Carson Commemorates Martin Luther King Jr. Day

January 17, 2011 

CARSON COMMEMORATES MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY

INDIANAPOLIS - Congressman André Carson released the following statement today in commemoration of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.:

"Today as we honor and celebrate the life of civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we also pay tribute to his tremendous leadership and his inspirational work to further opportunity for all people.

"Certainly, one of Dr. King's great legacies is his advancement of equal rights for African-Americans. But he was also a man who understood the power of words and knew the importance of civility in our public discourse. I think that is something that all Americans can agree that we need right now.

"It was Dr. King who said, ‘We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.' If we want to continue to progress as a unified people, with all the diversity in opinions and culture that make this country great, then we need to remember that we're all human beings and that we can come together and critique each other with honor and respect.

"In Washington and in Indianapolis, we need to dedicate ourselves to being the kind of servant leaders that follow the example of. Dr. King. Whether it's being politically active or volunteering in the community, we must continue to strive for a more perfect union because there are people still suffering throughout this country.

"We must think outside the box and never be comfortable with the status quo. And in order to honor Dr. King's dream and his legacy, it's what we should do, each and every day."