Why is it that the public schools in this area, and much of the state for that matter, don't recognize Martin Luther King Day, a federally declared day of recognition and remembrance, as a holiday?

I find the failure to recognize the day as racist and in-compassionate. It should be noted that when Lincoln and Washington's birthdays were separate holidays, they were recognized. Both days were days off. Now we have Presidents Day and Martin Luther King's Birthday as Federal Holidays. What gives here? We don't recognize King day around here so we gave up a federal holiday. Well, that makes perfect sense.

I'd like the local school boards and administrators to take note of the current policy and recognize that as America changes, we need to get with the program and give recognition where it is due.

If much of the state doesn't recognize Black Monday, maybe they are saying they don't think it deserves to be a holiday. I don't remember anyone ever asking me. Celebrate it as you wish, but don't label those who don't wish to.

Holy crap! Well, Chad, if that kind and sensitive response from Marcus is any indication of how the state feels that would explain a lot. I also notice that Stockman bank doesn't miss a beat on M.L.King Day.

Marcus, tell the truth....black wasn't really the word you wanted to use, was it?

My calander says 2006 but I just felt a 1950's moment. It felt ugly.

What we need is Johnny Horton day.

Happy Black Civil Rights Leaders Day to one and all.

>>. . . tell the truth....black wasn't really the word you wanted to use, was it? My calander says 2006 but I just felt a 1950's moment. It felt ugly.

My hat's off to you Tucker - - speaking out when needed is what will keep the calendar moving forward so that don't find ourselves back in the 50s.

When someone says things like the comments you took exception to - - well it seems to me that they do nothing more than to show themselves in their proper light.

They say these things, hoping for encouragement from "the crowd" - most often when called out for what they've said, they'll fall back on the tired old line: "Lighten up Man! I was just joking."

And if nothing else, their comments certainly draws a very sharp and defining contrast between themselves and the Reverend King, a man who was not afraid to speak up: loud, clear and to the point for what was/is right . . . even at the expense of his life.
--Hal Neumann

wow, I just got a sick feeling in my stomach and I think that it is the pale face of ingnorance.

For those of you who can't remember a little of the history of our Republican dominated state house and legislature, the decision to ignore this holiday was a conscious and I believe mean-spirited decision. The leadership came from Eastern Montana representatives and was encouraged and condoned by Gov. Stan Stephans. This was done thirty years before George W. Think about why no one ever tries to rectify this within our community. At least Miles Community College had a drive to help poor people in our community through collecting donations for the food bank. Chad and Tucker, why not have public sing-a-long with some of the old spirituals King loved.
I would love to read his speech. Let's think about this for next year.

While we are having our "Kum-by-yah moment"... why don't we celebrate Chief Sitting Bull day. Chief Sitting Bull had far more impact on MC than Martin Luther King. Just a thought.

Here are by far my favorite MLK speeches/thoughts: http://www.progress.org/dividend/cdking.html
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/058.html

I find it interesting that this topic has come up during a time when it's politically incorrect to celebrate Christmas. Regardless of your religious beliefs you all must admit that Jesus has had a far greater impact on us than Martin Luther King, yet when someone refused to celebrate Christmas many of you said nothing.

>> . . .why don't we celebrate Chief Sitting Bull day. . . .

Start the petition circulating - - I'll sign. A day commemorating Native Americans is a darned good idea and one that's long overdue.

Remus, I don't celebrate Christmas because I'm Jewish. I have no expectation of you celebrating Chanukah. Guess what.....the entire world isn't Christian.

[This message has been edited by Tucker Bolton (edited 1/16/2006).]

We Federal employees are expected to celebrate the "Politically Correct" holidays.

I would prefer that we all get to vote on the holidays that we celebrate, whatever they may be. Take the top 100 and celebrate all of them with a day off. That way I can make the $50 an hour and appease all holiday celebrators at the expense of the Federal tax payer!

I vote for a day in June, the "International Accordion Awareness" month.

Viva La Resistance!

