[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5286]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.

  (Mr. LaMALFA asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize that on this day, 
April 4, 49 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated on a 
hotel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee.
  We all know the story: the most prominent civil rights activist in 
the sixties, if not of our entire Nation's history, was shot dead in 
cold blood at the still very young age of 39 years old. It is a tragic 
tale of a man who had accomplished much and still had more to 
accomplish, but we should note this day as remembrance to honor the 
sacrifice he risked and he made during a very difficult time in our 
Nation's history.
  He demonstrated to the world that it was not the color of a person's 
skin that we should be judged, but by the nature of their character. He 
led by example in an era of violence that violence was not the answer.
  The peaceful protests he organized were an illustration of how to go 
about achieving social change in America, building bridges of 
understanding. The image of the Selma bridge comes to mind.
  His strong Christian beliefs helped him to see what many others could 
not, and opened the doors for millions to follow in his path.
  Mr. King's work is not done. It is very saddening to still see so 
many in racial strife in these days in our Nation, but he showed the 
right way to lead, the right way to peacefully protest, and the right 
way to inspire to fulfill his famous dream.

                          ____________________