Schakowsky statement on Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Today, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky released the following statement commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. Day:
“Martin Luther King Jr.’s ideals and life’s work will forever stand as reminders of our capacity to make real, lasting change for the betterment of human kind. His words and legacy will stand the test of time because they are universal – we can always turn to him in moments of difficulty and turbulence to find the right path forward. Today, as many Americans feel uneasy about the future of our country and feel outraged by the current state of affairs, his message is more important than ever.
“This year will mark the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination. As we commemorate a man whose work embodied virtue and righteousness, let us also remember that hatred and violence will always exist in our midst. It is how we confront evil that matters. Martin Luther King Jr. was killed for his dedication to fighting for the ideals of equality and empowerment. In a time when hate crimes are on the rise, divisions are starker than ever, and racism runs rampant at the highest levels of our government, let us recommit ourselves to always standing up for what is right and what is good. It was Dr. King himself who said, ‘in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.’
“Dr. King presented us with the vision of a world where justice and love triumph over bigotry and hate. He took action to make our society better. He made us understand that each one of us has the power to speak out, to act and to change the world. If we heed the teaching of Dr. King, we will turn our outrage into action, our meetings into movements, our chants into laws, and our ideals into societal norms. Today and every day, let us honor Dr. King through our actions.”
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