MLK Day 2008

A part of me wishes that one day I could do something so extraordinary for our society that I could have a day set aside for me once a year for people to reflect on my great achievement and, of course, get a day off from work or school to do so.

But then, in order to do that extraordinary thing, I would of course have to sacrifice my sense of privacy, my family life, my day job, and probably get killed by some fanatic who disagrees with whatever noble thing I'm trying to accomplish. Let's face it, there are loonies out there, at every level.

So let's take a moment on this day to think about one of those great figures who sacrificed everything, including his life, to make the world a little kinder and equal: Martin Luther King, Jr. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_luther_king).

Even though my evil global biotech conglomerate does not officially recognize the importance of King's birthday as a symbol of their commitment to equality and diversity, I took the day off. I'm spending it with a group of ethnically, racially, and physically diverse children, including my own, and going for a hike in the woods. Along the way, we'll be reading King's acceptance speech for his Nobel Peace Prize, given for his commitment and action for non-violent change toward equality:

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1964/king-acceptance.html

Please join me in taking a moment to appreciate the great diversity that is our country, and recommit ourselves to honoring the equality of all mankind on this very small, very connected world of ours.