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I don't want to get into a pee contest here and MLK was a great man that contributed much to mankind and I honor his work and hold it in the highest of regards. But a holiday? How about the following holidays:
Feb 22 The father of our country, George Washington
Feb 11 Thomas Edison who has touched every life in the world with his inventions
Feb 12 Abraham Lincoln
Feb 13 William Shockley who invented the basis of modern electronics the transistor
October 28 Jonas Salk (invented the vaccine that ended polio and saved millions of lives)
August 6 Alexander Fleming (invented Penicillin which has also saved millions of lives)
He spearheaded the civil rights movement that changed America forever and also like a poster said he died for his cause. His actions are just as important as the Declaration of Independence to the US and if you think otherwise then feel free to work on Jul 4.
MLK Jr. did not spearhead the movement, it was underway ever since the end of the Civil War by men like Thaddeus Stevens and Frederick Douglass. Other Civil Rights activists also died for the cause such as Malcolm X. Blacks were going to get civil rights regardless of Martin Luther King due to the changing environment and the fear that the Soviets and Communism were becoming attractive to the black population. I don't know if you know this but a significant number of blacks were pro Japanese during WWII since the Japanese tried to get their support (WEB DuBois was a huge supporter of Japan) and quite frankly I can't blame them for being anti-American during WWII due to all the racism they suffered during that era. Basically what I am saying is that continuing those racist policies were unfeasible and their days were numbered regardless of MLK Jr.
"By all accounts"? Last I heard, some of the oft repeated, less than pristine details about his personal life are commonly disputed and some are even dismissed as myths.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn't a saint, but a man. He was a man who did a lot of good to help change the world.
And who willingly gave his life for that cause. I think a fair reading of his last speech indicates he felt his time was coming soon.
Quote:
"Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now,†the Rev. Mr. King said that evening. “I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!â€
Yes it should be celebrated. MLK was a Peace maker!
Bingo, he was anti war and was killed a year to the day he gave his anti war speech which I rate higher than his other famous speech.
He took a lot of heat from others in the Civil Rights Movement who though he might ruin the relationship they built with LBJ, he cared about all people white and black and knew war was wrong.
MLK showed a lot of character by remaining true to his beliefs and not remaining silent, it would have been all to easy for him just to let the issue of our country's military expansion alone and not rock the boat, so yes it should be celebrated.
From his speech
"United States is the great conveyor of evil in the world"
"A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defence than on programmes of social uplift is approaching spiritual death."
If Lincoln and Washington have to share a holiday then I see no reason why MLK shouldn't since he wasn't nearly as important.
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Why A Holiday For just Martin Luther King?
