Two Different Men, Same Day of Honor

As many of us look forward to the 3-day weekend, some of us may not know that we`re actually honoring more than just Dr. Martin Luther KIng, Jr. on Monday. Arkansas and several other states also honor the birthday of Civil War General Robert E. Lee. Alabama and Mississippi are among those others. Arkansas has been celebrating them together since 1985. That was the same year Ronald Reagan made Martin Luther kIng`s birthday a national holiday. But Arkansas adopted a dual observance to celebrate the two different men on the same day. The two holidays happen to fall on the same day. While King`s birthday falls on January 15, we observe the holiday on the third Monday of the month. This year that also happens to be Lee`s birthday, the 19th. "I think it`s a great idea...just a time we can all celebrate somebody`s birthday," said Shirley Nipper, a Little Rock resident. "I`m offended, I think it`s a bad idea. The gifts Martin Luther ing gave the nation are so profound, that is what needs to be focused on and celebrated," said Kelly Demo, a Conway resident. "I`ve heard they really wanted a day to celebrate Robert E. Lee and others really wanted a day to celebrate Martin Luther King. Instead of creating two holidays and closing government another day, they combined those days," said Sen. Tracy Steele, director of the state MLK Commission. Steele says that`s the compromise that was made when the holidays were accepted years ago. But he says the commission intends to revisit that act in the future to see if it`s really public will to keep the two days together.