I have a foggy memory of the political fights that went on many years ago to grant an observance of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday as a federal holiday. I recall that it went in stages: first there were non-binding resolutions which acknowledged that his leadership on civil rights were extraordinary, then they suggested a holiday to honor his work would be kind of nice thing to do, then real resolutions were introduced, then states started to adopt the holiday, then Arizona was a hold-out and then finally, finally MLK Day was official and federal and banks and schools were closed. Since Americans tend to not take healthy, extended vacations, but rather a pile-up of three and four day getaways, many people were thrilled at the thought of another Monday off, particularly in January and especially if the snow is good.

But then another identity about MLK Day began to take shape, and that was the idea of committing yourself to a day of service. Instead of a day off, MLK Day is a day ON. Use the day to serve your community by giving your time to work at a homeless shelter, pick up trash at the beach or park, do home visits to the elderly, mentor a kid, even take yourself down the local police and fire stations and introduce yourself to the people who will protect you in the event of an emergency. The sentiment behind this “Day On” is obvious: Dr. King was a man of action behind his words, which is what gave his leadership the credibility and the power to create change. If we all participate by serving, then we carry on the legacy of civil equality.

What if you are reading this at work? Or you click on this tonight after your epic powder day? What if you did not have the opportunity to volunteer today and now that you think of it you really want to do something in the spirit of MLK, and you have already donated and prayed for Haiti (and keep doing that too by the way)? I have something for you to do.

I would like you to support the US Public Service Academy, either for the first time, or the 48th time. I would like you to call or write an email to your Representative and to your Senators. If you have not signed the petition to create the first undergraduate institution to train public servants in leadership, policy, emergency management, ethics etc. in return for five years of service, then do that too. I would like you to demand of your Representatives and Senators that you want a place where young people are educated to serve the needs of the people so that the margin for error during an emergency like a Katrina or a Haiti is slim to none. Did you text off a donation to Haiti? Did spend a mere five minutes on that task and then post it to your Facebook status? Well, then spend 15 minutes today using your voice to demand that our government place value on the people who want to take care of our education, our safety, our health, by creating an institution on par with our military academies to train them. We deserve this.

Get to links for your Reps and Senators offices by going to this link on the USPSA website, or here or here. You can fill out one of their email forms, or call their offices directly to speak to a staffer. Other than the most obvious civic duty which is voting, it is also our job to tell our elected officials how to do theirs. They serve us, not vice versa. Use your time today to make MLK proud and participate in the process of being a citizen. It is a great honor and I guarantee you will feel fulfilled. Thank you for your support as always.