Did you all have a good Lee-Jackson-King weekend?

[theboss]

By a twist of fate, I happened to be in Richmond this weekend and got to see some of the observances for this fine holiday.

Civil war reenactor standing guard by Lee's statue.

Garland wreaths on Jackson's statue.

And . . . well . . . something was probably going on somewhere for King . . . maybe.

Richmond is a very strange place.

[AnnInLa]

1. This from Wonkette.com....her words, not mine

Honoring MLK Day, the Mississippi Way

We are honoring Martin Luther King Day as we always do, by staying in bed until noon and starting drinking at one. In fact, we like to think of every day as Martin Luther King Day. The folks in Mississippi, on the other hand, prefer not to think about MLK day much at all! If you -- as reader J. did -- call the Mississippi tax commission today (601-923-7000), you'll find that the office is closed " in observance of Robert E Lee's and Martin Luther King's birthdays." We love this. We imagine it was floated as a way to get the bigots to observe a federal holiday and avoid being targeted by Chuck D -- a compromise about as meaningful as the Missouri one, really. If this is the case, we wonder what other kinds of intrastate racial tit-for-tat deals might be in the works. What about, "you can date our daughters as long as we can whip you for it after?"

NOTE: Really, no shit: That is the number of the Mississippi tax commission.

[theboss]

4. I saw that too and it reminded me to post this story

Monument Avenue is always an odd experience, but Saturday was especially bizarre.

[artfan]

2. When I moved to VA.....

I was shocked to see Lee-Jackson-King day then I was just plain mad. One year in church an African American Woman stood up and offered a tribute to the day by holding up a picture of Spike Lee Jessie Jackson and MLK and now I always think of these fine men on MLK day.

Oh and I also offer a short prayer of thanks for being back in New England where I belong.

[merh]

3. In Harrison County Mississippi, there is a statute of Robert E. Lee

at the south entrance. In the past, the laying of the wreath at his statute occurs at the same time the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., speeches are going on at the north end of the courthouse. The South can be very odd.