California
governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has vetoed a bill that would
have honored Harvey Milk's birthday as a statewide "day
of significance," reports the Associated Press. In a
statement on Tuesday, Schwarzenegger defended his
decision by saying that the icon's "contributions
should continue to be recognized at the local level."
The bill, which
was sponsored by San Francisco assemblyman Mark Leno, was
contested by conservative groups, who appealed to the
governor to veto the legislation.
Milk was one of
the first openly gay men to hold a prominent political
office in the United States when he was elected to the San
Francisco board of supervisors in 1977. Milk, a
film about the politician's life, directed by Gus Van
Sant and starring Sean Penn, is set for release this
December. (The Advocate)