Alabama Celebrates King/Lee Birthdays Today

State offices and schools are closed today to honor the birthdays of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert E. Lee. King was born on January 15, 1929. Lee was born on January 19, 1807.

When this holiday comes around every year, there are some people who like to "take sides" by paying tribute to one man or the other. But, to me, to honor both men on the same day seems very fitting. Our state has come a long way since it was ripped apart by the divisions of the Civil War and of the civil rights movement, and this holiday gives us all a chance to be grateful for that fact.