During this third week of January 2009, we both celebrate history and witness history in the making. On Monday, we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – remembering the contributions of the civil rights leader. In his most famous speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., King spoke of his dream – a dream of racial equality. He spoke at a time when African Americans suffered indignities such as being refused service in restaurants, being forced to ride in the back of public buses, to drink from black only water fountains, and much more. While our country has made great strides in the areas of race relations and racial equality, few can deny that racism still exist – in some areas of the country more than others.
It’s fitting around this time of year to reflect on MLK’s life and work. One question that we often ask is whether or not his dream has been realized. Have we come far enough? Have the barriers to racial equality been torn down sufficiently enough? If King was alive today (he would be 81-years-old this year), would he be satisfied with the progress that has been made? Has King’s dream been realized?
Is it important that we set aside a day to remember the work of Dr. King? What is the best way to commemorate his life? As students, as a school, should we be doing something to remember King and educate the youth of today about his impact on our nation's history?
What do you think? Avoid simple answers. Give me real thought. Read the comments of those posting before you. Come back after you post, and continue to keep up with additional posts until the deadline. I want a real conversation. Invite your parents to read the blog, and they can even comment. Enjoy!
Note: I'm including King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
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38 comments:
There are its ups and downs, whites may be angry for stuff and this may cause an uproar. But remembering this great man is a good thing, but why is it with "good' people in history you only remeber the good things they done? give it a tink.
I completely think this should be a holiday it changed our past, future, and present. Think about it if there still was separation of whites and blacks, what kind of country would this be? We would have black and white schools. Black and white water fountains. Black and white restaurants. and almost everything else black and white. if Dr. King had not stopped this it would still be going on today. I think for that he should be remembered.
I do not think Martin Luther King Jr deserves a holiday. Yeah maybe he "Freed the blacks" but he did do some horrible things while he was alive. Some of you may not believe this but this is TRUE!!! Martin Luther King Jr. beat his wife and slep with other women besides his wife. The reason most of you guys do not know this is because teachers don't talk about it because they don't want YOU know about it. I do not think we should have a holiday for someone that commited beat his wife and slep with other women.
I hope I do not offend anyone but this is true.
I don't think we should have an MLK day because I think it is a little racist. Why don't we have a George Washington Day because he was the first president and he led the Continental Army to a victory against the British. That is true because HE IS WHITE. I think that MLK Day is just a kind of apology to blacks who aren't even alive now. Why don't we have a day about the person who gave women more freedom? BECAUSE THEY ARE PROBABLY WHITE TOO! And I'm kinnda wondering where Garrett found out what he said. It is a good arguement but is it true?
In my opinion i think that MLKJ did a great thing and he changed the world through his dedication, but so did many others. I think the fact that we have a holiday about an African American person trying to rid America of racisism is racism in itself. Yes he changed the world and did a humongusly great thing but so did many other brave and couragous (white) men in women. The federael government just set this as a holiday to appeal and please the African American community. Sure some could care less but to most this man is very important. And to not have a holiday after him would create a huge uproar and the government just don't want to deal with it. Although i say this i still think that MLKJ is a great man and maybe he did do bad things, but don't we all have our faults? He achieved a great thing but most Americans look at this day as " whoa!!! no SCHOOL!!!!" So i think we should celebrate him somehow but not have a whole day for him.
Chase, My mom was a teachers daugter so she pretty much knew everything that teachers knew. My mom told me, so I think other kids should know this.
I'm not being racist but it IS true.
Picking out the good things and leaving out the bad hmmmm, Mlk sang at the premier of gone with the wind, hmmmm, intersting eehh..yes he did cheat on his wife with another woman but why isnt this inormation devulged to us students in school, selective teaching thats why!Instead of just focusing on minorites and their trimuphs, why dont we learn about struggles of irish americans in the early 1900's, hmmm, give it a tink.
Chase, Presidents day IS George Washingtons day.
We should have a national holiday for Dr. King because it him that actually helped us get along or else we would have been in colored schools and to thinkk of that! We should celebrate it by going to school and having a small party in each class just for Dr. King.
