Benjamin Franklin Day, National Sanctity of Life Day, and MLK Jr. Day - Striking a Chord…

Benjamin Franklin Day, National Sanctity of Life Day, and MLK Jr. Day

Greetings! This week, I have information on a few upcoming observances to share with you, with information mostly taken from NationalToday.com.

This Friday, Jan. 17, is Benjamin Franklin Day. Franklin was a notable polymath of his time. He was a poet, politician, scientist, writer, diplomat, statesman, political philosopher, printer, publisher, and inventor. He is best known for co-drafting the Declaration of Independence. He is also the only Founding Father who signed all four key documents that laid the foundation for the U.S.: the Declaration of Independence, the Treaty of Alliance with France (1778), the Treaty of Paris (ending the American Revolutionary War), and the United States Constitution.

He is also known for his simple daily schedule, with one key question, “What good shall I do this day?”, and for his pithy sayings, such as “Better slip with foot than tongue,” “Well done is better than well said,” and “Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

- Sanctity means “the state or quality of being holy, sacred, or saintly” or “the ultimate importance or inviolability.” This Sunday, Jan. 19, is National Sanctity of Human Life Day. Per Pregnancy Care Center of Missouri, “On Jan. 13, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation designating January 22nd as the first National Sanctity of Human Life Day, noting it was the 11th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that legalized abortion in all 50 states.

“The need to pray for a culture of life in our community and our nation is vitally important. Abortion, especially chemical abortion, continues to occur – even in (states) where abortion is now illegal.

“Each January, churches across the country commit themselves to observing the sanctity of human life while praying for our nation and the pro-life movement.”

One needs to go no further than hearing a heartbeat on an ultrasound or cradling a newborn baby to see just how precious and fragile each life is. Each life is a miracle and a gift from God. Each is extraordinarily unique with his or her own fingerprint and DNA.

Here are a few facts demonstrating the amazing development of the unborn child: – A baby’s heart will beat approximately 54 million times before the baby is born. It starts to beat for the first time around 3 weeks after conception.

– As early as 6 weeks, the baby exhibits reflexes (such as grasping, moving their jaw, and pointing their toes in response to touch) and can even roll over.

– At 9 weeks, the baby can sigh and has started sucking its thumb.

– Unborn babies can feel pain at least by 15 weeks gestation and may experience pain as early as 12 weeks. This is based on a comprehensive review of the scientific literature available, including considering the development of neural pathways necessary for pain perception.

– By 8 weeks, 75% of all babies show right-hand dominance(the other 25% show either left-hand preference or no preference). – At 11 weeks, the unborn baby now “practices” breathing, since he/she will have to breathe air immediately after birth. The baby urinates, and stomach muscles can now contract. Vocal chords and taste buds form. Facial expressions and even smiles are evident. Did you know? The American Convention on Human Rights is the only international human rights treaty that explicitly states that every person has a right to life from the moment of conception. This treaty, ratified by 23 countries in South and Central America between 1973 and 1993, states that the right to life which every person has should be protected by law. It also states that no one should be arbitrarily deprived of their life.

National Sanctity of Human Life Day is a reminder that every life has dignity and value, and every unborn child has the right to live.

- This Monday we observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A leader in the Civil Rights movement, King worked for racial equality and promoted non-violent forms of protest such as sit-ins, marches, and acts of civil disobedience. Here are a few facts you may not have known about MLK Jr. Day, courtesy of NationalToday.com.

– Six million signatures were collected for a petition to Congress to pass the law making Martin Luther King, Jr. Day a federal holiday. A petition only needs 150 signatures in order to be searchable within the White House database. To cross the second threshold and require a response, a petition must reach 100,000 signatures within 30 days. Stevie Wonder helped to achieve this feat by releasing his iconic single “Happy Birthday,” raising awareness of the fact that there should be a day commemorating Dr. King’s life.

–DuringtheMarchonWashington for Jobs and Freedom on Aug. 28, 1963, Dr. King delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. The demonstration was attended by more than 250,000 people. Though many people are familiar with the speech, very few know the iconic “I have a dream” portion was entirely improvised. If you watch the video of King giving the speech, you’ll notice for the first 2–3 minutes, he’s reading the speech prepared for him. But at some point, King pauses. Within this pause, the gospel singer and King’s good friend Mahalia Jackson yells, “Tell ’em about the dream!” At this moment, King goes off script to preach on his dream for a better, more peaceful world.

–The Selma March, also referred to as the Selma to Montgomery March, was a political march from Selma, Ala., to the state’s capital, Montgomery, occurring from March 21-25, 1965. Led by King, the march was the culminating event of several emotional weeks during which demonstrators twice attempted to march but were stopped, once violently, by local police. Twenty-five thousand people participated in the roughly 50-mile march. These events became a landmark in the American Civil rights Movement and directly led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Have a wonderful week!