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It was September 4, 2012 when I saw him: George Moscone, or the likeness of him, in San Francisco Museum of Art (SFMOMA). The livid color attracted me, and his smile, as if he was alive and happy. I took a look of the inscription that puts him on the pedestal:

Without thinking much, I took a black and white photo of him, along with a painting of him with my camera and brought the film home (yes, a film camera).

Days later, after I received the scanned photos on a CD, I reviewed that photo of him more closely. Who was that man, and who made the sculpture of him. Sure, I have some rudimentary knowledge that he was the mayor of San Francisco, and he was assassinated along with Harvey Milk, both key figures in gay history, or at least in California, but I would like to know more about the inspiration of the art.

As an artist myself, I believe the purpose of art is to promote thinking. Certainly the inscription on the pedestal is a good starting point of that thought process. I Googled "Portrait of Moscone Robert Arneson."

It was a different time. A time in history when public figures murdered in cold blood was considered a shocking, unthinkable event. It was the year I was born, which makes it even more unreal, as I don't think it's that far back in time.

The murder of the San Francisco mayor reminds me of the movie Milk, which is focused on Harvey Milk who was murdered along with him by Dan White.

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People left comments on the video reflecting anger over the questionable judiciary system, with Dan White was only convicted and sentenced for five years in prison for the murder of two men. The possibility of a movie made about Dan White surfaced, as it is dramatic in its own right, through the eyes of a murderer. Why he killed Moscone and Harvey Milk? How is that possible to carry out in broad light in city hall? Was he suicidal in prison as his defense lawyer and prison supervisors would make the public believe? Was the crime conducted out of political reason, or as speculated, because he was a homophobe? What was the cause and reason for his eventual suicide, two years after he was out of prison? Or was that a result of street justice? Was it really a murder out of diminished capacity (temporary insanity plead, with too much sugary consumption? Twinkie Defense) or is it premeditated as reported by homicide detective Frank Falzon? So many questions, and so many possibilities.

No matter what the answers are, the people are angry.

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It was an interesting mental journey back in time. A piece of gay history. And it was all because of a bust with graffiti-like inscription on its pedestal.