GEE WIZ (my new catch phrase) more people need to blog! Its hard to have an intelligent conversation with like three people. But Radha i disagree with you Yes MLKJ had a big impact on minimizing racisim but he only got us started. Many other people along the fought alongside with him to rid America of racism and the horrid thing still isn't gone. I think if MLK was here today he would love what he saw but without the knowledge oh today's world he wouldn't know how much racism still remains (not only against blacks). So maybe we should have a "People who worked against racism" (im still working on the title of the name). Watcha think?
it took communities to eliminate racism, istead of MLK day we should have Drown in a Creek hills eliminates racism day, the expresion one man can change the world is not all true, you need followers, hilter, lenin, and Muhammed all had followers to spread their word, MLK had his it takes communities to eliminate cheesburgers.
All right, as Garrett said, (and I do believe him by the way) that Dr. King was a good man leading the blacks against racism....it was a good victory, but we should not have a holiday for him. He did an incredible thing, but people like as Shannon kindly said that people just LOVE having a free day off from school or work. Most people don't really care about the holiday because girls think that purse and the shoes are SOOOOOOOOO cute! And boys stay home and video games and basicly eat, sleep, and go to the bathroom. Not a lot of people care...so why have a holiday when most people in the U.S don't care?
Michael i disagree with you on the part that people don't care it's just that they don't take the time to remember and honor the MLK and think about all that he has done. But people definetly care one way or another they just don't show it.
i do think it is about half and half bcuz we r equal but theres stil some racisim if u kno wat i mean. but i think this is probably better than any1 50 or so years ago thought it would b
I don't think that MLK day should be a national holiday because people don't understand why they have this day off and they actually treat it as a joke. I agree with michael about the part where people take this holdiay for granted. I'd say about a handful of people take this holiday seriously.
P.S. Presidents's Day also counts as George Washington Day Chase.
We should definitely have a national hoilday for Dr. King because if he hadn't tried to get white and black people today, then we wouild be in seperate groups. we should do it by either having a party or having the day off.
I think that if Dr. King had the chance to see our progress with integration, he would be proud, but not completely satisfied until the entire world is rid of racism. I don't think that this goal can be fully accomplished though, because you can't change who people are, just the ideas in their heads, and the influence of great leaders. (such as Dr. King himself) I do believe we should have this holiday, because if we weren't reminded of him, he may become just another name in a textbook, and no one wants that to happen. The beginning of equality is something that should be celebrated every year, and what better way than to remember the man who's a symbol of it all. I don't think having his birthday as a holiday is racist, because he impacted our world enormously. His name is everywhere, more memorable than the many, many people who helped him. I think in this holiday, we're not only giving credit to MLKJ but everyone who assisted in equal rights groups.
I don't think that him cheating on his wife was relevent to the subject they were trying to teach, that's why they didn't say it. Why bring his personal life into an entirely different area?
Picasso beat his wife, cheated on her, and was an alchoholic. But that isn't what he's remembered for today, because his greatest accomplishments were his paintings. Why can't it be the same for Dr. King?
If the information that you've shared is true, of course.
By the way, I'm not saying that it's okay to cheat on or beat your wife, just making a point here.
Sorry I'm commenting so much, but I accidentally did the last one as anonymous.
Ok to what Robby said about my first comment was that presidents day is George Washington day is that presidents day is a bunch of presidents not just george washington. And even if there was a george washington day MLKJ day shouldn't be a holiday because we dont really honor him on our day off of school we should be at school learning about him and take a different holiday off.
I think that we should have a MLK day. It's true he did some terrible things but he was the first man to publicly stand up for blacks. I don't think it's racist because he was just standing up for black's. It's also true, like Chase said, that we don't have a day for our first President, George Washington, but we have Presidents day which represents all of our Presidents. I think it is best that we remember Martin Luther King by having a day represent him.
I agree with Christine that the fact that he beat his wife is totaly unrelevant to the fact that he was a great leader. Also that not enough people really stop and think about why they have that day off. I'm not saying everyone does that but most people find it to be just another day to spend at home. But I still believe we should have the day off.
