Post by bot on Jan 17, 2016 18:14:58 GMT -5
Hoyer Statement in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, which occurs on Monday, January 18:
“As American across the country honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, let us draw inspiration from his example of leadership and perseverance in pursuit of a just cause as we seek to better our nation and the world. Leading a national movement to unlock the full meaning of our founding creed – that ‘all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’ – Dr. King called us to set the table of brotherhood by treating one another with the compassion, dignity, and respect that all people deserve. He marched, bled, was imprisoned, and ultimately gave his life to end the evils of segregation and extend the right to vote to those who had been unfairly denied it.
“But the movement Dr. King led was always about more than just the right to vote and an end to formal, legal segregation. He also taught us that freedom and opportunity cannot each exist on its own – that just as everyone deserves life and liberty, so too must they have access to a fair shot at the pursuit of happiness. This means the ability to find a job that provides for a decent living and opportunities to secure a better future for oneself and one’s family. These include homeownership, access to quality and affordable health care, the ability to further one’s own education and send one’s children to college too, and the chance to save for a secure retirement. It also means being able to live in a community safe from guns, drugs, and crime – and where no young person ever has to feel unsafe walking down the street or interacting with law enforcement.
“Dr. King, perhaps better than anyone in our history, strove to instill in us the age-old truth that we are our brother’s keeper and sister’s keeper – that when one person in our midst suffers from political or economic injustice, all of us are diminished by it. So as we celebrate Dr. King this weekend through community gatherings, acts of service, and memorials, let us honor him by recommitting ourselves to the task of completing the work he championed. Together, we can carry that work forward in the months and years ahead.”