Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will always be remembered as the primary individual responsible for the civil rights movement as well as the chief spokesperson for nonviolent acts of protest. King’s holiday is one of four federal holidays that honor an individual.
King’s holiday has graced the third Monday of January since 1986. Ronald Reagan signed the holiday into law in 1983. There was much intoleration to the holiday as few observed it, but combined it with other holidays (because we all enjoy days off). The year 2000 was the first time all 50 states observed MLK Day.
There was much debate over the holiday becoming a national holiday. It fell 5 votes short in 1979 in the House of Representatives. Two of the arguements were that:
- A paid holiday for federal employees would be too expensive.
- A holiday honoring a private citizen would be contrary to to longstanding tradition (King never held public office)
Eventually, the bill passed and here we are in 2010 celebrating it once again. What do you think?
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Seriously, only a terrorist or a bigot would say no.
I am that terrorist bigot.
Care to tell us why it shouldn’t be a holiday?
I think he was just the head of a movement that was going to happen at a time, if it wasn’t him then it would have been someone else (hopefully). But no one can deny that he was probably the most influential person of the mid 1900s.
I don’t like national holidays commemorating any individual person. Kind of goes against that whole e pluribus unum thing. How about we call it “National Civil Rights Day”?
Even if that person is single biggest reason that a whole race of people have their rights?
Why?
You guys are truly shocking. So had MLK took the time to blow some tax payer dollars buy holding a gov’t seat, you would be more inclined to have his day as a national day? Nevermind the fact that he open doors for you to be friends with some people you otherwise would not have met.
Ah, but now you are placing subjectivity on the item.
Excuse me while I start an online petition for Amerigo Vespucci day.
That is kind of a logical leap, don’t you think?
And, like I have already stated, I don’t agree with federal holidays commemorating one person alone. See: “President’s Day” is legally supposed to be called “Washington’s Birthday”. However, the holiday has been changed to celebrate all Presidents on the same day.
Columbus day is also a bullshit federal holiday.
We have Columbus Day, no thank you.
Why are you so ANTI-holidays? Did your puppy run away on a holiday or something?
I mean its just a holiday. Don’t celebrate if you don’t want to. You can even go to work if security doesn’t lock you out. We’re not blowing any more money than some war that started by looking for bin Laden that found Saddam.
I sure am. Go ahead and start a petition for Amerigo. That would be quite an adventure for you.
Why do you think a federal holiday should only be designated for a group of people?
FYI…MLK kind of had to force America to start using that “all men are created equal” thing that they wrote in some important document way back in the time space continuum.
Agreed, Columbus never even made it to the mainland did he?
But why can’t we celebrate one person? I don’t follow this, we have monuments for Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson and soon King Jr. in our nations capitol why not a holiday?
The question lies in WHY we celebrate Columbus Day. Like I have already said, it’s a dumb holiday.
I am not anti-holiday. I am anti-holidays that don’t make sense or are illegitimate.
And you can’t work if you work for the government. You don’t have a choice.
How about we follow New Hampshire’s lead and call it “Civil Rights Day”? After all, Dr. King was just a part of a much larger movement.
Lets look at the 4 holidays that are set up around individuals:
Washington’s Birthday – Now adjusted to celebrate all presidents under the term “President’s Day”
Columbus Day – Bullshit to even begin with
Christmas – Well, I guess this is all fine and dandy if you believe in a man named Jesus Christ
MLK Jr. Day – A non-elected martyr of the American civil rights movement. Excellent orator and man of compassion. Just a part of a larger civil rights movement that last for decades.
What if we called some of the other Federal holidays based upon the predominate figure involved with them.
Let’s changed Veteran’s Day to Ferdinand Foch day. After all, it was Gen. Foch who signed the armistice.
Let’s change Memorial Day to Union Soldier’s Day since the idea of Memorial Day leaves out memorializing those soldier who died that hailed from below the Mason-Dixon line.
Let’s change New Year’s Day to Pope Gregory XIII Day. After all, it was he who decided what day the year would end and start on.
I think you can see where I am going with this.
Because monuments != holidays.
Look at the very name. Holiday = Holy day. It is a designated day of worship be it to a god, group or individual. The history of this country does not account for the praise of one over the struggles of many. It goes against the concept of e pluribus unum.
I kinda thought he was attributed with spear heading the movement.
New Hampshire white population – 95.5%
New Hampshire black population – 1.2%
American Indian – 0.3%
Asian – 1.9%
This is why. I don’t support the idea of Columbus Day either.
Incarceration rates per 100k by race for NH in 2005
White – 289
Black – 2666
Hispanic – 1063
See…I can show statics that have no bearing to the argument too.
Nice but my stats were from 2008. But thanks for the complimentary statistics.
LOL
Do you think 2006-2008 showed a marked improvement?
Every day is a stepping stone. Considering the recession and family’s urge to find jobs and need to relocate….Yes.
So if it was called “Civil Rights Day” everyone would be happy?
I fail to see what his elected status has to do with anything. His impact will be felt for decades and he was quite literally the savior of the entire movement.
Sidenote: you continue to impress me with your grasp on history. How many chicken mcnuggets were sold on August 29, 1987?
Thats because the man is holding a brother down.
I’m anti-holiday. I don’t think its a government’s place to legislate holidays.
If a whole bunch of people want to celebrate holidays, let them.
I wouldn’t. I prefer the way it is now.
Ditto. Give credit where credit is due.
If you invented new fueling technology that retrofitted all cars to not use gasoline, you would want that day named after you, not called El gas liberta día. Neither would your asncestors be happy with that.
Now we both know you just can’t let me choose “holidays.” Every Friday would become Thursday and nothing would get done, but then that leads me to another subject: Why do we, Americans, work so much?
Thanks to Dr. King and his legacy, most of our country was forced to take a serious look at the way we treat one another. In his own way, he has contributed to the shaping of our country’s culture.
That in itself warrants a national holiday.