Boston (January 20, 2014) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement today in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
“Today we remember one of our greatest minds and one of our most important and passionate voices for social justice – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His words and deeds continue to inspire us to lift our gaze upwards to see the constellation of our own possibilities, of our own potential to do good in this world.
“I believe what matters in America in 2014 are the same things that mattered in Dr. King’s day: a quality education for all of our children; a good job at a fair wage; affordable health care for everyone; respecting human rights; and building safe, strong communities.
“Unfortunately, these things that matter so much are beyond the reach of too many Americans and their families. While many people in our country have been trying to climb the ladder of success, no matter how hard they work, they are stuck in the same place.
“In America today, nearly half of those who grow up in families in the bottom fifth of income earners will stay there as adults. Tens of millions of Americans labor tirelessly for years to scale the economic ladder, but can never get off the ground. This is unacceptable; this is immoral, and on this day, we must recommit ourselves to change this.
“Dr. King said, ‘Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.’ We have had many victories in improving the lives of the most vulnerable in our society. Programs such as Medicaid, Medicare, and Head Start are critical parts of our social safety net. Now, we need a new era that creates a more compassionate and caring Commonwealth and country.
“We need to raise the minimum wage. We need to protect and strengthen Obamacare that has already provided health care to nine million people who did not have it before. We need to protect our families from gun violence and get guns off our streets. We need to break vicious cycles of ignorance and hate.
“Dr. King sacrificed, suffered and stood up for his dream of a society where all people can have the same access and opportunities under the law. But a better America is a shared responsibility. All Americans can and must shape the course of history, consistent with the time-honored values that have animated civilization for generations and that were epitomized in the life of Dr. Martin Luther King – justice, tolerance, liberty, and equality.
“Today, as we commemorate his life and achievements, we are reminded to work together to build a nation and a future that is more just, more fair, more healthy, more prosperous and peaceful for all people.”
