Engel Commemorates MLK Jr. Day

ENGEL COMMEMORATES MLK JR. DAY

Washington D.C. - In honor of Martin Luther King Day on Monday, January 19, 2004, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY) released the following statement:

"One of the world's best known advocates of non-violent social change, the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr., was this nation's greatest advocate who fought for the rights of all Americans. Dr. King is considered the father of the Civil Rights movement in this country."

"But sadly, Dr. King's goal of an equal and just society is being eroded by nearly every policy decision of the Bush Administration including healthcare, jobs, the economy, judicial nominations, housing, the environment, as well as secondary and higher education. In fact, on this very day last year, President Bush announced his opposition to the University of Michigan's diversity-based admissions policy."

"In 1963, Martin Luther King's 'I have a dream speech' gave a voice to millions of Americans who were dispossessed and angered by cruel laws and traditions that kept this nation segregated and divided. Even today, when I reflect upon the words of Dr. King, I am still moved by his eloquence and message of social justice. It is truly one of the greatest and most important speeches in this country's history, embracing a vision for our society to which we must still strive. All Americans owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. King for his bravery and commitment to civil rights and nonviolence that changed this nation - and world - for the better. It is scary to imagine what the United States would be like without Martin Luther King's efforts to end racial discrimination and state-sponsored segregation."

"I hope President Bush and the Republicans in Congress will use this day to reflect upon Dr. King's dream for America. The longer we continue down this path that leaves so many Americans behind-the farther we travel from what Dr. King had envisioned for this great nation."

As a champion of basic human rights, Dr. King worked unselfishly to combat segregation, discrimination, and racial injustice. In 1963, Dr. King led the March on Washington, that was followed by his famous address, the "I Have a Dream" speech. Dr. King was also influential in the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, legislation that gave millions of African-Americans the right to vote and be treated as equal under the law.