Conference turris::womannotes-v2

New Hampshire is one of six states without a state holiday commemorating
Martin Luther King, Jr.  Since 1983, a coalition of community groups
and businesses, including DEC, have lobbied for a state holiday in his name.
    
The hearing for the pending Martin Luther King bill in the NH House is
scheduled for Wednesday, February 8 at 10:00 a.m. in the Representatives
Hall at the State House in Concord.

Please contact me or Ray SALEM::Rodriguez for further details.

Ann Marie

 I'd like to know why there is such interest in declaring it a holiday.
It is a holiday here in Massachusetts, yet we all worked on MLK day anyway.
Given NH's proclivity for having everything open on holidays anyway, what is
the use of having yet another excuse for state and municipal employees to get
the day off? Oh yeah, our wonderful banking institutions get  the day off too,
as if they already are sufficiently accessible to those of us who are working
from 7 am to 6 pm. Besides, there are a number of other americans who don't
have a holiday named after them that are at  least equally deserving, yet they
are not (all) minorities. My estimation is that it is a "feel good" thing
done for black people to give them a tidbit so they'll be distracted from
the continuing realities of racial inequality. It seems to me that we could
simply have Martin Luther King day without it being an actual holiday that
would both honor the reverend, and provide a day on which we could all reflect
on the strides towards racial equality as well as the distance left to go.
Comments?

The Doctah

    re: .2
    
    I am white and consider MLK to be the greatest American of the 20th
    Century.  He is definitely one of *my* heroes, and I am disappointed
    that MLK Day is a DEC holiday in Boston and not in Littleton.  I
    think it is racist and patronizing for society in general, for DEC,
    for NH, -- for anyone -- to assume it is a holiday *for blacks*.  
    (I'm *not* accusing .2 of begin racist, etc. -- this idea
    seems to be prevalent throughout our society and is just one of
    my "hot buttons! so please don't take this personally!)
    
    Nancy
    

    
    RE: .2
    
    Well said!  There are just too many holidays for those government
    worker.  I say no more no matter who is honored.

    
    I doubt a holiday in Dr. King's honor would be "a tidbit to distract
    Blacks from the racial inequalities..."  Most African-Americans I
    know are *very* aware of the institutionalized racism in this country.
    
    In my experience commemorating his life and accomplishments serves as
    a reminder of the work that has yet to be done in the area of civil
    rights for many racial and cultural minorities.
    
    Ann Marie
    

    
    p.s. in NH, the King holiday would replace Fast Day, which recalls
    a period of fasting for John Cutt, the state's first colonial governor,
    who took ill and died shortly after a fast was begun for his recovery.
    
    Ann Marie
    

 Re: Why not?

    >In my experience commemorating his life and accomplishments serves as
    >a reminder of the work that has yet to be done in the area of civil
    >rights for many racial and cultural minorities.
    
    Would it not be possible to achieve the same ends without giving an
    an actual holiday to state and municipal workers? I am somewhat bothered
    by  DEC's lobbying for the King holiday _only_ because they did not
    give all of it's workers the day off despite the fact that many were
    in a state where it was a holiday. I mean, what is the point of a holiday
    when people have to work? I'm not doubting that MLK deserves a day in
    his honor; I merely find that it does not seem necessary to declare the 
    day a holiday, especially since it will actually be a day off for so few
    (who already get too many days off). 

    I also find that other great americans deserve equal treatment with Dr.
    King. I am not convinced that had MLK been a white man with identical
    accomplishments, we would have people calling for a holiday in his name.

    I can think of many americans whose accomplishments were equally important
    to the development of our nation and who deserve the same kind of 
    recognition afforded Dr. King.

 The Doctah

    
    Doc, the intent is not to give municipal and state works a day off.
    The intent is to honor one of the most powerful civil rights leader
    this country has ever known.

    Ann Marie

    re: .7
    
    �      I am not convinced that had MLK been a white man with identical
    � accomplishments, we would have people calling for a holiday in his name.
    
    I'm having difficulty with this one - I can't see logically how
    a white man in this country could have identical accomplishments.
    The great contributions of Dr. King were those of black self-leadership
    and self-determination, things that, by definition could not be
    accomplished by a white person.
    
    Then too, from one point of view, we already have commemorated a
    white man - for many, Abraham Lincoln is associated primarily with
    the abolition of slavery.
    
