Since somebody will probably start a thread commemorating MLK, as he should be, I thought I would take a slightly different angle concerning the holiday.
I remember the ruckus in the early 90's when Arizona recognized MLK Day only after being threatened with the loss of the 1996 Super Bowl Game.
I find it somewhat odd that today is the only day currently recognized nationwide that celebrates an individual person, one that we can all agree walked the earth anyway (i.e. Jesus?)


Questions for debate:

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual? And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history?

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights?

Who do you think deserves a national holiday?

I would say he is the greatest national hero of the last century- bar none- no medal of honor winner, no statesmen, no one even comes close. Of course we should honor him with his own holiday- and funny thing is- I hadn't felt this strongly about it until a couple of days ago when talking to my daughter- and remembering how different her world is regarding race relations and the one I existed in in south Texas in the late 60s and early 70s.

Not Niel Armstrong, not JFK, no one has had a more profound influence in freedom since the founding fathers or Lincoln- absolutely no one.

The very fact that I can have next door neighbors that are black, and not only consider them my equal- but, because he is an older man, I see him an elder that I look up to. His daughter is the principal of a local school- predominantly white- not possible without MLK.

And the hatred the right wing has shown this man, to me that is more telling of character than anything else. They try to muddy his name at every turn- womanizer, communist etc. Shame on them.

After the lesson I learned, by simply telling my daughter the history of the civil rights movement in the least complicated form I could, made me very emotional- and I now have a portrait of the man to honor what he has done for our country.

Sure, there are still problems today- and much of his vision for the country and race relations may have not been what has transpired since- but I have a new hero in my mind, and I have darn few heroes, really none except my brother and grandfather.

We tend to thank soldiers for thier "duty" and defending America- but no soldier has defended and created freedom like MLKs precense- and this comes from a person that highly respects the common soldier.

If we could only have one person be honored in this country with thier own day- it would be him.

Jesus has never done anything for me- but the fact that my little girl can live in a mixed nieghborhood, play with children that are not of her own race, and can even choose to marry outside her race today is the legacy of MLK.

MLK day has a whole new meaning for me- and a new reason to have nothing but disrespect to those who disrepect MLK.

Oh- and BTW- there is no proof that Jesus walked the earth- so no, we can't all agree on that one - I personally think he was a construct of a very evil man named paul.

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual? And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history?

Yes and no. We should be very selective about our holidays. When possible they should expand out to celebrate more than one person. (i.e. Presidents Day). MLK IMO is definitely one of the five most significant Americans and he represents a positive aspect of the most divisive issue of American history (the black/white divide) He expresses a spirit of activism that inspired his generation. The others I would include in the top five have their day (Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson) but not directly. Thomas Jefferson is not the reason for the Independence Day holiday but he is clearly associated with it.

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights?

It certainly does. Race relations have been a struggle since Thomas Jefferson penned the phrase all men are created equal. Martin Luther King, Jr. represents the long story of injustice in the treatment of African-Americans with an overall message that calls for the realization of the reality of the phrase All Men Are Created Equal. It shook the commonly accepted knowledge of the day and allowed the United States to shed some of its dishonor.

It is also a statement to a portion of society that has been told in many ways since 1619 that they are inferior to whites. Even the Emancipator of the slaves felt that Africans were not equal to whites and would be better off making a colony separate from whites.

This holiday and the harmonious celebration of it, is IMHO a statement that African Americans have arrived as free and equal citizens of the United States.

Who do you think deserves a national holiday?

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Listening to Boortz this morning, DTOM? He went over this same topic, almost point for point. Of course, he could have gotten the idea from you.

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual? And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history?

My personal preference would be to celebrate certain events or philosophies for holidays, but this certainly isn’t something I’m going to take to the streets over. If we are going to honor individuals, I have no qualms with MLK being at the top. The man was a catalyst to some groundbreaking and future-altering events. The America I know would not be the same without MLK.

On Boortz’s show today, he was getting his undies in a bunch over the fact that we don’t recognize individual presidents and instead, lump them together into one day. The difference I see is that presidents are sort of expected to do great, or at least noteworthy, things. A president would have to go WAY, WAY beyond the call of duty to be given his own day. What is remarkable about MLK is that he was a common citizen who rose above incredible obstacles and had a major role in the initiation of events that we now dub the Civil Rights Movement.

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights?

Of course it does. I think MLK day has moved beyond merely celebrating Dr. King’s birth. For some of us, MLK day has come to represent a day to celebrate the Civil Rights Movement in general. It is a day of reflection on the abilities of citizens to make change, the strides we have made in race relations, and a call for focus on how to continue to improve race relations.

