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DonViejo

(60,536 posts)
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 04:27 PM Jan 2017

City slammed as it declares Monday 'Great Americans Day'

Source: Associated Press

SATURDAY, JAN 14, 2017 03:15 PM EST

BILOXI, Miss. (AP) — The city of Biloxi has sparked a debate about the holiday honoring the late civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. after announcing on social media that city offices would be closed Monday for “Great Americans Day.” Monday is federally recognized as Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

The Sun Herald reports (http://bit.ly/2jbCH5z ) Great Americans Day doesn’t exist as a holiday and is not even recognized by the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office. However, Biloxi City Council passed an ordinance in 1985 declaring the holiday “Great Americans Day.”

After Biloxi defended the holiday reference on Twitter and Facebook, dozens of comments were posted that criticized the move.

Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich called for the city to repeal its ordinance and recognize the holiday with the King name.

###

Read more: http://www.salon.com/2017/01/14/city-slammed-as-it-declares-monday-great-americans-day/

27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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City slammed as it declares Monday 'Great Americans Day' (Original Post) DonViejo Jan 2017 OP
MLK Day established in 1983 and Biloxi, MS passed Great Americans Day 2 years later. Eric J in MN Jan 2017 #1
And it's been like that for the past 32 years BumRushDaShow Jan 2017 #12
We had Lee-Jackson Day here yesterday underpants Jan 2017 #2
Tennessee will announce Nathan Bedford Forrest Day tomorrow. Feeling the Bern Jan 2017 #3
The same NB Forrest who founded the KKK? eom guillaumeb Jan 2017 #5
Yep. . .I mean, if the south is still going to honor confederate heroes, they need to go all in. Feeling the Bern Jan 2017 #7
Perhaps draping his statue with a white sheet would be one way guillaumeb Jan 2017 #9
Do I need that little sarcasm icon? Feeling the Bern Jan 2017 #10
No need for the icon. And agreed on your addition to the statue. guillaumeb Jan 2017 #11
Wow. 21st century? underpants Jan 2017 #14
Thank God republicans won the Civil War keithbvadu2 Jan 2017 #18
"BTW - "Stonewall" Jackson's birthplace is now part of West Virginia." mahatmakanejeeves Jan 2017 #21
I have to say that I wasn't aware of the Lee-Jackson Day underpants Jan 2017 #26
How about.... paleotn Jan 2017 #25
Knew before I opened it that it was a southern city hollowdweller Jan 2017 #4
Lincoln should have just let them go. Feeling the Bern Jan 2017 #8
You do recognize that we would still have slavery on this continent if Lincoln had "let them go"? Hekate Jan 2017 #22
No, Lincoln told the south he would do nothing unless provoked Feeling the Bern Jan 2017 #23
Funny thing about Biloxi (where I lived as a kid for a while and still have people) nolabear Jan 2017 #6
People have no idea about things on the water or how immigrants produce seafood underpants Jan 2017 #13
they are also less likely to vote. And not just the ones who can't because no citizenship JI7 Jan 2017 #16
It's just as tone deaf as Republicans praising "entrepreneurs" and business owners on catbyte Jan 2017 #15
Citizens should display images of MLK all over the city. alfredo Jan 2017 #17
No problem! - Make Dec 25th 'Various Saviors' Day'. keithbvadu2 Jan 2017 #19
UPDATED: Biloxi Mayor Says City Must Change "Great American's Day" in Ordinance to MLK Day oberliner Jan 2017 #20
Smart man. I knew it was odd for Biloxi. nolabear Jan 2017 #24
Putin - What about a Putin Day packman Jan 2017 #27

Eric J in MN

(35,619 posts)
1. MLK Day established in 1983 and Biloxi, MS passed Great Americans Day 2 years later.
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 04:31 PM
Jan 2017

Probably not a coincidence.

BumRushDaShow

(127,312 posts)
12. And it's been like that for the past 32 years
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:13 PM
Jan 2017

and apparently no one blinked an eye... until now.

Apparently the city hid that designation and never "publicly" called it that until now via that tweet. After which the ghost of that ordinance was unleashed into the wild.

underpants

(182,279 posts)
2. We had Lee-Jackson Day here yesterday
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 04:35 PM
Jan 2017

That has been a Virginia state holiday since 1904. When MLK Day was approved they lumped them together into Lee-Jackson-King Day. Hold on there jus a moment (old Virginia accent) one uh them was not BORN here in the Commonwealth ya see.

So under then Gov. Jim Gilmore they created a 4 day weekend for state employees. Yeah that made a lot of sense.

