MLK Day

[biscuit]

I ran by this story yesterday about the major row that's ensued in Council and the community at large over creating a Martin Luther King Jr. holiday for employees of Greenville County, SC (I believe that the more liberal City of Greenville already has a holiday) I wanted to post this because I'm embarrassed, but not suprised, that this occured and it reminded me of a discussion in the Never Ending Thread a few weeks back about how nice Greenville was.
So how many of you work for a government that recognizes MLK day? How many of you do not? And has the issue been so divisive in your community.

South Carolina...Kicking and screaming its way into the 21st century.
http://greenvilleonline.com/news/2003/03/04/200303042342.htm

 

[Planderella]

The link doesn't work.

 

[biscuit]

Sorry about that. This is the first time I've done this. Try the link now and hopfully I'll be spared further newbie shame.

 

[SkeLeton]

My... I thought MLK Day was a national holiday in the US.... It seems the damn red necks can't accept diversity....

A real shame...

 

[Habanero]

Nope, not a national holiday. My current state, Arizona, does not recognize it statewide, it's up to the individual municipalities to decide.

 

[SW MI Planner]

Nope, not a national holiday. My current state, Arizona, does not recognize it statewide, it's up to the individual municipalities to decide.

Same here in MI...

 

[NHPlanner]

In NH it's called Civil Rights Day, and it's up to individual communities to choose to observe or not. Where I work, the town government worked, the schools were closed.

 

[pete-rock]

In NH it's called Civil Rights Day, and it's up to individual communities to choose to observe or not. Where I work, the town government worked, the schools were closed.

That smacks of passing the buck to me. I guess much of America is still a little queasy about recognizing MLK, but also wish not to offend. On the other hand, older civil rights activists are still trying to use the issue as a wedge to galvanize blacks and maintain a leadership position.

Illinois recognizes the holiday -- all schools and government offices were closed.

 

[NHPlanner]

That smacks of passing the buck to me. I guess much of America is still a little queasy about recognizing MLK, but also wish not to offend. On the other hand, older civil rights activists are still trying to use the issue as a wedge to galvanize blacks and maintain a leadership position.

Illinois recognizes the holiday -- all schools and government offices were closed.

At least we made it this far....for the longest time NH and Arizona were the only 2 states not to recognize MLK day at all.

 

[Zoning Goddess]

We observe MLK day. But the schools are in session.

In a previous job, in a small (7,000 pop.) Fla. town, the County gov't decided to replace Confederate Memorial Day with MLK day (about 13-14 years ago). I don't remember any fuss, though you would have expected it, given the environment.