Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s name evokes thoughts of heroism, peace, human

brotherhood and uncommon moral integrity- but even he is not exempt from the

occasional, propaganda-filled, media bashing that all famous people in history

have been subjected to at the hands of disgruntled and sometimes disrespectful

members of the press (or aspiring members as the case may be).

The father of our country, George Washington, does not have his own national

holiday. Both he and President Lincoln, as all know, share President’s Day,

due to the fact that they both share February birthdays. They do however have

in common the fact that their faces are printed on both US coins and bills and

almost assuredly will be for the rest of time. The fact that their faces are

on our currency makes their contribution to American history concrete and

constantly displayed. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. has made momentous

contributions to American history, but his face isn’t emblazoned on our

currency. A national holiday was implemented to celebrate his achievements

instead. Seems fair to me.

Rumors that Martin Luther King Sr. wanted to name his son Michael do not

change the fact that MLK Jr. was the name that was legally given to his son.

Many fathers wish to give their sons different names than their wives choose,

but a given name is a given name. Saying that Michael Jordan should be

referred to as “Michelle” because his mother had once hoped for a girl is a

parallel to the claim that MLK should be referred to as Michael King simply

because his father liked the name. Both claims are ridiculous.

Despite claims that King was a notarized plagiarizer and even did the act on

his doctoral dissertation, he was awarded a Ph.D. by professors of an

accredited university. Why would it be given to him if he had not earned it

and done the work required for it? I challenge each of you to plagiarize your

dissertations and see if you get you Ph.D.’s. Assuredly you wouldn’t, just as

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. wouldn’t have if he had not earned it. In the

interest of truthfulness and accuracy, he earned the title of “Dr.” and

deserves to be called by it.

King is said to have had Communists and Communists sympathizers as

“associates”. Benedict Arnold was the “associate” of several of America’s most

celebrated Revolutionary heroes. Do these heroes share his crimes as a

traitor? No. Likewise, King does not share the devotion to Communism and it’s

teachings as some of his so called “associates”.

MLK’s message was peace and accordingly he was met with unprovoked violence

to counter his message. His assailants wanted him to discredit his teachings

by fighting back and abandoning his pacifist standing. He did not respond with

violence however despite having his home bombed in 1956 and 1957, being

stabbed in 1958, and being beaten in 1966. Violence followed him everywhere he

went yet his actions and teachings, even up until his assassination, were

always in accordance with peaceful resolutions. How violent does he sound to

you?

Masses who have sought peaceful inspiration from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

should continue to do so despite attempts by others to slander the great man’s

name. Tabloid journalists looking to sell more copies of editions featuring

headlines such as “My Wife is Cheating on Me With the Devil and Carrying His

300lb Half-Alien Child!” will of course intentionally lie to bring down any

celebrity that they can. But aside from that breed, it seems that King should

be a hero to all people, hated only by white racists opposed to the equality

of all men, women, and children.

Does a man such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a peaceful minister, activist,

and eventual martyr that led a people, whose labor built this country, in a

civil rights movement to get their God-given and constitutionally guaranteed

rights given to them deserve a holiday in his honor? The answer to that should

be by now quite obvious.

Zak Cummins, an aspiring print journalist from Fredonia once said, “I too

“have a dream”; that the truth about King will finally become known…” On

behalf of myself and an overhwelming majority of my peers, I humbly say to you

sir, that it is.

Brice Wood

Glasgow

Freshman