Tucker you make a great point; I just find it ironic that you are so quick to defend Martin Luther King Jr. day and not Christmas. Today is an extremely important day and like you I hate to see it ignored, but just think about its meaning. Mr. King spoke of equality among all men and women. His speeches, and in fact his life carried a simple yet so powerful message; love your neighbors as yourselves. All religious beliefs aside, Christmas is a time when we remember the man who first delivered this message.

Chad, it may make you feel better to know that when I was in grade school, which wasn't that long ago, we took this day to learn about Martin Luther King Jr., and why indeed we should celebrate the holiday.


[This message has been edited by remus (edited 1/16/2006).]

I don't understand how someone can celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King (a man that made his living spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ), but not celebrate the birth of Jesus. Remember you don't have to worship someone to appreciate what they've done for mankind.

Is MLK day his bithday??

April 4th
A shot rings out in the Memphis Sky
Free at last
They took your life but
they'll never take your pride
In the name of love
once more in the name of love

U2 greatest American band from Ireland

Are you kidding about it being politically incorrect to celebrate Christmas? You really need to watch/listen to something besides Fox News and stop believing Bill O'Reilly. When I was a kid,(in the 40's) our Lutheran minister use to complain about the commercialization of Christmas. If he were alive today, I wonder what he would call the current frenzy of commercialization. But to get back to Martin Luther King Day. I like the trend to make it a day of community service rather than just another holiday to indulge in me, me, me.

Ironically, for the first few decades of the United States, a great effort was made NOT to celebrate Christmas because the U.S. had a Puritan background the Puritans were 100% opposed to Christmas celebrations. The Congress made a point, for their first 67 years, to MEET on Christmas Day, partly because of Puritanical background and partly because Christmas, as we celebrate it today, was seen as "British" and the U.S. was very anti-British for years. Protestant churches did NOT have
Christmas services because, again, Puritans did not celebrate Christmas.

Then Queen Victoria came to the English throne and we in the U.S. started liking that whole "gather round the Christmas tree" thing the Brits were doing. (Christmas trees were not a British and/or U.S. custom until Prince Albert introduced them from Germany around 1840.) So we started decorating trees and looking around for religious services. Only Catholic and Episcopalian churches had Christmas services so folks started attending those. Protestant churches looked around in horror at their members going to 'those' churches and introduced Christmas services around the pre-Civil War period.

Our Founding Fathers would be appalled by our big whoop-de-doo of Christmas. The Pilgrims would be even more horrified.

And remember. . .Christmas doesn't actually mark the birth of Christ but various Pagan "festival of lights" mid-winter celebrations. The tree is Pagan, too, as is mistletoe and holly and bright lights.

Amorette

And you don't read anywhere in Acts or the Epistles about anyone rushing to Jerusalem to celebrate Christmas.

Remus,

"...love your neighbors as yourselves. All religious beliefs aside, Christmas is a time when we remember the man who first delivered this message."

Long before Jesus ever said this there was something called Hammurabi's Code, 282 laws written around 1750 B.C. by King Hammurabi. In it you can find the pretext of nearly all religions, the Ten Commandments, the Torah, the Koran, etc., and of most major political Bills of Rights (or their equivalent). Neither Jesus or any of the other prophets were the first to suggest or command just and fair treatment of our fellow men.


I doubt, too that Hammurabi was the first. It's just that there is written record of his laws dating back to 1750 something B.C.


[This message has been edited by Chad (edited 1/17/2006).]

Amorette and Chad, you are both right. In fact Hebrew law said that if you were born into slavery you were to be the best slave possible or God would frown upon you. That sure does not sound like all men are cretd equal.

Chad,
Hammurabi's Code was hardly a pretext for what Jesus spoke. It was a list of laws that dealt mainly with the punishment of criminals. Here are a few examples:

"If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off."

"If a sister of a god open a tavern, or enter a tavern to drink, then shall this woman be burned to death."

"If a slave say to his master: 'You are not my master,' if they convict him his master shall cut off his ear."

Jesus didn't teach people to get back at those who wronged them; in fact he said the exact opposite. His ideas of "turning the other cheek", or forgiving those who have "sinned" against you were revolutionary. This hadn't been preached before Jesus, at least not to this extent.

