The dream the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. left behindhasn’t been forgotten, but the SMU community didn’texactly embrace the spirit of the holiday on Monday.

After 18 years as a national holiday, the purpose of MartinLuther King Jr. Day has yet to be realized. MLK Day should not justbe another off day, but rather a day to recommit the university toKing’s original message of unity.

The SMU administration needs to promote the importance ofcelebrating freedom of speech and activism’s benefits.Teachers should encourage class discussions about the rights Kingfought for.

Most universities in the country observe this holiday bycanceling classes, but the real meaning is often missed. SMU doesfeel this is a significant day and lets out class for a reason.Still, the university fails to fully use it.

This should be a day committed to learning and understanding.The SMU community should not consider it a day to sleep in. Doingso flies in the face of forgetting the real reason behind theday.

About 60 students participated in a Unity Walk by walking armand arm from the south end of Bishop Boulevard to Dallas Hall.President R. Gerald Turner and student body President ThomasKincaid later delivered their comments regarding Dr. King in frontof the audience that gathered in the Hughes-Trigg Commons onWednesday. The Department of Multicultural Student Affairssponsored gathering brought out a racially diverse group ofstudents to celebrate King. This is not enough.

SMU should continue sponsoring MLK Day related events, butit’s not enough. An extensive celebration should begin with akick-off on King’s birthday, followed by days ofcelebration.

SMU should encourage students to remain on campus and partake inthe day’s festivities.

Although it might rub some the wrong way, the truth is that aportion of the student body is simply racially insensitive. Theyfail to take the time to understand and observe the universalsignificance of MLK Day, which is not just a “blackholiday.”

To further illustrate the point, considering the responsivenessthat SMU students have to greek events is disquieting when comparedto the reception that MLK Day receives around campus. Somehowduring homecoming every club and organization on campus holds somesort of event. But during the only black holiday, a small amount ofactivities have been planned, more on a “we need to”basis.

The entire SMU community needs to know about the realsignificance of MLK Day and celebrate it.