Happy Birthday, Dr. King

If Martin Luther King, Jr., had survived, he would have turned 81 years old last Friday. Today, the third Monday of January, is the federal holiday recognizing his birthday, one of only two birthdays granted federal holiday status in the United States.

I am working today because, unfortunately, my employer chooses not to honor Dr. King by closing for the holiday. They also don’t honor George Washington, patriots (the revolutionary kind, not the football kind), Christopher Columbus, or veterans.

If I did have those holidays off, however, what I wouldn’t be doing is shopping. Nothing frosts my cookies more than retailers that take advantage of meaningful holidays to hock cars, shoes, appliances, and electronics. “Hey, hundreds of thousands of American military personnel have died in wars — let’s have a sale!” How tacky.

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