Happy James Earl Ray Day.

I am not a fan of MLK Day at all. I believe that King did nothing worth having a national holiday in his honor. His memory and legacy has been hijacked by the likes of Jesse Jackson and the message perverted. I have read his famous speeches and heard the audio that is available online.

I have a problem with the Rev. Johnson's assertion in the article that we should be celebrating King's death anniversary instead of that of his birth. It was not his death that accomplished his activities, it was his life. Why continue to make him a martyr? Why not celebrate a man's life instead of death?

I am tired of people worshiping King as it is. To celebrate King's death turns MLK Day into James Earl Ray Day. I agree wholeheartedly with the quote in the article, "We remember him with parades and galas and banquets, things that are really irrelevant and silly regarding Dr. King's legacy," he said. "If we really want to honor Dr. King, we should do something about people who live under bridges. That would be a great tribute." Very true.

I both agree and disagree with this quote. "We've allowed white America to escape the guilt of his assassination and we've allowed black America to drift back into a coma." White America deserves no guilt for the assassination of King. ONE man pulled the trigger, not all Americans. As King said, he has a dream that one day his children will be judged by the content of their character rather than by the color of their skin. Why not afford the same respect in the other direction? If you want respect, give that same respect. Did Black America drift back into a coma? Perhaps. Instead of working to gain the respect of their fellow man, many leaders (who are self appointed, it seems) in the Black community do not work to foster respect but rather hatred and further stereotypes and hatred. That is sad.

Would King have supported BET, the Black Miss America pageant, and other segregational events and organizations; or would he support Blacks, Whites, Asians, and Hispanics competing and interacting on equal footing? Anyway, here is the article:

M.L. King ally says U.S. holiday an insult
DALLAS, Jan. 21 (UPI) -- A Dallas minister who marched with civil rights leader the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., said Monday's birthday observance holiday is an insult to his legacy.

The Rev. Peter Johnson, 62, director of the Texas operations for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, told The Dallas Morning News the holiday should be on April 4, the anniversary of the date King was assassinated.

"We have ignored the essence of his life and the horror of his death," said Johnson. "We've allowed white America to escape the guilt of his assassination and we've allowed black America to drift back into a coma."

Johnson said King is considered a martyr by many but said, if he were alive, he would be considered an agitator by many people, the newspaper said.

"We remember him with parades and galas and banquets, things that are really irrelevant and silly regarding Dr. King's legacy," he said. "If we really want to honor Dr. King, we should do something about people who live under bridges. That would be a great tribute."