Mr. Rogers deserves a National Day of recognition and remembrance for the work he did teaching young children the importance of feelings.   Congress gave Mr. Rogers the money he requested for public television after hearing his soft-spoken yet passionate plea to help him help children.  Now, he deserves a day of recognition like Dr. Seuss already has received.  

May 23 is the 143rd day of the year.  143 was Fred Rogers code word for, "I love you."  It was already declared as Fred Rogers' day in Pennsylvania where Rogers was born and raised.  Now it's time to make it a National Day to celebrate the work and legacy of the gentleman behind the message of love. The late star of "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" would say to his friends, "1-4-3," which stood for the number of letters in the words "I love you."

In recognition of Mr. Rogers and in celebration of his life's work, May 23 will be a day to perform simple acts of kindness "such as giving someone your seat, taping coins to a parking meter or complimenting a stranger" and putting into action Mr. Rogers' vision of neighborly love and kindness:

"Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course just one kind word to another person."