4 ms·

For the rest of the world who might not be aware why this is up, this is a speech an American Civil rights leader gave about 60 years ago at the height of a lot

For the rest of the world who might not be aware why this is up, this is a speech an American Civil rights leader gave about 60 years ago at the height of a lot of issues in the US with race relations. Today in America it's "Martin Luther King day", a public holiday celebrating his birthday (15th Jan), many businesses are closed. He was assassinated in 1968.

GavinMcG 5y ago
"Luther"
- iso1631 5y ago
  Ta. I've heard of him a few times, but it's not really something non-americans can truly grasp.
  - runarberg 5y ago
    I think you are right, I think it is really hard for non-americans (or rather people that don’t live in the USA) to grasp how huge he is. However I do think—at least for Europeans (me being one my self)—your political alignment makes a different how much you’ve heard of him. Basically, the more left leaning you are the more you know him.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
Very few businesses close on MLK day. It's pretty much just schools and other government offices.
- wolverine876 5y ago
  They mostly close where I live.
  - AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
    Where might that be? I live in Madison, WI and I can't ever recall a business being closed on MLK day.
    - wolverine876 5y ago
      I can think of two major metropolitan areas where it is commonplace, in my experience. (I'm not disagreeing with what you see.)
      - AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
        Fascinating. I'm not sure if I should chalk it up to my state's tendency to be much more racist than it pretends to be, or it's stubbornly entrenched protestant work ethic ideals. I suppose 'both' and 'neither' are also valid options.
        wolverine876 5y ago
        Maybe it depends partly on having a sizeable African-American population? Is there one in Madison? It's not African-American businesses that I see closing, but there might be more emphasis on the holiday in general.
- runarberg 5y ago
  Living in the Seattle area, and I would say that about the same number of businesses close for MLK day as do for labor day or 4th of July. And I think it is fairly consistent at least on the West Coast. I’ve certainly never had to work on MLK day since moving here.

GavinMcG 5y ago

"Luther"

iso1631 5y ago
Ta. I've heard of him a few times, but it's not really something non-americans can truly grasp.
- runarberg 5y ago
  I think you are right, I think it is really hard for non-americans (or rather people that don’t live in the USA) to grasp how huge he is. However I do think—at least for Europeans (me being one my self)—your political alignment makes a different how much you’ve heard of him. Basically, the more left leaning you are the more you know him.

deleted 5y ago

[deleted]

AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago

Very few businesses close on MLK day. It's pretty much just schools and other government offices.

wolverine876 5y ago
They mostly close where I live.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
  Where might that be? I live in Madison, WI and I can't ever recall a business being closed on MLK day.
  - wolverine876 5y ago
    I can think of two major metropolitan areas where it is commonplace, in my experience. (I'm not disagreeing with what you see.)
    - AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago
      Fascinating. I'm not sure if I should chalk it up to my state's tendency to be much more racist than it pretends to be, or it's stubbornly entrenched protestant work ethic ideals. I suppose 'both' and 'neither' are also valid options.
      - wolverine876 5y ago
        Maybe it depends partly on having a sizeable African-American population? Is there one in Madison? It's not African-American businesses that I see closing, but there might be more emphasis on the holiday in general.
runarberg 5y ago
Living in the Seattle area, and I would say that about the same number of businesses close for MLK day as do for labor day or 4th of July. And I think it is fairly consistent at least on the West Coast. I’ve certainly never had to work on MLK day since moving here.