Congressman Al Green Statement in Recognition of Martin Luther King Day

Statement

CONGRESSMAN AL GREEN STATEMENT IN RECOGNITION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY

Congressman Al Green (TX-09) released the following statement today in commemoration of Martin Luther King Day:

"Today we honor one of the fathers of the civil rights movement, the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We honor him for his courage, for his sacrifice, and for his life-long commitment to justice and equality for all."

"Dr. King taught us that silence in the face of injustice only serves to fuel the fires of prejudice and hatred. He said that 'in the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.' Dr. King's message has become the conscience of our country, reminding us that it is our responsibility to stand up and speak out in the face of racial, gender, and religious discrimination."

"Forty years after his assassination, we are still working to ensure that Dr. King's dream of equality will one day be fully realized by all in our great nation. Today, as we celebrate the life and legacy of a great American hero and international symbol of justice and equality, we must not forget that there is still tremendous work to be done:

* 47 million Americans without health insurance, 4.1 million in Texas alone
* 37 million people living in poverty, 3.4 million in Texas alone
* 9 million children across the United States without access to affordable healthcare, 1.4 million in Texas alone
* 200,000 homeless veterans, 16,000 in Texas alone

"Together, I believe we can fight the evils of social injustice and work to create a brighter future for all Americans. It has fallen on to us to make Dr. King's dream a reality by standing up, and by all means, speaking out."

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