DESTINY DAY as a national holiday

Justifiably or no, I've always been conflicted about the recent national holiday.

Don't get me wrong. I fully support commemorating the work of Dr Martin Luther King jr. And I believe it's only appropriate to celebrate his cultural legacy.

Incidentally, I also believe that our history books should devote some space to dealing with his blemishes, as well as his virtues. There'll be more on that particular point later.

I believe a national holiday should unify the American people. In unity, so we should wish, people commemorate their common history, and express gratitude for their common cultural legacy. As I contemplate the recent national holiday, one tiny fact becomes all too glaring. Dr Martin Luther King jr Day coincides with Confederate Day. I consider that a delicious tidbit of historical irony.

Still in all, that goes a long way towards validating why I feel conflicted.

Like a bolt out of the blue, it came to me how the conflict can be resolved. We can, INSTEAD, celebrate Destiny Day as a national holiday. The way I see it, nobody may fault a man of good will for answering the call of destiny. Thanks to thoughtful hindsight, we can all concur that the good reverend doctor was, indeed, a man of good will. And he did answer the call of destiny, as best he knew within the constraints of his character.

For my part, I believe the same could said about our first president, former general George Washington. Thanks to newly revised history books, students in high school can learn that the man had blemishes as well as virtues. He belonged to a social class that owned as slaves the forefathers of the good reverend doctor. What's more, Washington himself owned slaves. Nonetheless, his birthday was, for years, celebrated as a national holiday. Considering the spirit of the times, I would say "justifiably so".

As I envisage Destiny Day as a national holiday, the American people would commemorate the achievements of people, who struggled to enrich both our common history and our common cultural legacy. And the people I have in mind did so without the stature, conferred by high political office. The good reverend doctor was never elected to any political office.

As I envisage Destiny Day as a national holiday, the American people would remind themselves of a truly ennobling verity. Monumental tasks can be successfully undertaken by people in the most ordinary walks of life.

On his income tax returns, for instance, Dr Martin Luther King jr signed off simply as a clergyman. I cannot imagine he ever did so as "heroic standard bearer for a national holiday".

As best as each of us knows how, let us begin instituting Destiny Day as a national holiday.

sincerely yours

And here are legislators, who should be informed:

PA State Senator Lisa Baker

lbaker@pasen.gov

http://senatorbaker.com/

ph# (717) 787-7428

Senate Box 203020
Harrisburg PA 203020


Representative Chris Carney

http://carney.house.gov/

ph# (866)846-8124 (toll free)
. . .. (540)585-9988

233 Northern Blvd - ste 4
Clarks Summit PA 18411

Senator Bob Casey

http://casey.senate.gov/contact.cfm

ph# (717)231-7540

555 Walnut st - first flr
Harrisburg PA 17101

PA State Senator Roger Madigan

rmadigan@pasen.gov

http://www.senatormadigan.com/

ph# (717)787-3280

Senate Box 203023
Harrisburg PA 17120-3023

PA State Representative Sandra J Major

smajor@pahousegop.com

ph# (570)278-3374

RR 7 - Box 7186
Montrose PA 18801

PA State Representative Tina Pickett

tpickett@pahousegop.com

ph# (570)265-3124

321 Main st
Towanda PA 18848

Governor Ed Rendell

http://www.governor.state.pa.us/

ph# (570)614-2090
.......(717)787-2500
..... (570)614-2094 (fax)

Oppenheim bldg - 3rd flr
409 Lackawanna ave
Scranton PA 18503

Senator Arlen Specter

http://specter.senate.gov/

ph# (570)346-2006

310 Spruce st - 201
Scranton PA 18503

PA State Representative James Wansacz

jwansacz@pahouse.net

http://www.pahouse.com/wansacz

ph# (570)451-3110

108 South Main st
Old Forge PA 18518