The White House announced May 20 that Councilman Chris Seelbach has won the Harvey Milk Champion of Change award.  

There's no way one can view the new film 'Milk' without thinking about Proposition 8, the recently passed ballot initiative that bans same-sex marriages in California. In a strange and ironic parallel, Harvey Milk's crowning achievement, well documented in the film, was his battle against Proposition 6, which would have barred gay teachers from jobs in California public schools.  

It seems director Gus Van Sant stands more than foursquare with the strays of the world. His career highlights include 'Drugstore Cowboy,' 'My Own Private Idaho' and 'Good Will Hunting.' So it should come as no surprise that the tragic story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), San Francisco's and the nation's first openly gay public official voted into office, might stir a sense of kinship in him.