BTW - "Stonewall" Jackson's birthplace is now part of West Virginia.

 

Feeling the Bern

(3,839 posts)
3. Tennessee will announce Nathan Bedford Forrest Day tomorrow.
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 04:40 PM
Jan 2017

These fucking southerners don't even attempt to hide their sheet wearing bullshit

guillaumeb

(42,641 posts)
9. Perhaps draping his statue with a white sheet would be one way
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:08 PM
Jan 2017

to recognize his................ accomplishments?

 

Feeling the Bern

(3,839 posts)
10. Do I need that little sarcasm icon?
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:10 PM
Jan 2017

Make sure it has a bible in the hand too. The Klan is a good Christian organization.

mahatmakanejeeves

(56,897 posts)
21. "BTW - "Stonewall" Jackson's birthplace is now part of West Virginia."
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 06:11 PM
Jan 2017

I was going to add that trivia point, but you already got it.

I grew up in Alexandria, which is the boyhood home of Robert E. Lee. When I was in elementary school (which was, uh, a while ago), we got Lee's birthday off. I'm pretty sure we didn't pay any attention to Lincoln's birthday.

Third grade Virginia history was a trip, not that anyone used that term back then.

paleotn

(17,781 posts)
25. How about....
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 06:21 PM
Jan 2017

Aldrich Ames / John Walker day? And in tribute to the Praetorian...um, I mean FBI, how about Robert Hanssen / James Comey day? Loves them some Russkies, those FBI guys do. I see little difference between them and Lee / Jackson.

 

hollowdweller

(4,229 posts)
4. Knew before I opened it that it was a southern city
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 04:48 PM
Jan 2017


I had a college buddy, from NY, he actually roomed with another friend who was black in college.

He took a job in SC and came to visit me for the first time in 30 years last summer. Said a number of racially insensitive things.

Had a number of friends who moved south and became more racist and became republicans.

Hekate

(90,191 posts)
22. You do recognize that we would still have slavery on this continent if Lincoln had "let them go"?
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 06:11 PM
Jan 2017

The buying and selling of men, women, and children? Forcibly tearing families apart? Human beings as chattel?

No. Lincoln did the right thing, and over half a million Americans died contesting that battle.

 

Feeling the Bern

(3,839 posts)
23. No, Lincoln told the south he would do nothing unless provoked
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 06:16 PM
Jan 2017

The South decided to attack.

No, the south would have fallen apart because by the second year, three states were talking of secession from the south.

nolabear

(41,915 posts)
6. Funny thing about Biloxi (where I lived as a kid for a while and still have people)
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:05 PM
Jan 2017

It's one of those odd Gulf Coast towns that depends on the military and tourism (casinos these days) and as little Mississippi towns go it's fairly well-to-do. In spite of having been nearly blown off the map by Katrina there are a lot of big and lovely homes there. And there's a massive Vietnamese population that now does a great deal of the shrimping.

I say this to emphasize what a fool move it was. There's no percentage in it. People are there from all over the world. I don't know if it's the last gasp of the old school Southern politicians or what, but it's just ridiculous.

underpants

(182,279 posts)
13. People have no idea about things on the water or how immigrants produce seafood
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:40 PM
Jan 2017

Thanks for the post.

JI7

(89,176 posts)
16. they are also less likely to vote. And not just the ones who can't because no citizenship
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:52 PM
Jan 2017

So even with changes in population certain types still remain in power.

But it wont last long.

catbyte

(34,170 posts)
15. It's just as tone deaf as Republicans praising "entrepreneurs" and business owners on
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 05:49 PM
Jan 2017

Labor Day.

Shitheads.

 

oberliner

(58,724 posts)
20. UPDATED: Biloxi Mayor Says City Must Change "Great American's Day" in Ordinance to MLK Day
Sat Jan 14, 2017, 06:04 PM
Jan 2017

UPDATED Jan. 14: After a national firestorm and a No. 1 trend on Twitter, Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich said the Biloxi City Council on Tuesday, the day after the holiday, should change the city’s Code of Ordinances" to reflect the official federal name of the holiday, 'Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,' commonly known as 'Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.'”

http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/weblogs/jackblog/2017/jan/13/did-mississippi-rename-mlk-day-great-americans-day/

 

packman

(16,296 posts)
27. Putin - What about a Putin Day
Sun Jan 15, 2017, 12:19 PM
Jan 2017

Oh, well - I'll just wait for a few months or years for that day to happen. Then again, when Donald gets sworn in, wouldn't that be Putin Day?

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