\n<\/p>\n
State Sen. Scott Wiener called the decision to rename the USNS Harvey Milk a reversal of all the work that\u2019s been done to persuade the Navy to recognize Milk and his service. He rebuked the order as an act of bigotry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe removal of Harvey Milk\u2019s name from a naval vessel \u2014 during Pride Month, no less \u2014 is absolutely shameful. Harvey Milk was a hero. He was a veteran who served our country. He died for our community,\u201d Wiener told KQED in a statement.<\/p>\n
Trump and Hegseth are \u201cdetermined to erase LGBTQ people from all aspects of public life,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
Cleve Jones, a human rights activist who was a student intern in the office of Supervisor Milk, said the news of the possible name change is unsurprising in light of everything that has transpired since Trump\u2019s election.<\/p>\n
He said it is interesting, however, that the defense secretary has chosen to focus so much attention on the name of a ship in the backdrop of major global conflicts such as the war against Ukraine and China\u2019s threats against Taiwan.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis administration \u2026 has turned the entire world order upside down and inside out,\u201d Jones said. \u201cIt\u2019s really shameful and does not bode well for the security of our nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for how Milk would react to this week\u2019s news, Jones said he thinks the man would be unbothered.<\/p>\n
Milk \u201cwould shrug it off and laugh and double down,\u201d Jones said. \u201cIt\u2019s time for us all to focus on the real issues: the real issue of security, the real issues of housing costs, of groceries, of the press \u2014 the real issues facing Americans, the ones they talk about at their dinner table.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019re talking about the names of these ships at their kitchen table.\u201d<\/p>\n
KQED\u2019s <\/em>Azul Dahlstrom-Eckman<\/em><\/a> contributed to this report.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n