Who do you think deserves a national holiday?

No one specific. Like I said before, I prefer we celebrate events or philosophies.

Sadly, no. I don't get Boortz since I moved to the vast wastelands of Kansas. I was reading the LAT online article here. It got me thinking about the meaning of the holiday and how it came about. In the military, we have the obligatory MLK events, but most of us and I dare say most Americans treat it as what it is on the surface, a long weekend off from work. Sadly, just as there is apathy and denial from one side today, there will also be vitriol laden attacks on Bush, conservatives, etc...from the other. Both are disgusting ways to celebrate the man's legacy.

To answer my own questions -

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual? And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history?
I don't believe so. I agree with Jaime that we should honor groundbreaking events or movements, not specific individuals. If I thought differently, MLK would probably make my top five list of worthy individuals.

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights?
On the face of it, is does seem pretty amazing that in the face of loud rhetoric about racism and discrimination in America, the only individual honored nationally in this manner is a black man. To agree with yet another poster, Eeyore, while there remains work to do, this holiday could indeed signify that blacks have arrived as free and equal citizens of the United States.

I would say that I have to agree about him being one of the most important figures in American history, but I don't know about no one else being of the same historical significance. Many could make arguments about LBJ (passed more civil rights legislation than any other President), Reagan (had more impact on the cold war than any other man), or Eisenhower (and his influence on the success of WWII).

Dr. King was the focal point of a movement that helped to change the landscape of American culture as we know it, without taking up arms or violent revolt. It's exactly what the United States needed at the time, and I'm glad to see that places like Dallas have embraced the day in celebration.

I have no problem with having a day dedicated to him as a person, but it unfortunately does overshadow the contributions of other great civil rights leaders like Rosa Parks. Why not call it civil rights day?... and include the notion that Dr. King didn't stand alone? This part of US history should be remembered every year, but maybe we should tip our hats to all involved...




Umm... CR, this is just plain absurd. This debate has nothing to do with Jesus, and there is as much historical record of his existence as many other men of the era (i.e. verbal documentation as opposed to artifacts). His religious significance is debateable, but frankly, not his existence... How about a good site to reference?
Try this
how about from Wikipedia?

Funny enough, much of Dr. King's works revolved around the teachings of Jesus and the christian faith. I'm not sure if that was what you were attempting to discuss, but regardless of your stance, it really has little to do w/ this debate.

Judging from the emoticons in your post, I am assuming that you meant for this to be humorous. Did you, in fact, forget about one other well-known apostle, Peter, who followed this "construct" and became the first pope? Or were you expecting archaeologists to dig up a dusty Polaroid snapshot from the First Century?

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual? And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history?

I don't know whether we "should" or not; it's just been something I've been raised with, so I don't really question it as perhaps I "should".

Whether the late Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King is the most worthy recipient in our nation's history to have a day named after him is highly debatable.

Without George Washington leading the armies of the revolutionary force, we would not have the self-determination to choose just who was honored other than the queen or king in power at the time.

Without Johnny Appleseed we would not have the abundance of apple trees within the contiguous 48 states; hence the boys going to war would have missed Mom and the girl they left behind, but not apple pie.

Without Abraham Lincoln and his leadership at a pivotal time, a goodly portion of our population might have been still enslaved for a long time. Who would have stepped forward and issued an emancipation proclamation in the Confederate States of America?

Those are very few among the examples that could be given. The fact is that each person I mentioned and untold hundreds of others contributed in a great way to what we are familiar with today. Whether Dr. King was more deserving or not really does not matter; the fact that he did come forward to bring equality to a marginalized and chronically disadvantaged group of Americans is what matters.

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights?

Yes, it does. There is the perception that this civic holiday is for black Americans only. As long as that perception predominates, there is room for improvement in race relations.

Who do you think deserves a national holiday?

I would like to see Susan B. Anthony honored for her part in the suffragist movement.

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual? And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history?
My state doesn't have MLK day but rather Civil Rights Day. I think that's much less powerful since it could mean just celebrating rights of the majority. Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn't about Martin Luther King Jr. himself. I feel it's more about acknowledging the horrible history of race relations in America and recognizing the how much better we must do. Looking back at the genocide against Native Americans, slavery, the Trail of Tears, Jim Crow, the Tuskegee Experiment, the Japanese internment, and other egregious atrocities committed in the United States we don't have days to commemorate those events. Atrocities like those, many of them committed by people honored on currency and with their own days, are a central part of our history which we can't just sweep under the rug. Having a holiday for Martin Luther King Jr. both acknowledges this history exists and recognizes that we need to truly judge people not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights?
Certainly but MLK day has been a national holiday for 20 years, hopefully we have progressed from where we were 20 years ago.

