The California Supreme Court will finally announce its ruling next Tuesday, May 26 at 10am on Proposition 8. The measure which passed last November, wrote discrimination into the California constitution by disallowing same-sex couples the right to marry. More details here (pdf).

Depending on the ruling, celebrations or protests are scheduled to occur throughout the state and across the nation early next week. To find out about events that may be occurring in your area visit the DayOfDecision.com

It’s been almost 31 years since Dan White took Harvey Milk from us, and who knows where we would be now if he were still with us. Harvey’s courage and wisdom would have guided us though the AIDS crisis here in San Francisco and the growing gay rights movement that followed. He would have been 79-years-young today.

Even though Governor Schwarzenegger has yet to sign a bill instituting Harvey Milk Day, there’s no reason why we can’t celebrate it. California Ripple Effect put together a great list of things we could do to honor Harvey’s memory…

• For starters, let’s make it official. Make sure you’ve added your name to the petition urging Gov. Schwarzenegger to sign Harvey Milk Day into law at www.eqca.org/HarveyMilkDay.
• If you’re in Sacramento, you can join your LGBT Caucus on the North Lawn of the Capitol for a Harvey Milk birthday celebration tomorrow from 11:30 to 1 p.m.
• A grassroots group has also organized candlelight vigils tomorrow night across the state to mark the occasion.
• If you want to tuck in with a good movie, or organize a screening for your friends, there are two excellent Oscar-winning flicks about Harvey Milk’s life, the documentary Times of Harvey Milk and Gus Van Sant’s Milk starring Sean Penn.
• Finally, wish those you see tomorrow a “Happy Harvey Milk Day”. This is a great opportunity to share his story with someone new if they don’t know it.

I’ll close with Harvey’s famous “Hope” speech, used so eloquently in the video below. And where ever your are Harvey, Happy Birthday!

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the White Night riots, spurred by the lenient sentencing of Dan White for the murder of Harvey Milk and Mayor George Moscone.

A look back at that turbulent time…

In the editorial pages of the Wall Street Journal today, Army Ranger sergeant and Iraq war vet Brian Hughes, makes the case that gays and lesbians have served honorably in the War on Terror, and presents a clear and cogent argument on why the Obama administration needs to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

I was a line infantryman in the Army’s Ranger regiment from 2000-04, earning a promotion to sergeant within three years. In that time, my platoon performed dozens of combat missions on the front lines. Our lives depended on complete mutual trust.

Several of my colleagues knew I was gay. We lived in the closest possible conditions. When there were showers, we showered together. When we were out overnight on the cold, bare mountains of Afghanistan, we slept huddled together for warmth. It should go without saying that there was nothing remotely sexual about these situations. We had uncomfortable experiences — we were at war, after all — but my buddies were never uncomfortable with me.

…

Today the strongest resistance to overturning “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” may not come from the military, which polls show mostly supports repeal, nor from social conservatives, who are not in power. Rather, there are many Democratic leaders and strategists who blame the issue of gays in the military for damaging the beginning of Bill Clinton’s presidency. They fear it could have the same effect on Mr. Obama.

The truth is that public opinion has moved dramatically on this issue. Public support for repeal consistently polls above 75% — well above Mr. Obama’s approval ratings. The fact that support is above 90% for men and women aged 18-29 should put to rest any worries that repeal could interfere with recruitment.

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Here at home, every government service is integrated, including the paramilitary sections of the CIA that work hand in glove with the armed services. The presence of gays in these organizations is a nonissue. The idea that our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines would have any greater difficulty adjusting is an insult to their professionalism.

Democrats have an opportunity to burnish their national security credentials by strengthening the military. It’s time for Congress and the Obama administration to order the full integration of gays and lesbians in the armed services.

Hughes served two tours in Afghanistan and one in Iraq, and was awarded the Commendation Medal twice for his service. While serving he participated in the rescue operation that brought Jessica Lynch home. Hughes received an honorable discharge when he came out in 2004.