Martin Luther King day, 2010

It's that day, again. Days off for some, school's out for others, and hopefully people are remembering the man whose actions and words did so much to change the social and legal landscape of our country. I'm sure more still are bemoaning the lack of mail, or wondering when the trash will get picked up.

But that's life. I'm sure people don't remember a damn thing on Memorial day, either.

On this day, I'd like to share something I wrote a few years ago - partly in response to something I read, and partly a response to the sort of conservative gloom and doom outlook that looks at someone like the Rev. Martin Luther King and, instead of seeing the good he did, can only focus on the less positive aspects of his character.

It's called "Kings Detractors Are Missing the Point and Hitting Themselves." I think it still holds water, eight years later.

To their credit, I have yet to hear any blowhards pull out the "MLK was a commie" canard this year. Maybe they're more concerned about a living black man who may be a communist, and is in the White House, than a dead one who got shot before anyone thought to make him a candidate for anything.