Milk’s death is more seen as a result of a political feud between Harvey Milk and Dan White. Both were Supervisors at the time, and White had gotten into a feud with Milk and several other supervisors following White’s own resignation .

When White tried requested that he be reappointed to his supervisor seat, Milk and several of the city supervisors had advised Mayor Moscone to turn down the request.

White felt betrayed, and while he was suffering from mental instabilities, snuck back into City Hall on November 27 with a gun.

We know how that ended – White’s trial eventually popularized the fabled “Twinkie Defense”

I don’t like White, and I don’t think his experience justifies him murdering Milk or Moscone. I’m just posting this to clarify that given the circumstances behind Milk’s death, it was hardly a hate crime.