[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 4015-4016]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




COMMEMORATING THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF THE REV. DR. MARTIN 
                            LUTHER KING, JR.

  Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, I wish today to commemorate the 40th 
anniversary of the death of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. April 4, 
2008, marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Dr. 
Martin Luther King, Jr., an iconic leader of the American civil rights 
movement. In death, the legacy of Dr. King continues and so does his 
call for tolerance, justice, and equality.
  April 1968 was a tragic time for the King family and for our Nation. 
Our

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cities erupted as people were overcome by rage and horror at his 
assassination. We all suffered in the knowledge that someone who had 
been an inspiration to millions had been taken from us by an assassin's 
bullet.
  It has been 40 years since his murder, but his legacy remains with us 
as we continue to pursue his vision of equality, fairness, and justice. 
Today, we are a nation of 300 million people; a nation in which one out 
of three Americans is a member of a minority group. His vision is just 
as important and inspirational today as it was 40 years ago.
  We must never forget that our diversity is one of our greatest 
strengths and one of our most important challenges. We must find a way 
to work and live together and to respect each other. Dr. King's legacy 
of social justice charted the path for us. As he once said: ``We must 
learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.''
  We have not always succeeded in achieving that goal. Dr. King's work 
remains unfinished as we witness a resurgence of hate crimes and 
injustice and inequality still exist. We must always remain vigilant 
against those who preach hate and intolerance and believe that it is 
acceptable to deny others the rights that are guaranteed under the U.S. 
Constitution and bill of rights.
  Dr. King stood up to violence, bigotry, and intolerance in our 
country to ensure that all of us can live free of prejudice and hatred. 
Today, on the 40th anniversary of his death, it is important that we 
remember his sacrifice and pledge to continue his fight for greater 
opportunities for all.

                          ____________________