diy@sb1.UUCP (DENNIS YOUNG) (10/04/83)
I hope that the Congress succeeds in passing the MLK holiday bill. I only know that Dr. King received a Nobel Peace Prize for saying why can't a black man (or any other person) eat at the same restaurant as a white man. I realize of course that getting a Nobel Prize doesn't automatically qualify a person to be honored so, but let's look at what the man has done. I am quite sure that a majority of the folks here on the net were old enough in 1964 to understand what the Civil Rights Act was all about. I think of it as saying "OK, we know all men are created equal, now let's include non-white's. OK guys, you can now ride anywhere you want to on a bus." This is an event that has happened in MY lifetime, and it was Dr. King who led the struggle for this. No matter how you cut it, he made one helluva social and political impact upon this nation. There may be arguments about the results of his effort, that is to say from those who feel blacks do not belong on the front of the bus. But for the simple act of making this country really mean what it says about the fact that all men are created equal the issue wuld not be pressed, I feel. It was interesting to hear Sen. Helm's statements concerning communism and King. I wonder who he felt the Black Panthers were friends of?!?!?
davidl@tekid.UUCP (David Levadie) (10/05/83)
I don't care whether MLK deserves a holiday or not. I'll support one for him when there's one for TJ, already. No contest, in my opinion, as far as who deserves one.
velu@umcp-cs.UUCP (10/07/83)
I too believe that it is more important to have some way of
recognizing MLK than to recognize Columbus Day...
Especially in schools - I think if nothing else then all schools should
be closed on the birthday of MLK. MLK is a much more important figure
in the history of the US (if not the world...) than many of these
Jewish holidays on which schools are closed.
--
Velu Sinha
UUCP: {seismo,allegra,brl-bmd}!umcp-cs!velu
CSNet: velu@umcp-cs ARPA: velu.umcp-cs@UDel-Relaydje@5941ux.UUCP (10/12/83)
Velu Sinha (umcp-cs!velu) writes:
I too believe that it is more important to have some way of
recognizing MLK than to recognize Columbus Day...
Especially in schools - I think if nothing else then all schools should
be closed on the birthday of MLK. MLK is a much more important figure
in the history of the US (if not the world...) than many of these
Jewish holidays on which schools are closed.
Well, well, well, look what's coming out in the wash!
I've stood on the sidelines for several months now while Velu has spewed out
diatribes in net.politics against Zionism and Israel. I'd be overreacting if
I would accuse him of anti-Semitism, now, wouldn't I? He's not anti-Semitic,
just anti-Zionist. Israel is the bad guy here, and so am I if I stick my
nose into this.
Now Velu shows his true colors with a swipe at "these Jewish holidays on which
schools are closed." I support recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King's
birthday. If the argument against making this day a school holiday is that
with all the religious holidays there are just too many days schools would be
closed, that's one problem. But Velu's problem is that it's the JEWISH
holidays that are standing in the way. Suddenly it's the Jews against Dr. King
and everything he stood for.
As a Jew, I deeply resent the insinuation of racism. Jews marched WITH
Dr. King in support of civil rights for all. The real racism at issue here is
anti-Semitism, plain and simple. Israel and its government are not necessarily
above criticism. But if you take a closer look at those who go out of their
way to denounce Israel and Zionism, all too often it's the Jews they're out to
discredit.
Yes, I'm flaming. I'm tired of anti-Semites hiding behind "respectable"
facades of anti-Zionism. Anti-Semitic racism has no place on Usenet under
any guise. Let's put a stop to it once and for all.
[see article id houxa.271 in net.flame for a related opinion.]
David Ellis / Bell Labs, Piscataway NJ
...!{hocda,ihnp4}!houxm!houxf!5941ux!dje
...!floyd!vax135!ariel!houti!hogpc!houxm!houxf!5941ux!djetpkq@charm.UUCP (10/13/83)
Relay-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site mhuxi.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site charm.UUCP Message-ID: <132@charm.UUCP> Date: Thu, 13-Oct-83 01:24:22 EDT sm." Organization: Physics Research - Bell Labs MH Lines: 3 Yes, but please don't lump all anti-Zionists together with the anti-Semitics. Consistent anti-racists equally oppose Zionism and anti-Semitism.
wombat@uicsl.UUCP (10/14/83)
#R:sb1:-14200:uicsl:16300022:000:749 uicsl!wombat Oct 13 16:19:00 1983 I think there should be a holiday for MLK, but I'm not so sure schools should be closed for it. I'd prefer it if schools used the day to teach students more about the man and what he stood for. I don't know how it is in schools other than those in the Pleasant Plains school district, but our history lessons never made it past the middle of WW II in any given year (and a lot of years stopped during WW I). I imagine there are people who know more about the Civil War than about JFK (I would say the Korean "conflict", but M*A*S*H took care of that). Let's educate kids about why a day is a holiday, and make it a holiday for working parents by leaving the kids in school while they get a day off... Wombat ihnp4!uiucdcs!uicsl!wombat