Who do you think deserves a national holiday?
It's hard to say individuals deserve national holidays. Individuals are always flawed in some way. I think what we celebrate on holidays for individuals is what they stood for and symbolize. Washington and Lincoln are both probably deserving because they are symbols of liberty and freedom. Paladin Elspeth mentioned Susan B. Anthony, I'm not quite sure about that because how do you justify a holiday (and a coin) for Susan B. Anthony and nothing for Elizabeth Cady Stanton? Maybe the next time we want to honor a person we can boot Grant off the $50 and put them on.

Questions for debate:

Should we recognize a federal holiday to honor a single individual?
Yes. Doing so is consistent with our national paradigm that individuals matter.

And is MLK the most worthy recipient in our nations history? No, George Washington is the most worthy recipient, followed by either Jefferson or Lincoln. From there, its a tossup. I would put MLK somewhere in the top 20, top 10 for the 20th Century. I'd also rate him as one of the three most significant African-Americans, along with Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington. It should be noted that many of the other individuals in the Top 20 are not political figures, and so are rarely ever considered in discussions of this sort.

Does the existence of this holiday say something about the state of race relations or the progress of civil rights? Yes, that the guilt card is still playable. Fortunately, MLK Day is as much a commemoration of the civil rights progress as it is a platform for the race hustlers, poverty pimps, and collectivists.

Who do you think deserves a national holiday? George Washington.

There we are a debate

Bikerdad of the person's listed in your report it seems to me that Washington my well be the least deserving of a holiday.

Not to say that he didn't do some impressive things. But Lincoln, Jefferson and King all seem to have been personally responsible for more.

Martin Luther King Jr. is the symbolic embodiment of a movement that has only WWII as a rival for its importance to the current identity of the United States of America.

It is interesting that response to bigotry both Nazi and domestic formed the defining moments in US history.

Washington on the other hand was almost inevitable. He was an excellent military leader who happened to be a revolutionary.

It seems to me the very best thing he did was step down and set the example for peaceful transfer of power in the fledgling democracy.

King, on the other hand is responsible for shoving the fledgling out of the nest and forcing it to fly.

The civil rights movement made America more that a superpower, it was the first time we could even begin to claim to be that proverbial light on a hill.

It was the beginning of legitimate American national pride, the first thing we could truly proud of.

King seem to me the equal of Jefferson, he exceeded him in character even as jefferson exceed King in sheer importance, it balances out.

Lincoln is a close second, but again he was simply riding currents that were almost out of his control.

His own split position on civil rights hurt his own sanity and the sanity of our nation.

King is quite likely the most deserving person of a holiday we have.

And the crowd goes...Wha....?

I believe that fortedwards.org says it best... Washington:

He contributed to our political structure by:
Providing leadership in Drafting the Constitution
Setting precedents in the Presidency
Setting up the Cabinet system and establishing relationships between the branches of government
Warning of the power of the military-industrial complex
Warning about foreign entanglements
Warning about the problems of a political party system

He contributed to our military tradition by:
Establishing preeminence of civilian authority
Establishing the role of the citizen-soldier
Establishing the character of the armed forces

He set an example as a man by:
Showing man's fallibility yet exhibiting great capability for self improvement
Exhibiting great physical and moral courage
Maintaining high ethical standards
Showing great self discipline
Exhibiting great sense of duty to God, country and ones fellow man
Exemplifying great perseverance against overwhelming odds
Showing loyalty to institutions and individuals
Showing reliance on the power of God to guide man's destiny

He provided vision by:
Showing great insight into the character and capabilities of men
Evidencing deep understanding of the importance of events

Not taking anything away from Dr. King, but Washington had much to do with the shaping of America and our constitution as we know it. The very fact that he existed had a large impact on the face of the emerging United States.



Seems to me that the only acceptable holiday for a single man would be MLK day?? Again, one of America's greatest and most honorable sons... but stating that the accomplishments of Lincoln and Washington were results of fate (so to speak) is nearly absurd.

What about men like Patrick Henry? Reagan? Eisenhower? MacArthur? Grant? Robert E Lee (of course, many of you will disagree)? You have to consider that men of this caliber also became a part of the very fabric of our existence as Americans.