If you read through the interpretations of all 282 laws, they boil down to much the same thing. Yes, there are harsh penalties for not being a good slave, for cheating, for wearing the wrong hat on Tuesday, but it essentially boils down to the same thing in the end- be a good and honest person and pay your dues.

The one difference though is that they are not the Word of God.

I was building a fence in my backyard the other day and I happened to find the true teachings of God. If anyone wants them let me know and I'll email you a copy..

Question: If the federal government mandates a holiday for a day that is based upon a religious belief, is that a breach of the separation of church and state?

If you're saying Jesus' teachings and Hammurabi's code are essentially the same, or even similar, I think you've missed the point. Hammurabi's "eye for an eye" concept is exactly what Jesus was trying to change.

Tell that to the Spanish Inquisition.

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

There are a large number of people in Amerika that celebrate thier religious holidays in solitude, without it being an issue. They don't call themselves Christians and do not draw thier beliefs from the same text that Christians do. Just a few of those would be Buddists, Muslims, Jews, Mormans, etc. and all are followers of what they consider thier own devinely inspired literature. There are those that don't. All that do and many that don't have one thing in common. A faith and hope based on a common understanding and belief in what they feel from a God of thier understanding.

MLK day is not a religious holiday for that matter niether is Christmas, thanksgiving , independance day or any of the others. They are federal, legal, holidays as determined by our father that be in the house, on the capital hill.

I am pretty tired of rightious indignation brought on by people that claim to be mono-theistic when brought on by topics that have no religious intent.

I overhear conversations on a daily basis that involve disparaging remarks and jokes about one Christain denomination or the other...from Christans. I hear the word "Nigger" used with impunity. I hear in my presence "I Jewed him down". I guess it bothers me more than I like to admit but I do understand that If nothing changes then nothing changes.

I celebrate Dr. Kings life, not because he was black or a minister but because he brought change and thought. There are not as many people walking the planet today that will throw a bomb into a church because of the color of the worshipers skin. Some people gave enough thought to thier use of racial epithets that they stopped. The world has a handful of kinder people because we were given something to think about and an opportunity to change.

I have heard the argument that Dr. King cheated on his wife. Yep, he was also a man and falable. I am not convinced that putting any man on a pedistal is rational. I am sure that I don't belong on one.

I just know that someone will point out some scripture out of some text that has nothing to do with my religion or this topic. For what it is worth. I don't care if you celebrate Christmas, Kwanza or worship at the alter of the holy and everlasting wombat.

If this is considered a "Kum-by-yah" moment for anyone then I am saddened by your loss and your religious bigotry.

Tucker: I will be "tolerant" and just bite my keyboard.

MLK was killed fighting for the rights of garbage men. He gave his life fighting for those who were being taken advantage of. I think that is honorable no matter what your race, religion, ethnicity, etc.

That right Dan they were garbage men, who were on strike. They were memebers of the American Federation of State, Couty and Municiplal employees union, better known as AFSCME. I have met people from there current local at a convention. They wear sirts with MLK on them. They are very proud of there history. The fact of the matter is no matter what MLK did or didn't do he fought for other people less fortunate than himself.

Tucker Bolton,
I want to know "straight out" were you attempting to disparage the place where I worship - "The Holy Alter of the Everlasting Wombat"?
I didn't realize Miles City was home to such bigotry!!!

Danny T,

Thats kind of the whole point, if someone doesn't believe in Jesus, then obviously, they don't believe how the impact of a person they don't believe existed.

Jeremy,

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying. What do you mean by the word "believe"? I understand that many people don't worship Jesus, and don't believe he had any divine power, but I assumed that most people (historians) agreed that he was a real man. Maybe I was wrong in that assumption. My point was, a man known as Jesus had an insightful message (and was a huge influence to MLK) and regardless of religious beliefs, it's ok recognize that message. I suppose if you don't believe he existed at all, then you're absolutely right. It doesn't make much sense to acknowledge his teachings.