousands of transgender troops from the U.S. military while it considers his request to ban them from service. Together, the decisions mark a broad shift that California is fighting. Two years ago, Gov. Gavin Newsom imposed a $1.5 million fine on the Temecula Valley Unified School District in Riverside County for rejecting the state's social studies curriculum because it briefly discussed Harvey Milk, the gay-rights leader and San Francisco supervisor. Milk was assassinated in 1978 by former Supervisor Dan White, who also fatally shot Mayor George Moscone. After imposing the fine and shipping a supply of Milk-inclusive textbooks to the Temecula district, Newsom signed a law, Assembly Bill 1078 by Corey Jackson, D-Perris (Riverside County), that prohibits school boards from banning instructional materials because they contain discussions of a particular 'individual or group,' such as Milk and his advocates. The debate — inclusion and trans rights on one side, freedom of speech and religion on the other — was addressed Friday by a different set of referees, the Supreme Court's conservative majority. One of its most outspoken members, Justice Samuel Alito, said the Maryland school district's use of elementary-school textbooks with LGBT characters or themes violated the rights of religious parents to oversee their children's education. 'A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses a very real threat of undermining the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill,' Alito wrote. He described one storybook for grades kindergarten through five that showed Kate, apparently a transgender girl, in what Alito described as a 'sex-neutral or sex-ambiguous bathroom,' telling her friends that a bathroom 'should be a safe space.' Another book, titled 'Prince & Knight,' showed two men battling a dragon, then falling in love and marrying with applause from 'the whole kingdom,' Alito said. Even if those books do not expressly endorse LGBT rights, Alito wrote, 'they are clearly designed to present certain values and beliefs as things to be celebrated' and are being presented to 'young, impressionable children' without notification to their parents. He cited the court's 1972 ruling that allowed Amish parents to remove their children from school after the eighth grade, in accordance with their religion, despite a Wisconsin law requiring attendance until age 16. Dissenting Justice Sonia Sotomayor said the ruling 'invents a constitutional right to avoid exposure' to subjects that displease students' parents. Giving children 'of all faiths and backgrounds … an opportunity to practice living in our multicultural society ... is critical to our Nation's civic vitality,' said Sotomayor, joined by the court's other two Democratic appointees, Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson. 'Yet it will become a mere memory if children must be insulated from exposure to ideas and concepts that may conflict with their parents' religious faiths.' California, unlike Maryland, has a law allowing parents with religious objections to their children's schoolbooks to remove their children from class — but only for classes related to health care. And last month a federal judge in San Diego barred a school district from assigning a book about a transgender child to a fifth-grader in a non-health care class without notifying his parents or allowing them to object. The book, 'My Shadow Is Pink,' tells the story of a boy who likes to wear dresses and is criticized at first by his father, who eventually comes to accept him. It was part of the Encinitas Union School District's 'buddy program' in which fifth-graders use school materials to mentor kindergarteners. Although state law serves 'an admirable purpose' by requiring schools to teach students about the contributions of 'historically marginalized groups,' the district appears to have violated the fifth-grader's constitutional rights by not allowing him or his parents to object, said U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton. The district has appealed Lorenz's order to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which now can rely on the Supreme Court's analysis in assessing the state law. 'I am very concerned about the practical implications' of Friday's ruling, said Jonathan Glater, a professor of educational law at UC Berkeley. 'If I am a teacher, I might share with all parents a detailed explanation of all materials students might be exposed to, so that they can pull their students out of particular segments. The burden on a school of administrating those opt-outs is clear. And of course, a parental opt-out is highly unlikely to stop kids from talking with each other about the disfavored material; that is not how kids work.' The Supreme Court's ruling drew praise and criticism. Attorney Eric Baxter of the Becket Fund, which represented the Maryland youth's parents, said the court had reaffirmed that 'parents — not government — have the final say in how their children are raised.' But Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, a union representing 2.8 million teachers, said the ruling 'could have a chilling effect on students for generations to come.' California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who filed arguments with the court supporting the Maryland district, seemed unperturbed. 'By ensuring our curriculum reflects the full diversity of our student population, we foster an environment where every student feels seen, supported, and empowered to succeed,' he said in a statement after the ruling. 'In California, we will continue to remain a beacon of inclusivity, diversity, and belonging.' The case is Mahmoud v. Taylor, No. 24-297.
