Jan. 20, 2009, 2:35 a.m. - Congresswoman Barbara Lee yesterday released the following statement honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's legacy and President-elect Barack Obama on his accomplishment:
"Today, I am proud to join with all Americans as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As our nation commemorates Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let us remember the legacy of the man who spread a message of peace and justice and challenged America to fulfill the true promise of Democracy. Dr. King's words still resonate today with unemployment and poverty on the rise and in a nation where millions live without access to a quality education or affordable healthcare, while we are still fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"In his speech on Vietnam, Dr. King observed about the war in Vietnam's effect on the poor saying, 'then came the buildup in Vietnam and I watched the program broken and eviscerated as if it were some idle political plaything of a society gone mad on war, and I knew that America would never invest the necessary funds or energies in rehabilitation of its poor so long as adventures like Vietnam continued to draw men and skills and money like some demonic destructive suction tube. So I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such.'
"Just as Vietnam was an enemy of the poor, so too is the unnecessary immoral war in Iraq that has taken the lives of over 4,200 of our young brave and women, that has left tens of thousands with grave injuries and has cost our nation hundreds of billions of dollars. We must heed the wisdom of Dr. King by bringing our troops and military contractors home safely and quickly so that we might address the pressing economic needs right here at home, including the over 37 million Americans who live in poverty. We must also avoid a massive and dangerous escalation in Afghanistan that will only serve to cost this nation more in blood and treasure.
"Today, we stand on the historic eve of the inauguration of our 44th and first African American President, Barack Obama. Let us recommit to providing economic relief to the millions who are suffering across this country by addressing the root causes of poverty; providing support for education, job training, childcare, fair and affordable housing, universal healthcare and a living wage in an environmentally sound and sustainable Green Economy that provides opportunity for all.
Rep. Marcia Fudge agreed.
"This birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. is truly at the intersection of history. Today we herald a great Civil Rights leader on the eve of a major accomplishment of the Movement--the inauguration of President-elect Obama. I am proud to walk through doors opened by Dr. King and so many other freedom fighters. At such a time as this, we are encouraged by his legacy; not to glorify in the past, we must be emboldened by the present in order to build a better tomorrow.
"While the gains of the Civil Rights Movement have uplifted every American, Dr. King should not solely be remembered for bringing together the races. Dr. King should be recognized as a champion for economic equality and inclusion. Economic prosperity remains a dream for our generation. The time is now to right the wrongs and pave a smoother path for our children. On this Martin Luther King Jr. Day, when the Ohio unemployment rate is 7.3 precent and the national unemployment rate is 6.7 percent, we must commit ourselves to Dr. King's vision of America.
"I, like Martin Luther King Jr., "have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality and freedom for their spirits." Every day that I walk the halls of Congress, I think of our neighbors who must do without due to a shrinking employment market and a strained economy. My sole concern is what will happen to our community, to our families, to our children if we do not reverse the job losses. As I take up the banner of economic equality, my goal is to deliver money directly to the local communities and create jobs for the everyday people in our communities.
"The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, which I support, is encouraging. It begins the process of creating jobs, strengthening our cities, and improving our communities. Dr. King's last crusade was to save the jobs of Memphis sanitation workers. At this very moment, our crusade should not only be to save the jobs of Ohio public servants, but also the unemployed private sector workers and the chronically unemployed. The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act will create and retain much needed jobs.
"It is my most sincere hope that our President-elect and the 111th Congress will meet the challenges of this very difficult and decisive hour in our country. As we remember Martin Luther King Jr. this year, 2009, we must recommit ourselves to fulfilling his last campaign--economic equality. So that way we will all be truly free at last, free at last."
http://reddingnewsreview.com/newspages/2009newspages/lee_fudge_MLK_Obama_09_09100015.htm
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