And again.. I'll mention that the Civil Rights movement didn't happen by Dr. King alone. Consider the contributions of people like Mary Mcleod Bethune, Frederick Douglas, Rosa Parks, and Homer Plessy (to name a few). I'd agree that in many ways Dr. King was the catalyst, but their contributions cannot be ignored.... so why not a civil rights movement day???

He was hardly alone in these warnings or in setting up the Cabinet system. It was in the tradition of British kings to have ministers that served essentially the same purpose was it not?

Cabinet System
Most this list in fact does not point to Washington's personal leadership at all. It's just a bit of a love-feast.

Nothing wrong with that, but in practical terms King was much more instrumental.

Not really. They are important historical figures because they typified the conflicts they were involved.

Military leaders are important because they win wars and retain national honer (hopefully).



But it seems to me that popular leaders like King have more lasting effects on the basic facts of life in America.

King was more than a military or political leader, he was a true populist who focused the indignation of the black community and everyone else who was fed up with living in a nation that betrayed its ideals on an hourly basis.

He didn't lead soldiers or officials, men and women trained to be led. He led average citizens and that is a tougher job.

You are right that King wasn't alone, but neither was Washington, Jefferson, Grant, or Lee.

No man is an island, but the leadership that King showed in publicly directing protest, unarmed, while his enemies crowded around him with guns, dogs, and uniforms that signaled the support of the government was almost unique in American history.

Ok, let's say I accept this line of thought. Who would qualify other than Dr King? It seems to me that the only American that qualifies for this level of adoration is the venerable Martin Luther King?



Reagan wasn't necessarily a military leader in the sense you'd use and Patrick Henry wasn't a military leader at all.

I used these men as examples in that their involvement in the history of the United States helped to change the course of a nation, if not the world in general. This is also true for Dr. King.

Consider the fact that, as you stated, none of these men carried the burden on their shoulders alone yet Dr. King is the only man with a day dedicated to himself in the United States.

We have Presidents day, Memorial Day, Veterans day... and MLK day? Think of Homer Plessy, who had the courage to sit in a white car. What about Oliver Brown, who just wanted to enroll his daughter in a white school closer to home? Why should we forget them??? ....

BTW as best I can tell from looking at several links, the official federal holiday in February is Washington's Birthday not President's Day.



And I noticed another federal holiday that is designated for an individual.



An Overview of U.S. Holidays

So part of the premise of this thread seems to be inaccurate.

Well... actually you're right about Columbus!! I never really thought of it.

However, I would argue that in the vain of "President's Day", we could change MLK day to "Civil Rights" Day and use it to commemorate everyone that made a difference in the civil rights movement...

I concede your point about Presidents Day, Eeyore.


Link

But I believe the purpose behind Columbus Day is not to honor the man, but to:

Link

I could be wrong, but that is how I interpret it.

In that line of thought it could be thought of as Discovery Day, or we could think of MLK day in that same generalized way and not think that it is an exception for recognizing an individual.

Columbus Day

And in reference to this from Aevans from two posts before this one



The official holiday is Washington's Birthday.

Because there is limited space in our calendars if we want to keep up that good old Protestant work ethic and not overlord our calendar with too many holidays, generalization seems inevitable.

Military leaders get their due on Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, and to a lessor degree Independence Day. President's can share the official day to honor Washington's birthday and I would think that many social icons and pioneers could share some of the limelight on MLK Day.

Also, without official holiday we have the capacity to designate days and months in honor of other accomplishments in United States history.

In my mind honoring MLK does not dishonor all other Americans. But debating his merit does seem to dishonor him to a degree. He and Christopher Columbus share criticism each year on their days.

And many states seemed loathe to recognize this day. Alabama found a way to observe the day (and remember he has a strong set of ties to Alabama) by lumping it together with a celebration of secession. It is officially MLK and Robert E Lee day in Alabama. If you have lived in Alabama you understand the meaning of the dual holiday, and I find it unfortunate.



Alabama.gov

Although I would not completely disagree with this statement I can think of another that was equally, if maybe not more important.

Jonas Salk was responsible for the Polio vacine that stoped a terrible disease that threatened people of all races. I have often (having known many people who survived polio), wondered why he doesn't rate as highly on the "Hero's" chart as MLK, JFK and so many others.

Just my two cents.

Good point.

I think Columbus Day is a pretty empty holiday, especially since he did not "discover" a place if it already had people there! It has also been amply proven that Leif Erikson was on this continent long before Columbus was.

