[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 7 (Wednesday, January 15, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S339]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           COMMEMORATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.'S BIRTHDAY

  Mr. ENSIGN. Mr. President, ``What are you doing for others?'' It is 
in the spirit of this simple question that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 
lived and died. Can you imagine if every person started each day with 
such a challenge? If before we thought about what clothes we would wear 
or what food we would eat or what meetings we had scheduled, we asked 
ourselves, ``What are you doing for others?''
  These weren't just words to Dr. King. He walked the walk. And his 
walk often took place in neighborhoods where he was stoned by angry 
crowds, in jail cells where he was imprisoned, and in cities where he 
was despised. But every morning he woke up with the attitude that he 
was here to serve others, and he believed that everyone was capable of 
doing the same. He once said in a sermon that, ``Everybody can be 
great, because everybody can serve.'' The only requirements to serve, 
according to King, were ``. . . a heart full of grace, a soul generated 
by love . . .''.
  For the 39 years that Dr. King graced this world, he led by example. 
And for the almost 35 years since his death, his legacy has continued 
to light a path to love, tolerance, reconciliation, and equality.
  As well lit as he left that path, we still continue to stumble. That 
is why celebrating Dr. King's mission, even if just one day a year, is 
so necessary. We must remind ourselves how important it is for us to 
keep working toward a Nation that promotes opportunity for all while 
celebrating our unique differences.
  Race relations in American have come a long way since almost 40 years 
ago when Dr. King penned his ``Letter from a Birmingham Jail'' after 
demonstrating against the segregation of restaurants. He wrote:

       We have waited for more than 340 years for our 
     constitutional and God-given rights. Perhaps it is easy for 
     those who have never felt the stinging darts of segregation 
     to say, ``Wait.'' But when you have seen vicious mobs lynch 
     your mothers and fathers at will and drown your sisters and 
     brothers at whim * * * when you take a cross-country drive 
     and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the 
     uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel 
     will accept you * * * when you are humiliated day in and day 
     out by nagging signs reading ``white'' and ``colored,'' then 
     you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.

  A lot has changed since then, but in 2003, Dr. King's work is still 
not complete. Opportunity is not available to all, and we have not 
fully succeeded at respecting each other's differences.
  As we honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded 
that he lived to love others and serve others as a pastor, a champion 
of equality, and a leader of freedom.
  He lost his life while on a mission to leave his children, and all 
our children, a better world. We owe it to him to continue down that 
path to love, tolerance, reconciliation, and equality, for only when we 
reach the end will his work have been completed.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. DASCHLE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Burns). Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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