I totally agree with garrett...if what he said is true because if it is true its like giving Tiger Woods a holiday. But even if what he said wasn't true i think that there were alot of other men and women that helped free the slaves, but where's their holiday. Not to mention that most of them did more to free the slaves, take Aberham Linchon for instance.
Someone said some thing on friday about a Obama Day, HECK NO!!! first off he is the first black president, thats cool but he has a holiday; its called presidents day, duh. And if he had a holiday that would be super racist, theres no the first white president day!!! And the only things he has done are make horrible healthcare, and make the USA in a crazy dept to pay off.
The first man... well one of the first men to publically stand up for blacks was John Brown, and he was a white guy. He was an abolutionist, and he was such an abolutuionist that he invaded a Federal Armory to arm his rebellion, but General Lee was sent with Marines(oorah!) to mop em' up. So why dont we have a holiday for him eh?
So if what Robby said was true we should have a Black Freedom Day that is in the middle of MLK's birthday and John Brown's birthday, like presidents day.
John Brown was nuttier than a fruitcake, and yes he was a real man LOOK HIM UP IF YOU WANNA KNOW MORE! ITS CALLED RESEARCH!!!
Not necceasarliy mac, this country without Mr.King could have gone two ways, forard or backwrd, i ould believe that without Mr.King segragation would have been eliminated, in 1956 Harry.s.Truman desegragated the military, that was a HUGE step towards racial equality, but what about trman we dont have a holiday for him, (presidents day is for Lincoln and Washington and them only) he wanted what we all want, equality, remember the fruitcake John Bown what about him hes just a name for most of us. But it is only rembering the good things about King, John Brown gave his life for his cause.
Give it a tink
Mr King only really impacted the south
Hey this is Luke from D-Period. After Matain Luther King Jr. died some people have slowly got worse. Who watches american idol, the general was talking how some people discraced M.L.K.jr. If you watch american idol then you should know this song, Pants on the Ground. If you don't watch it then look it up on youtube. You probibly never think about it.
I agree that MLK jr. was a smart and brave guy, and that he was the first person to stand up for blacks, but I don't think there should be a whole day off just for that. Without his help our country would probably still be split up between black and white everything. If you think about it, it really is racist because there aren't any holidays for any famous white people.
I think there should be like a little time in school to recognize him, though. Maybe just a whole school showing of his speech. Something that shows he is important.
Nathan I don't think we can really compare Tiger Woods to Martin Luther King. Golf is golf. But MLK made differences in the way people treated each other, how our country is today. And it's not just Obama that put us in this debt, there was already trillions to pay before he was elected. I know I'm past the deadline, I just wanted to say something about that.
Christine, Nathan is talking about how to Tiger Woods cheated on his wife. So did MLK Jr. Not that there equal.
I have spoken to Garrett about his comments and have explained to him, you should not make comments that can reflect on someone's character without extensive research and documentation to back it up. It becomes hearsay and gossip. In regards to Dr. King, I believe his ideas and the work he did for the desegregation of our nation was unmatched and showed great bravery. He was able to motivated people of all races and showed his great leadership. Many people do not understand that Dr. King wanted equality for all not just one race. We are all to be equal. In regards to his personal life- when deciding on lifting someone to the level of making a national holiday to honor them, their whole life should be evaluated. Dr. King was documented in FBI Surveillance ordered by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, to be involved in extra marital behavior and abusive behavior towards these women even on the day he was shot. Additionally Boston University investigated Dr. King's dissertation and documented that large portions of it were plagiarized. They decided not to revoke his Ph.D. because his ideas were considered intelligent and useful. Concluding- Dr. King was a great motivator and did bring about change regarding civil rights, however he was not the saint a lot of people would make him out to be.
well Chrinstine accually there was only Billions but since obama was such a great man and his special package put us 9 trillions dollars in debts, but wht can this epic failure be atrubbited to such a "great" man
Martin luther king should be a holiday because he was a wonderful man! he was arrested and abused to get the freedom of african americans! the holiday of Martin luther king junior reminds us how important he is and that we are all equal and we all deserve equal rights!
the anonymous above is mine sorry it didnt do my name!!!! -zoe tribley F period
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