That's right, I said it, "Cancel the MLK Holiday." Coming from a left-leaning Democrat? You bet.

Today is the date of birth of the most influential instruments of social change and human rights our nation has known. And it's been mentioned sparingly—quickly, mid-sentence, in passing—in the mainstream media. NBC 13 in B'ham did a 30 second blurb on it. The Birmingham News had no mention of it today that I could find—God, if I missed it the e-mails will come pouring in, so I guess I'm asking for it.

Let's honor Dr. King and do away with this mockery of a "holiday" on Monday. If his birthday is not worthy of our attention on the actual date, why is it suddenly important six days later?

Want to honor Dr. King? Go to work on Monday, Congress. Reach across the aisle to help more minorities gain access to health care. Let the Alabama Legislature debate how to ensure that the black grandmother's vote in Hale County is counted every bit as much as a wealthy white man's vote in Mobile. And so you don't think I'm just another mushy white liberal, I'm not letting you brothers off the hook either: STOP KILLING EACH OTHER IN BIRMINGHAM AT RECORD RATES. Seriously, give it a shot (no pun intended). Try honoring Dr. King by having no incidents of black-on-black homicide from sundown Friday to midnight Tuesday morning.

Prayer breakfasts at black churches—attended by politicians who fail to take any real action to help minorities—don't impress me. Tangible action impresses me.

And just for kicks, go to the NAACP and Congressional Black Caucus websites and see if there's any mention of today being King's birthday. Go ahead, I'll wait.....told ya!

Cancel the "3rd Monday MLK Day" farce and get to work instead. Help the intelligent, able, and ambitious black community—one in four Alabamians—achieve the greatness I know they're capable of.

Jeff Culler