Miami Herald
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Fan-favorite Oreo was missing for 8 years. Now, it's returning for limited time
A beloved Oreo cookie is staging a comeback eight years in the making. Blueberry Pie Oreo cookies will return to shelves starting Monday, July 7, after years of spirited requests from fans, according to the cookie brand. Packs will be available for preorder June 30 before rolling out in stores nationwide. 'You win. Now please stop yelling at us,' Oreo captioned an Instagram post announcing the cookie's return. The seasonal snack, featuring blueberry creme sandwiched between two graham cracker-flavored cookies, will rejoin the Oreo lineup for the first time since 2017, according to a news release. The news prompted a flurry of reactions from fans who couldn't hide their excitement. 'Omg I've been waiting for this for so long,' one person commented under the post. 'When brands actually listen to their fan base >>>>,' another wrote. One person suggested they had no plans to share, writing: 'Literally buying all of them.' It's the latest Oreo flavor to be pulled from the vault, returning only for a limited time. In March, the brand brought back its Golden Birthday Cake cookies in time to 'celebrate Milk's Favorite Cookie turning another year older,' McClatchy News reported. More recently, Oreo teamed up with Selena Gomez for a new chocolate and cinnamon-flavored cookie inspired by the singer's childhood and love of horchata. 'Making my own OREO cookie was a lot of fun,' Gomez said. 'I grew up loving them, so being able to be a part of the process was a full-circle moment.' Previous limited-edition Oreo flavors have included red velvet, churro and PB&J, according to Tasting Table. Oreo blueberry pie cookies will be available for a limited time, while supplies last, Oreo said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Harvey Milk, US 'gay rights icon, snubbed by Pentagon from a Navy ship. Who was he?
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has announced that the U.S. Navy is officially renaming the ship formerly known as the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V Peterson . 'We are taking the politics out of ship naming,' Hegseth said in a social media video announcing the decision. 'We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration… People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in.' Hegseth said in a video message Friday that the Navy ship honoring gay rights icon Harvey Milk has a new name. It is now named after Medal of Honor recipient Oscar V. Peterson, a chief petty officer who posthumously received the nation's highest honor for military valor in action. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cardiologist Reveals: The Simple Morning Habit for a Flatter Belly After 50! Lulutox Undo ALSO READ: Oscar Verner Peterson: WWII legend, after whom naval ship USNS Harvey Milk has been renamed, takes the helm Who was Harvey Milk? According to NewsWeek, Harvey Milk was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States and a pioneering figure in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. He served for four years in the Navy during the Korean War, before he was forced out for being gay. Live Events In 1977, Milk was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, becoming the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. He championed civil rights legislation and LGBTQ+ advocacy during his brief but impactful time in office. Milk was assassinated in November 1978, just 11 months into his term, aged 48. In recognition of his legacy, the U.S. Navy named a ship—the USNS Harvey Milk—in his honor in 2016. He was also posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 by then-President Barack Obama for his contributions to equality and human rights. ALSO READ: New twist in Trump's immigration crackdown: Kristi Noem drops bombshell, names target countries accepting deported migrants "Harvey was born May 22, 1930, in Woodmere, New York. Harvey and his one sibling, Robert, worked in the family's department store, 'Milks'; his Lithuanian born father, William, served in the U.S. Navy and as did his spirited, independent mother Minerva, also of Lithuanian heritage, who was a Yeomanette during World War I," says Harvey Milk Foundation . The life and career of Harvey Milk have been the subjects of an opera, books, and films. These include the Shilt's biography, The Mayor of Castro Street (1982); the Oscar-winning documentary The Times of Harvey Milk by Robert Epstein(1984); and the Gus Van Sant directed drama Milk (2008). The latter film received eight Academy Award nominations, winning in two categories: Sean Penn was named best actor for his performance in the title role, and Dustin Lance Black won an Oscar for his screenplay.
UPI
a day ago
- Politics
- UPI
Hegseth: USNS Havey Milk to be renamed USNS Oscar V. Peterson
1 of 5 | Secretary Pete Hegseth said Friday, the USNS Harvey Milk will be re-named the USNS Oscar V. Peterson, adding the Defense Department is "taking the politics out of ship naming.' File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 27 (UPI) -- The USNS Harvey Milk is being renamed after Oscar V. Peterson, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced Friday. "I am pleased to announce that the United States Navy is renaming the USNS Harvey Milk to the USNS Oscar V. Peterson," Hegseth said on X, in a post accompanied by a video. "We are taking the politics out of ship naming. We're not renaming the ship to anything political. This is not about political activists, unlike the previous administration," Hegseth said in the video Friday. Peterson received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service in World War II, after the Navy chief petty officer was wounded in battle. "During the Battle of the Coral Sea in May of 1942, Chief Watertender Peterson led a repair party on the USS Neosho. The ship was severely damaged by Japanese dive bombers, and the entire repair party was either killed or severely wounded," Hegseth said Friday. "Peterson himself was gravely wounded, yet he managed to single-handedly close the bulkhead stop valves, thereby helping to keep the ship operational." Hegseth previously confirmed he had ordered the U.S. Navy to rename the replenishment oiler, which bears the name of Milk, a gay rights activist assassinated in 1978. The Defense Secretary at the time said the move was being made to align "with president and SECDEF objectives and SECNAV priorities of re-establishing the warrior culture." A Defense Department official said at the time the renaming was intentionally done during Pride month. Milk won a San Francisco supervisor seat in 1977. The U.S. Navy veteran served in the Korean War and became the first openly gay person in the country to be elected to public office. His name has remained synonymous with the LGBTQ movement. Milk was assassinated the year after taking office and was in 2009 posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. The decision to remove his name from one of the six John Lewis Class ships was met with protest from Democrats. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at the time called the decision "shameful." Pelosi's Congressional District includes San Francisco. The ship was first named after Milk in 2016, becoming the first naval vessel named after an openly-gay person. It was launched in 2021.
