Some say Utah lacks recognition of Human Rights Day
The Utah Legislature does not observe Human Rights Day, a day in Utah that is meant to replace Martin Luther King Jr. Day, said Ross Peterson, director of the Mountain West Center for Regional Studies.
“For [the Utah Legislature] not to recognize this day just seems ignorant of other races and cultures,” said Doug Beazer, secretary of the Black Student Union at Utah State University. “It seems like they’re so involved in a white, predominantly religious society and don’t care about America as a whole, just the one small group. It seems small-minded of them.”
Many state and public offices will be observing Human Rights Day; however, the Legislature begins sessions on this day each year and public school classes are usually also in attendance.
The conflict in Utah not only stems from this day being nationally recognized as Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Utah’s desire to change it to Human Rights Day, but also because the Legislature doesn’t truly observe the day, said Gabe Carter, president of the Black Student Union.
“I really think it was declared by Congress to be a national holiday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday,” Peterson said.
Beazer said it is important to recognize the day in honor of King.
“Martin Luther King Jr. was a proponent in the fundamental change in society as far as race relations and human relations,” he said. “To label this Human Rights Day and pretend he doesn’t exist is a travesty.”
Carter said the fact that Utah doesn’t recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day doesn’t lessen the importance of the great leaders of this nation that have been African-American. He added that removing a name from the calendar doesn’t erase what that person had to offer Americans then, or what that person has to offer now.
“If they don’t want to recognize it then that’s one thing, but why do you need to rename a day? To me, there is no reason,” Carter said.
Alizabeth Bassett, a junior majoring in English education, said, “I’m fine with it being Human Rights Day because a lot of other people fought for what they believed in, but Civil Rights Day would be more appropriate.”
Peterson said King ushered in a whole new era of the way Americans looked at the world that symbolically represents Martin Luther King Jr., which is a lot different than human rights. Bassett added that since King was a very important leader in America and still is, the fact that Utah doesn’t truly observe or respect the holiday is unfortunate.
When using the phrase “human rights,” it seems like Utah is trying to incorporate more people into the holiday, but failing to recognize that Martin Luther King Jr. was the fundamental character of the ’60s is unfortunate, Beazer said. It should be a day to honor Martin Luther King Jr., Beazer said; he gave the ultimate sacrifice for his country and that should be honored.
Various states reacted to the national declaration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in a variety of ways and Utah was one that decided to observe Human Rights Day instead, Peterson said.
When the name of Martin Luther King Jr. was replaced with Human Rights Day, Beazer said it is as though “my country didn’t care” about its history.
At the time when Utah decided not to recognize Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Peterson said, the state had a smaller amount of minorities and may have lacked some sensitivity to what King had accomplished and achieved affecting an entire movement of people, not just African-Americans but people of all ethnic groups and genders.
“I think this should be a day that honors Civil Rights and Human Rights through a remembrance of King himself,” Peterson said.
Carter said that the American people must keep in perspective that in this country leaps and bounds have been made where civil rights are concerned, but there are still subtle inequities woven into our society.
“It speaks poorly of the Utah Legislature not to recognize this holiday in any form. I know why I appreciate and respect the leaders that this day was named after and created to honor. If [the Legislature] doesn’t or chooses not to do the same, then that is their shortcoming,” Carter said.
Beazer said calling the day something other than Martin Luther King Jr. Day isn’t the big issue, it’s the lack of recognition. For the Utah Legislature to ignore that America is a “melting pot” is “a slap in the face to everyone, not just the minorities.”
“I think it looks disrespectful to not recognize Martin Luther King Jr. or his efforts on this day,” Bassett said.
Peterson said, “It ought to be King’s day, it ought to be observed, and the Utah Legislature should come into session on Tuesday. Without King, it doesn’t tell the whole story.”
-dlalbiston@cc.usu.edu