Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

OneandDone, I didn't see anything wrong with Cheryl O's response. There are members of society today that use their color and race as a crutch.

MKL Jr. was a visionary. A true leader. As most, he was a flawed person but everyone is. His "I have a dream" speech was nothing short of wonderful.

You just don't see leaders like that today.

I post something about this, not sure if I was clear but got good/interesting answers.
I'm from Mexico and for what I remember MLK wasn't a big topic on my school days, we did learn a few basic stuff as a Worl history but ovbiously focus more in people from our country like Benito Juarez.
However, when I move here, I found the interest and need to learn about America history, I like MLK speach, I appreciate and admire any person that stands about people rights.
Yesterday I was a little down because even if my daughter knew who he was (I must brag she is an A's student) she didn't have any feeling, then again, the only feelings she lately has are for manga.
I thought to my self if we she is having the day on memory of this men, why not ask them to write something about it, to put a few minutes of their days to think about it, or something.
Anyway, I am glad we live in this time, for us as people of different race and men and women, etc, I take a second to think things wouldn't be this way without some amazing people, so thanks.

PS: I think what Chery was trying to say is that some people use the color (or sex, religion, etc) to get a right.
I have never hear somebody say it is what MLK wants but I have hear people say "I deserve it because of what my people went through" very few people but I have, and I think that is what she was trying to say.
On my own personal opinion, we all have a antecedent (slaves, Mayan, Native American, etc) that we sorrow what they went through and find them deserving of a better life, however in 2012, on most parts of the world, we deserve only what we work for it.
I apologize for my bad grama in such a important matter, I hope I got most of it right.

It's just another day...

My children marched in a parade yesterday. Marching in a parade was a moment of pride and did produce a few good questions that we had a chance to answer. We live our lives in a manner that is a testament to Dr. King. Yesterday was more of a chance for them to educate thier friends on nonviolent conflict resolution, equality, and justice. "that a man be judged by the content of his character, not the color of his skin."

I do agree that the legacies of Great Americans are highjacked frequently to give authority to weak positions.
but, using a question about MLK to put "some members of our society" - people of color? down. That's classy.

With my 4 year old, it was important to tell him about the reason for the holiday. He is just at the age where holiday usually means xmas or independence day or something with a party/present so this was a new concept of celebration and remembrance.

We have no family ties or background to link us directly to MLK Jr, so we started the conversation by telling him about who MLK was and what he was fighting for. We talked about how he helped make it possible for kids to be friends with each other, ride the bus to the library together, go out to eat whenever/wherever they want, no matter what they look like or who they are. We talked to my son about what happened to MLK and people that didn't agree with him. It's something to build on not just yesterday but throughout the year.

Next year, we are planning a day of service on the day off - some sort of community volunteering or charity work. I think that will help share the spirit of bringing people together and helping others that need it.

My kids are young, 5, 4 and 2 and I actually asked for ideas here a couple of days ago and used some ideas. We read children's books about MLK Jr all week from the library. I checked out like 10! They got more interested the more familiar they got. We then had a great discussion in the car about boycotts (started by bus boycott, but resulted in talking about corrupt modern corporations that got pretty detailed for their ages :) Since MLK Jr admired Ghandi, we got a few kids books on Ghandi and compared similarities. We found South Africa, India and the southern states of US on the map, pointing out the cities we read about. Then yesterday itself we talked on a long car ride about the world and things we might change and how, took note of mixed crowd in restaurant where we ate lunch, and then watched some short video footage before bed. My oldest drew a portrait of him. We talked a little more about dreams and read some poems before bed and discussed how people express themselves and speak to others. It was a good week! I look forward to next year.

I truly don't get people who don't understand how major he was to America.

My son is only 3.5, but when he asked us yesterday morning why it was a "stay home day", we explained to him that there was a time when not everyone was allowed to the same things because they had a different skin color and that there was a man named Martin Luther King who stood up to the bullies so that people could have a good life. We're starting there because explaining something as abstract as the "Civil Rights Movement" to a preschooler is tough, but I agree that it's important for him to know why he gets to stay home in mid-January. We'll have a similar conversation next month about Lincoln and Washington!

You are all beneficiaries in what the boycotts and race riots did to make this country move forward from the late 50s and 60s.

Civil rights was not for blacks it was for all people. He, MLK, just focussed on how to make it better for all people to be equal. The country was not founded as such.

Anyway it is wrong for people to use color as a crutch but it is and has made many people have a sour taste in their mouths towards colors. As MLK says it should be the content of their brain and their ability. But we still have many remnants of family relatives that have had slaves and that way of thinking is still around.

Some day I hope that we as a nation can get over feeling like we have to be better than our neighbor or have to put our neighbor down in order to feel good about ourselves. One day that lowly neighbor might be the only one that saves your life.

The country is made up of many ethnics but this goes back to the original people like Native Americans and slaves that settled the country with and without the blessings of the whites that left Europe (for religious beliefs). It's a long and drawn out history that we have and this forum is not quite the place to explain and express all that can and could be. We all need to do our research and undertand what oppression was and has done and how we can overcome and live as the true melting pot we have become.

I rest my case and get off my soapbox now.

The other S.

My company does not give us a day off for this holiday, so it was just an average Monday for me.
My husband and son went to see/climb some light houses.
I wish I could have gone with them.
They had a great time, took some beautiful pictures and they had it pretty much to themselves.
October is Polish American Heritage month (people think Oktoberfest, but that's German) but it doesn't even get a mention on calendars and there is no day off for it.
There are many nationalities and races which have contributed to the American culture from all over the globe.
How can anyone pick out just one to highlight?
Sorry but MLK day has no special particular meaning for me.

My kids learned about MLK and the fight for civil rights in school, starting in kindergarten.
Doesn't every school recognize this holiday?
Even I learned about him in school, back as early as second or third grade I think, and before it was a holiday.
Interesting comments from a few of our resident "closet" racists below, talk about passive aggressive :(

Before we got married, my husband and I promised that when we had kids, we would take them to important plays since learning about life through stories is a great way of teaching them. I have noticed that in February a lot of theaters try to emphasize plays about civil rights, and we have been particularly impressed with the plays of August Wilson. I don't know if your children are old enough yet to see these plays, but we were profoundly affected by them, and when our children are older we will definitely take them to see these plays.