Today is the 25th anniversary of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday. I believe it has the honor of being the first public holiday of the year, and while many businesses are open as usual (including the one I work for), the little man has no school, and government offices including the USPS are closed. Which means either the Mr. or I need to take time off. So then I started thinking (I know, 'tis a dangerous thing to do!)...
My first thought is a question, on what this day means to most people. Not only historically, but right now, right here, today. Does it actually mean something, and to whom? And why? After all, other than Washington's birthday on February 21st, MLK Day is the only Federal holiday associated with a person.
Ok, I know he's an important figure in American history. For those who don't, the Library of Congress has a section on Dr. King, Jr, and his contributions to society. And here's a video I found of his famous speech. Still gives me chills when I hear it...
So, we know he's important and historically significant, and we know why. We know he inspired millions, and we know that a ton of good was achieved in his name. But what do we do with that knowledge, today?
Some people will say that equality is still a dream, and others say that things are just fine the way they are. Who is right? Well, that depends on who's asking. Personally, I think as long as we pre-judge one another based on nothing but gender or race--whether positively or negatively--then we still have work to do. Which brings up my next question: What are we doing about it?
Unfortunately, I don't think there's an easy answer to this one. On a personal level, I do what I can to teach the little man that we should not treat people differently based on their gender or race. He discovered color a few years ago, and came home and asked me, "Mom, did you know Jeffrey is black?" I said yes, I knew. And asked him if it made any difference to him. I mean, what if Jeffrey was purple? And he said no. Jeffrey is still his best friend, and he's still "just" Jeffrey. Easy answers from a child, but whether it lasts into adulthood depends on me setting a good example for him, and his interactions with other people of color--not just black, but yellow, brown, and every color we come in. Gender might be a trickier thing to tackle, especially since girls are "girls" and boys, aren't.
As to what we can do as a society, I found this website that promotes MLK Day of Service, and has a handy widget to let you find volunteer opportunities in your community. And if I didn't have to work, I'd be taking advantage of the opportunity to perform some community service with the little man.
What about you? What are you doing this MLK Day?
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