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Martin Luther King's birthday is celebrated on the same day the Utah Constitution mandates we begin the legislative session: the third Monday of January. Until the voters amend the constitution this November. Or not. But we expect they will.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was among this nation's foremost orators and the youngest person to ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize. He championed the concepts embodied in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Dr. King practiced and advocated non-violence, despite the violence that often surrounded the Civil Right Movement. Violence would eventually claim his life, but violence will never extinguish the spirit of human equality his life stood for.

Today, the Senate remembered Dr. King, by hearing from Trystan Smith, Chair of the MLK Human Rights Commission, and Bishop John C. Wester of the Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake.

We hope his message rings throughout the session, if not the year.

From his speech at Alabama's State Capital Building:

"Somebody’s asking, 'How long will prejudice blind the visions of men, darken their understanding, and drive bright-eyed wisdom from her sacred throne?' