Today, we honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. -- a man who dedicated his life
to the principles of justice and equality,
who courageously pushed our nation closer
toward our founding ideals, and who continues
to serve as a beacon of light for all who
seek a more free, more fair, and more just
world.
Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in our democratic
ideals, and he believed our nation was strengthened
when we took an active role in civil society
and our elections.
He also emphasized the importance of the "urgency
of now" that was needed to protect our nation
when it was in crisis.
He once said, "This is no time to engage
in the luxury of cooling off or to take the
tranquilizing drug of gradualism.
Now is the time to make real the promises
of democracy."
His words ring as true now as they did when
he spoke them in his historic and powerful
'I Have a Dream' speech, which he delivered
at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and
Freedom. As a nation, we must come together and strive
towards the solutions that best represent
our shared values, including freedom of religion,
freedom of speech, equality for all under
the law, and the right of all citizens to
vote.
These are the values that matter in preserving
our democracy.
While we are facing very challenging times,
I promise to continue to work hard to represent
your interests in Congress and fight to make
Dr. King's dream of a more perfect union,
one in which our democracy embodies the values
of equality, opportunity, and justice for
all.
Those are the principles I continue to be
guided by, and they are the principles that
we should all uphold.
So, as we continue to work to strengthen our
democracy, I want to hear from you about your
vision for our future so that, together, we
can build a stronger and more perfect United
States of America.
