Please post here so those of you who have to go in tomorrow (like myself) can all be officially jealous of you.

I personally don't think that it should be considered just a day off from work.
it's so much more than that.
Be lucky that in America you can actually celebrate this day...here in canada it often goes un noticed...

SammiJ said:

Hi SammiJ, you've made a very good point. It's sad that Martin Luther King Day is not acknowledged in Canada.

hi hun

it's not just that
but in the states, it's just treated like a freebie day... he started a revolution that is still just in the beginning stages... we just all got lazy, or maybe just gave up hope when he left us...


i myself don't know much about the whole thing, but i've heard and read the speech, and from that alone, it's inspiring...

i just feel that yes, it's nice to have a day to celebrate him, but why isn't it being done all year round? why isn't it in ANY school curriculum, the struggle, the fight...i dont mean to dwell on it but it needs to be taught PROPERLY, it needs to be learned just as much as anything else we consider "historical"

...i'm sorry i'll quiet now...i can't even carry on this argument because i dont have enough information...

...im in a strange mood tonight...

Working here...

I know that the city of Detroit Law Dept has the day off. (I saw their
paper hanging on their door)

SammiJ said:

No need to be quiet, because I agree with you, there should be more education regarding Martin Luther King in the schools. I'm not sure why it's not being taught more readily either.

Revolution said:

The government offices are off tomorrow too, which means no mail, post office, or banks will be open.

seems like it's a day for people to shop, do housework, go to the movies or do anything BUT take a pause for MLK's legacy.

meltwithu said:

So true!

When I was in undergrad, the first day of our spring semester fell on ML King day and we had to go to class. I went to my Intro to History class and the professor said, "I think its bullshit that the University doesn't give you this day off. A lot of people worked really hard to make this day a Federal holiday. Contact your dean and the university and demand that this day be recognized." Then he played King's "I Have a Dream" speech, said, "I hope at some point today you think about what this day means to so many people." and let us go. Admittedly, at that time, maybe I didn't know or care too much about the holiday, but that professor really made me think. Since then, every year, I try to stop and reflect on what that professor said, and try not to take it for granted that I now have MLKing day off from work. Even if I "run errands" or whatever, I try to take a little time to appreciate what the day means.

psychodelicide said:

Why would it be recognized in Canada? King wasn't Canadian...does Canada recognize other US Federal holidays? The US doesn't recognize Canadian holidays...as far as I know....

jone70 said:

so you don't think he had a worldwide influence?
african american's weren't the only one in on the struggle
african canadian's were around @ the time of his reign
and of course he wasn't canadian.
this is far more than just another us federal holiday.
come on now.

jone70 said:

are you telling me you don't celebrate Pierre Trudeau day?? here in Chicago we celebrate it on every 3rd Tuesday of the month

Maz

we're technically off today, but i volunteered to come in to work. if people didn't volunteer, they were going to start "drafting" people to come in, and i know a bunch of people in my office go to church services and whatnot for the holiday, so better me than them.





plus, the overtime holiday pay doesn't hurt either.

Anxiety said:

overtime...i've heard about that mythological thingie whereby people who work more than 40 hours actually get financially compensated for their time.
i thought it was just a urban legend, since i'm salaried

SammiJ said:

I can't speak to his worldwide influence, nor even his influence in Canada, but my thinking is that if "the world" can't even agree on peace in the Middle East, how would I expect "the world" to get it together enough to decide who should be honored in a universal holiday? Not saying he's not worthy, but to think other countries (even those as reasonable as Canada) will recognize a man that many in the US don't even honor is (unfortunately) wishful thinking...

Personally, I think Malcom X should have his own holiday too and we should ditch Columbus Day, but I'm not holding my breath on either...

I'M NOT OFF!

Mazerati said:

Ha! You know, in Chicago they do celebrate Pulaski Day; and the whole time I lived there I was like, "Who is this Pulaski guy? He must be an important Chicagoan, he has a major road named after him, and Chicago Public Schools get the day off." So I looked him up--dude wasn't even American! He was some Polish general who helped the US fight in the American Revolution--never even made it to Chicago as far as I could tell.