Business Insider
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Insider
The Pentagon stripped the name of gay rights icon Harvey Milk from a Navy ship. Here's what it's called now.
Announcing that the Defense Department is finished with "political" ship names, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a video message Friday that the Navy ship honoring gay rights icon Harvey Milk has a new name. The John Lewis-class replenishment oiler USNS Harvey Milk is now named after Medal of Honor recipient Oscar V. Peterson, a chief petty officer who posthumously received the nation's highest honor for military valor in action. Peterson led a repair party on the Cimarron-class fleet oiler USS Neosho afloat, which had been severely damaged by Japanese dive bombers during the Battle of the Coral Sea in 1942. His entire repair party was either killed or seriously wounded. Though gravely injured during the repair efforts, Peterson managed to close the bulkhead stop valves to keep the ship operational. The sailor later died of his injuries. "People want to be proud of the ship they're sailing in," Hegseth said, calling Peterson's actions historic and heroic that kept with the traditions of the Navy rather than honoring politics and activism like the last administration. USNS Harvey Milk was named in the final months of the Obama administration to honor civil rights icon who had served in the Navy before being forced out due to his sexual orientation. Milk had been a Navy diver. He was a national icon within the gay rights movement and the first openly gay man to be elected into public office in California. As a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, he helped usher in a bill banning discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, employment, and public accommodations. He was later assassinated for this bill in late 1978. Milk posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009. The renaming comes at the tail-end of Pride Month, which is one of the identity celebration months that the US Department of Defense declared "dead" earlier this year. The announcement also comes just days after the 10-year anniversary of the federal legalization of gay marriage in the US through the Supreme Court Obergefell v. Hodges decision back in 2015. USNS Harvey Milk was one of six ships dedicated to prominent civil rights leaders. Other figures honored with ship names include Sojourner Truth, John Lewis, and Robert F. Kennedy. When the ship was launched in 2021, then-Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro said that the service needed to "not just to amend the wrongs of the past but to give inspiration to all of our LGBTQ community leaders." "For far too long, sailors like Lt. Milk were forced into the shadows or, worse yet, forced out of our beloved Navy," Del Toro said. "That injustice is part of our Navy history, but so is the perseverance of all who continue to serve in the face of injustice." Since President Donald Trump again took office in January of this year, his administration has undertaken efforts to eliminate anything seen as affiliated with diversity, equity, and inclusion within DoD and across the federal government. That includes many projects, content, and efforts related to women, minorities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Trump's Pentagon has also reversed efforts to rename Army bases honoring Confederate officers, bringing back the original names but with the odd catch that they now honor soldiers who happen to share last names with those Confederate officers. These include Army installations like Fort Benning, Fort Bragg, Fort Hood, and Fort Lee. The changes to the Army base names were originally a result of a 2021 Congressional mandate prohibiting the naming of military installations after Confederate personnel. In his video message, Hegseth said the Pentagon was "taking the politics out of ship naming." The names of US Navy vessels are typically picked by political appointees such as the Navy secretary. Historically, the conventions around naming have been left up to the secretary and shifted based on the administration's priorities and focuses. Ships have been named after presidents who did and didn't serve in uniform, civil rights activists, and other officials. Renaming a Navy ship already in service is rare. Some recent changes include renaming the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USNS Robert Smalls, which was originally USNS Chancellorsville after the Civil War battle, and the Pathfinder-class oceanographic survey ship USNS Marie Tharp, originally named the USNS Maury after Matthew Fontaine Maury, an oceanographer who resigned from the Navy to become a commander in the Confederate States Navy during the Civil War. It's unclear exactly why Hegseth announced the name change for the Milk, as this role is typically done by the Navy secretary. Renaming a Navy vessel comes with costs of repainting, reprinting, new documentation, and other related fees. It's unclear how long that will take or how much it will cost.
