Anti-gay Christian group calls for boycott of Harvey Milk U.S. postage stamp

A anti-gay Christian group is calling for Americans to boycott the recently issued U.S. postage stamp honoring gay rights pioneer Harvey Milk, complaining the driving force lobbying for the stamp was "a self-described drag queen."

The American Family Association, home to American Family Radio hosted by anti-gay crusader Bryan Fischer, advised its followers to refuse to buy the stamps from the post office and to refuse any mail they may receive bearing the offending stamp.

The AFA release states:

What you can do…

1. Refuse to accept the Harvey Milk stamp if offered by your local post office. Instead, ask for a stamp of the United States flag.

2. Refuse to accept mail at your home or business if it is postmarked with the Harvey Milk stamp. Simply write 'Return to Sender" on the envelope and tell your postman you won't accept it.

Milk, one of the first openly gay politicians in the United States, was assassinated in 1978, a year after winning election to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Former San Francisco Supervisor Dan White, the man who murdered Milk along with San Francisco mayor George Moscone, was subsequently found guilty of voluntary manslaughter of both men and sentenced to serve seven and two-thirds years, after his attorneys used what is known as the 'diminished capacity' legal defense.

White's minimal sentencing set off what became known as the 'White Night' riots, leaving over 61 San Francisco police officers and hundreds of rioters injured.

White served less than five years of his sentence and committed suicide in 1985 following his release.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who attended the funerals of both Milk and Moscone, recalled the funerals saying, “I thought, is this how it ends?” before adding, “But it really was just the beginning of the impact that he … would have. So it’s pretty thrilling for us who knew and loved him and saw his courage first hand.”

Pelosi said being on a postage stamp was a privilege reserved for very few and felt it was appropriate that Milk was one of them.