It’s been nearly 30 years. Can we just call it, simply, Martin Luther King Jr. Day?

It’s no secret that Idaho was not always the biggest fan of Martin Luther King Jr. We were the 47th state to officially recognize the holiday, seven years after President Ronald Reagan signed a bill creating a federal MLK day. Even then, Idaho lawmakers were less than enthusiastic about the idea — having previously rejected it in 1986 — citing cost concerns or King’s perceived irrelevance to Idaho. Some legislators attacked King’s character, citing his infidelities or alleging that he had pro-Russia sympathies (ironic, given the current political climate). But the desire to shed a national association with white supremacy and the Aryan Nation finally pushed reluctant lawmakers to compromise with their more forward-thinking colleagues and recognize the third Monday of January as Martin Luther King Jr. – Idaho Human Rights Day.

I guess the name could have been worse. We could be Alabama or Mississippi, where King shares his holiday with Confederate general Robert E. Lee. But make no mistake — Idaho’s long history with white supremacy keeps resurfacing even in today’s political climate. Last year, a North Idaho man barraged voters in Iowa, Georgia and Florida with vile, racist robocalls disparaging the states’ historic campaigns led by people of color. And who can forget the Middleton School District’s infamous social media post, which attracted so much attention that The New York Times ran a story about it?

Certainly, wanting a holiday to celebrate the advancement, sanctity and universality of human rights is a laudable goal. But combining MLK Day with a generic, feel-good holiday for human rights mimics the same reasons that it’s tone-deaf to say All Lives Matter. Of course all lives matter, but in America, black lives often get valued less in important ways. Given the distinct, lasting legacy of American slavery and white supremacy, I think it’s fair to spread some love around the calendar.

Perhaps Idaho can replace Columbus Day (second Monday in October) with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in acknowledgment of the state’s four federally recognized American Indian tribes? Idaho could also recognize past injustices against Mormons by resuming its recognition of Pioneer Day (July 24). Or, as simultaneous nods to Idaho’s agricultural roots and booming Latino population, we can join a cross-partisan chorus of states in recognizing Cesar Chavez Day (March 31).

There are also more concrete ways to atone for discrimination past and present. Idaho could join cities like Boise and Meridian in banning discrimination against those in the LGBTQ community. We could join six other states in expanding benefits such as in-state tuition to undocumented Idahoans.

Idaho has a long way to go on the path to true equality. But the first step is easy — we should just call it Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The idea of King as a controversial figure was laughable in 1990. Twenty-nine years later, it’s just insulting.

This story was originally published January 25, 2019 at 9:03 PM.