Yes, Elizabeth Cady Stanton should be honored as well as Susan B. Anthony. How about celebrating Women's Suffrage Day? Any time that half of the adult human population is finally granted the right to vote should be cause for celebration!

It should also be noted that Washington was not the only great man who had human frailties--the FBI had reports that King had girlfriends on the side. Let's not build our pedestals so high that we lose sight of the fact that ALL of the people we venerate had their less-than-perfect sides and that it is the work they did for noble causes that distinguished them.

I have always thought that the lack of a "international womens day" holiday to be odd- instead we have the hallmark created holiday of "mom's day"

I would love to see international women's day be a holiday here, like it is in what, 98% of the world? Course- it doesn't hurt that it is right after my birthday and would give me a killer weekend eh? j/k

Reagan deserves nothing, not even beneath contempt- did nothing for nobody but other conservatives- no accomplishments or greatness at all. I mean really- just because Rush limbaugh are around now we have to thank Reagan- puhleaze

Eisenhour was a great man- I agree, but I would go with FDR first, though it is a toss up for me with Eisenhour- but all these presidents were powerful men, that did great things from a place of power- while MLK, he won from a place, that was possibly the weakest position, and gained victory, even with his own death, despite the incredible odds against him.

He wasn't born into privilage and wealth like our founding fathers- he rose up from humility and with a grace that no American has ever had before or after him.

There are a great deal of women that deserve praise in this country- if for no more than giving birth and raising great men to thier greatness- so many that we would have to find a day TO work instead of just a holiday LOL- that is why I support "international women's day"-

but to say "civil rights say" is just a backhanded slap at MLK day so they can still get the superbowl or whatever. Like the 'bama thing- I mean common, Lee was a great man, and seemed to be an honorable man- but let's face it- he was on the wrong side of that war don'tchya think?

That's a good way of looking at it: Philosophies and events, rather than persons. I'm reminded of a column I read a few years ago by Boston Globe columnist Derrick Jackson, in which he criticized those who invoked MLK's remarks (about judging people by the content of their characters rather than the color of their skin) in arguing against affirmative action programs. His objection was that they were citing the "1963" MLK, and that they should be paying more attention to what he said in 1968, when he was presumably more radical. Well, the only problem for Mr. Jackson is that it was the "1963" MLK who earned him the national fame that made him the historical icon he's become. Basically, Mr. Jackson wanted to play a little bait-and-switch game.

So yes, if it was the March on Washington and the "I Have a Dream" speech that was honored instead, it would provide much less of an occasion for that kind of sophistry.

Not to put a damper on your revisionism, but our involvement in WW2 was a response to Japanese imperialism, not Nazi bigotry. And I would hazard to say that the founding of our country has had a lot more to do with our current identity than anything else, given that our identity as "United States of America" wouldn't exist without the founding. During the 20th Century, the Great Depression did more to shape our "current identity" than any other event, although the Cold War comes in a close second.

I could just as easily argue that King was almost inevitable. The civil rights movement did not start with King. It did not start with Rosa Parks. Crimminy, Truman probably did more for civil rights than King or Parks, although King brought an eloquence to the scene at just the right time, during the early days of television.

Your disdain for America is palpable. As a historical fact, there are hundreds of millions of Americans who have lived and died before you came on the scene who considered their pride in America to be quite legitimate.

I'm curious as to who made you the judge of legitimate pride?

I think these holidays are nice, but unimportant and it's kind of obscene that we have to have holidays to remember important historical events. Why don't we make every day Education Day and have our history be part of our lives rather than something that we reflect on with thoughts watered down by annual holidays?

Martin Luther King Jr. was certainly one of the most important figures in American and world history, but what he represented was a movement that thousands of unknown regular people dedicated their lives to, and sometimes they were lynched, beaten, and murdered in the process. He represented thousands of people, with little resources, who put themselves at risk for a little gain here and a little gain there, and big losses all the time - people who did not donate money to some PAC for some short-term political goal and give up if that goal was not accomplished right away, but who donated what little free time they had to an unpopular, anti-status-quo movement to change the consciousness of the American people. It's very hard to change people's minds. They went up against corrupt local police, and the corrupt FBI under J Edgar Hoover.. King was considered a trouble maker and they tried to link him with communism... Hoover tried to undermine King any way he could. He had to struggle to get Johnson to pass the Civil Rights Act. But the greatest struggle was changing the mind of the people when the elite culture wanted them to think differently.

The civil rights movement, like the American revolution, wasn't about one famous figure in the spotlight, but about a group of dedicated, regular people coming together in the name of democracy, equality, and freedom to change the collective conscience of the nation.