Gerald Ford didn't attend the funeral of the Marine who saved his life

[Ian David]

<snip>

This time Ford's life was saved by Oliver Sipple (see photo), a former Marine who lunged at Moore, deflecting the intended bullet. Sipple was instantly commended but the incident inspired curiosity about the former soldier and it was revealed by Harvey Milk that he was a gay man, a fact that was not known by either his employer or his family. The resulting attention (Harvey Milk, who wanted to show that gay men were not all child molesters and perverts, anointed him a gay hero, inspiring a widely-syndicated write-up from noted columnist Herb Caen) freaked his mother enough to cause her to disown him. At the time Sipple pleaded with reporters: "I want you to know that my mother told me today she can't walk out of her front door because of the press stories...My sexual orientation has nothing to do with saving the President's life."



Sipple battled the "outing" in court for the next nine years, a battle that was never won. It may have cost the man his sanity. Sipple was found in his San Francisco apartment in February 1989 next to a bottle of booze. Alcoholic and obese, he had been dead for two weeks.

Gerald Ford did not attend the funeral and instead sent family and friends a letter of condolence. He was criticized by some who said that were Sipple heterosexual he would have been treated differently. Ford told journalist Deb Price in a 2001 interview: "As far as I was concerned, I had done the right thing and the matter was ended. I didn't learn until sometime later — I can't remember when — he was gay. I don't know where anyone got the crazy idea I was prejudiced and wanted to exclude gays."

More:
http://www.towleroad.com/2006/12/former_presiden.html


See related thread:

Stop trying to tell me Gerald Ford was a good, decent man.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2983141

[murielm99]

1. Harvey Milk should not have outed him.

eom

[Ian David]

2. Well, there is THAT, too. n/t

[EFerrari]

3. Harvey Milk was fighting an AIDS epidemic with little or no help

What he did was absolutely right.

[ccpup]

4. "absolutely" right?

In that day and age, it's hard to say it was "absolutely" right for Harvey Milk to have outed Oliver Sipple. Was it right for Oliver? For his family? His mother? Harvey was already leading a public life and had the armour to protect himself from the hate. Oliver was someone who was in the "right" place at the "right" time and, because of this, lost his mother, his privacy, his anonymity and ultimately himself.

It may have felt right for Harvey Milk when he outed Mr. Sipple, but I would hardly attach the "absolutely" to it.

Just my two cents.

[YOY]

5. Harvey was a great human being and did far more good than bad

but his actions here were wrong.

Wrong time. Just the wrong time.

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. Milk was killed in 1978 and the first AIDS case in the US was 1980

Did Milk own a time machine? I think you may be remembering history which never occurred.

[EFerrari]

10. Hmm. No, I'm just remembering a different part of th history

we lived here.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. So, how did he fight AIDS before there was AIDS?

Or was he doing it from the grave?

[EFerrari]

14. That's what I mean. I can't even tell you you're right, Freddie,

without drawing more ire, lol.

I worked in City Hall and was there that day. A terrible day and time here.

And while I'm not a fan of outing for any reason, I'd have to know more before chastising Harvey. He was a good man and a good politician. And he fought an incredible fight for the gay community here.

[Freddie Stubbs]

15. Sorry, I misread what you were saying

:dunce:

[EFerrari]

16. S'Okay.

:)

[dsc]

9. Not then he wasn't

This was in 1975.

[EFerrari]

11. You guys are right. I wonder how I managed to collopse those years.

[PDittie]

6. Ford was playing golf that day

36 holes.

[Rose Siding]

8. Ford gave Rumsfuck and Kissinger the Medal of Freedom but

Oliver Sipple didn't get any commendation or even an invite to the WH. If Ford wasn't prejudiced, why didn't that happen? WEEKS after saving the president's life he got a brief note. -And just look who's creds he helped to inflate with lavish awards.

It took two weeks for Sipple's body to be discovered. How's that for a scene from Gerry Ford's Wonderful Life?

[dsc]

13. The original snubbing was maybe excusable

but by the time Ford had been out of office for over a decade, that was inexcusable. Ford was clearly in the wrong on that one.

[NNN0LHI]

17. Ford had a date with Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme that day n/t

[MonkeyFunk]

18. Ford

was also a leader of the Republican Unity Coalition, a group of Republicans whose mission it is to change the Republican Party's position on gay rights. They adamantly opposed the Federal Marriage Amendment.

Ford was no gay-hater.

[Javaman]

19. So has the shine come off yet for those who thought ford a "decent and nice" man? nt