Today is Martin Luther King Day, or as we say in Arizona, Civil Rights Day. I’m disappointed that Arizona is still a little backwards in so many ways. The MLK holiday was shot down several times but it was the threat of losing the Super Bowl that finally got it approved. Alas, the almighty dollar wins again.
What do you do for MLK Day? Volunteer at a food bank or perform other services? Hit up a parade or two? Please don’t say eat fried chicken & watermelon – everybody knows watermelon’s not in season until summer. OK, so much for my bad joke, but seriously, its hard to find good sweet potato pie here. Sometimes I miss Louisiana, at least the food.
Here’s a video of Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech:
On a geeky side note: Star Trek owes a debt to MLK. Nichelle Nichols (Uhura) was ready to call it quits after the first season, but Dr. King convinced her to stay citing how important it was to show a future with a black woman as not only an officer, but as an equal among the white men on the bridge of the flagship of the Federation.
This also lead to the first interracial kiss on television. If you pay attention, TOS was full of not-so-subtle commentary on the times; everything from civil rights & racism to the Vietnam War.
Dad Reckoning 