[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 40 (Wednesday, April 1, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E552-E553]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




TRIBUTE TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS 
               DEATH--A DEDICATION TO HIS LIFE AND WORDS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, April 1, 1998

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life and the 
contributions of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to mark the thirtieth 
anniversary of his tragic death on April 4th, 1998.
  Dr. King's life is a testament to our highest values of peace, 
equality, and justice that we honor in this nation. I shudder to think 
of our country without the words, the inspiration, and the activism of 
Dr. King. I shudder to think of this world without his eloquent voice 
to lead us in preserving civil rights and human rights for all people, 
no matter their differences.
  Mr. Speaker, it is in honor of Dr. King that we must rededicate 
ourselves to an unfinished task--the elimination of social, legal, and 
economic discrimination against all minorities, against all 
disadvantaged Americans. Let us remember his achievements so that his 
vision of a peaceful, prosperous humanity will not be silenced and will 
not go unheeded.
  During the civil rights movement of the 1950's and 1960's, Dr. King 
was an advocate for nonviolent change. His beliefs were the basis for 
an effective and powerful movement by Americans everywhere to protest 
against blatant racism in the form of racial segregation. He organized 
``sit-ins'' and boycotts against both public and private institutions 
participating in the segregation of black people. His immensely 
influential work with the civil rights campaign earned him the Nobel 
Peace Prize in 1964. Our nation was in shock and grief after his tragic 
and untimely assassination on April 4, 1968.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that my colleagues share with me the profound 
inspiration and hope that I experienced as I listened to Dr. King's 
stirring ``I Have a Dream'' speech during the 1964 civil rights 
demonstration in our nation's capital. I still remember the urgency of 
his words to the poor, the disenfranchised, and the oppressed.

       And when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from 
     every village, from every hamlet, from every state and every 
     city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's 
     children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, 
     Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands, and 
     sing in the words of the Old Negro spiritual: ``Free at Last! 
     Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!''

  Mr. Speaker, we in this Congress know that Dr. King's remarkable 
dream is still unfulfilled. We know that those who are weak, those who 
suffer from poverty, from hatred, from ignorance, are those for whom 
our country is still returning the check that Dr. King denounced--the 
check marked ``insufficient funds.'' The disease of discrimination 
still exists in our country in both its most blatant and more subtle 
forms. Equal political participation still eludes our fight for equal 
justice for all. Our liberty is incomplete without adequate provisions 
for the elderly and without quality care for our children.
  We cannot succeed in our quest for liberty and freedom without 
acknowledging, as Dr. King wisely taught us that ``there is no peace 
without justice.'' Therefore, we must continue to struggle for justice. 
We must support our President who engages this nation in a dialogue of 
race with his ``Initiative on Race: One America in the 21st Century.'' 
We must prosecute all hate crimes, those against race, ethnicity, 
gender, and sexuality, against anyone who is different. We must give 
everyone equal opportunities to education, especially higher education. 
We must pass just laws which protect those who remain unprotected by 
our system. We must create and pass a budget which takes into account 
the needs of all Americans.
  Genuine leadership will result in genuine reform. We cannot have 
genuine reform until we take into account the relative position of 
minorities, and the relative position of the economically 
disadvantaged. There will be no peace and true prosperity in this 
county until every homeless person has shelter and every hungry mouth 
is fed.
  Americans have common needs and common desires, and we must work with 
each other, not against each other, to achieve our goals. Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr. spoke to us of unity, not dissension. It is our 
responsibility to move toward social justice through nonviolent means, 
and it is our responsibility to prevent violence by examining our laws 
and their enforcement.
  We must learn to enact change, rather than merely react to change. We 
can start by recognizing the ways in which discrimination operates in 
subtle and insidious ways within our

[[Page E553]]

society despite our laws, ways which may not be as obvious as 
segregation, but are discrimination nonetheless.
  We must acknowledge that America cannot rest on laurels of 
prosperity, but must continue to seek a prosperous equality. We can be 
non-violent in ways that are filled with respect and dignity for all.
  Mr. Speaker, as this nation solemnly marks 30 years since the tragic 
and violent and untimely death of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I urge 
my colleagues in the Congress to recommit ourselves to the struggle 
which Dr. King so personified and defined. I urge my colleagues in the 
Congress to share with me my appreciation of this great man and to work 
together to achieve his vision. The road to Dr. King's vision of peace 
is long and difficult. Let us not be daunted. Let us march together for 
freedom.

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