apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Can't do much of anything, as my so-called progressive forward-thinking employer won't give me the day off. Cheapskates.

If you can't volunteer exactly on Monday, you could at least start looking around for other voluteering opportunities for times that do work with your schedule.

maybe if you could find a way to work "mid century modern" into the tag line you'd get more comments.
nice effort, tho

nice effort, tho

Agreed!

For the past few years my school hasn't closed on MLK Day. The board realized that most students weren't actually doing anything in honor of the Civil Rights Movement, they were just sleeping in, watching television, etc. So we have school as usual and each teacher takes a few minutes to talk about the significance of the day. Every year I show my students video of the "I Have a Dream Speech" in its entirety, and then we talk about it afterward. If you've never watched the whole thing, you should. It's so powerful that every year parts of it bring many of my white, suburban middle schoolers to tears. Of course, if a student does actually participate in a parade or service project, we don't count them absent for the day.

I love/loved MLK. Can't see the relationship to Obama. Sorry.

nene, really? No one is saying he is MLK Jr., but many people feel that the fact that he is a person of color who has been elected to the highest office in the most powerful country in the world is a culmination of the efforts of the people who strived for civil rights for minorities in the U.S. Obama is trying to honor the efforts of those people, especially MLK Jr., by asking people to continue to improve our country by service.

For those who who are new to volunteering or community service, don't be anxious and don't give up trying. Donate to the cause of your choice, ask the local school if they need tutors, spend a day sorting at a food bank, donate blood. If you are into art, design, etc., volunteer at a museum with your interests. If you are into helping the environment, there are many non-profit agencies could use your help. Volunteering is a great way to meet unselfish people who share your interests and concerns. Even if you only do it once a year, once a month, once a week, it helps!

I loved MLK, but can't see the relationship to Obama... Considering this statement troubled me, but then made me think of some of the things I admired about Martin Luther King Jr. For me there were the obvious things like his integrity, selflessness and courage. The courage to stand up to the police dogs and fire hoses of Alabama. I admired the wisdom he possessed not only to listen but heed the counsel of those more experienced and wiser than himself, but probably what I admired most about the man was his ability to move and inspire people to action. Martin Luther King Jr. had the ability to engender hope in disparate people and bring them together to act on a common cause and I can see the same in Barack Obama.

But honestly, if there is anyone who still can not see the relationship between the two men then just think of everything it took for us to secure the Voting Rights Act of 1964 and then wonder aloud if, this past fall, most people judged Obama by the content of his character rather than the color of his skin.

Whether Barack falls flat on his butt and fails miserably or becomes everything we hope he can be, there's an undeniable relationship to Martin Luther King Jr., and I bet he will admit as much in his Inaugural speech.

BTW, posting this thread AT. The Apartment Set Up in Chicago sounds like an excellent way to be of service. Does anyone know of a similar thing happening in New York?

Thanks in advance.

Edit: that's > thanks