    
    � I can think of many americans whose accomplishments were equally important
    � to the development of our nation and who deserve the same kind of 
    � recognition afforded Dr. King.
    
    And perhaps they, too, should be commemorated.
    
    Steve
    
    

re .8

   >The intent is to honor one of the most powerful civil rights leader
   >this country has ever known.

   On this point we are in agreement. But, I take it from your response
   that you feel that assigning a holiday is the only way in which we can
   honor MLK. If, as you say, the important part is not that a certain select
   group of people get to stay home, then why can we not honor the reverend
   with Martin Luther King day on a day when everyone is scheduled to work.
   That way, people who feel strongly enough about MLK can take a vacation
   day, and the rest of the people can go about their business. I am not
   saying that I don't believe he was important or that he should not be 
   honored, or even that he shouldn't have a holiday named after him. I am
   questioning the utility of adding _any_ more holidays, especially those
   that only apply to people whose salaries the public pays for. I agree
   wholeheartedly that MLK was a great individual who stood for a great
   cause.

re: .9

   >I'm having difficulty with this one - I can't see logically how
   >a white man in this country could have identical accomplishments.

   What I'm talking about is accomplishments of identical stature, not
   the same acts. 

   >And perhaps they, too, should be commemorated.
    
   Yes. But where do we draw the line in terms of the number of holidays?
   If, in the future, we find that there are 365 americans whose accomplishments
   are worthy of recognition, do we cease to have regular work days?

 The Doctah

    
    Ann Maire already pointed out in .6 that the holiday would REPLACE
    another day off in New Hampshire. It sounds like the fast-day
    commemorating the colonial governor is obsolete, and I think it
    is an excellent idea to replace it with a holiday whose relevance
    will stand for a long time.
    
    Since we are NOT talking about ADDING another day off, but simply
    REPLACING one, what is the problem here? 
    
    By the way, I think you would be hard pressed to come up with many
    people as worthy of a holiday as MLK. How many people have used
    passive resistance in the face of intense hatred to radically alter 
    the social and political structure of a whole country (even though
    of course there is lots more to be done)?
    
    Roberta
    
    

    Mark, please note what Ann Marie has already pointed out: it would NOT
    be an additional holiday, but rather would replace an existing one. 

    
    The best way to honor Dr. King is to internalize some
    of his ideals and make them part of your life.  A holiday is one
    way of uniting with most of the country to celebrate his life and
    vision.
    
    My reply was in response to your focussing on giving workers a day
    off.
    
    Ann Marie

    Why does a holiday have to mean a day off from work? I think more
    people like MLK should be honored with a day to commemorate his work.
    But I think that this can be done outside of the pretense of having
    to take a day off. 
    
    Digital celebrates Black History Month (amongst other month long
    celebrations), we don't close down for a month. A celebration of 
    someones accomplishments should be just that, a celebration, a
    chance for people to learn about and appreciate the individuals
    work.
    
    It is to bad that some people view this MLK issue as a "day off"
    issue. The aim in NH should be to pass legislation that says NH
    recognizes MLK and will honor his memory on X day. Not MLK did
    some good things so lets take the day off. That attitude makes the
    the issues for honoring MLK look like a farse. 
    
    I wish working holidays would become the norm for more of these
    "individual contributors". 
    
    Gail

re: IAMOK::KOSKI

 Thank you Gail. Those are exactly my sentiments. I am 100% in favor of calling
it Martin Luther King day, and having it coincide with  the day most other
states reserve to honor Dr. King. I just  don't see the need to give state 
workers the day off when everybody else has to work. As Ann Marie said, the
best way to acknowledge Dr. King's work is to utilise his ideals in your own
life. Turning MLK day into a "day off" trivializes his work; most people would
forget WHY there is a day off. They would just remember it as a free day to
go skiing.

 The Doctah

BTW- I understand about fast day, etc. IMO- fast day is just an excuse to bring
NH's # of holidays roughly in line with most other states (at this point).

    
>    Then too, from one point of view, we already have commemorated a
>    white man - for many, Abraham Lincoln is associated primarily with
>    the abolition of slavery.

	When did Lincoln get a holiday? It's not a federal or a state
	holiday (in NH). Now if one wanted to push for *that* I could get
	behind it. [President's day doesn't cut it. It short changes
	both Washington and Lincoln.]

			Alfred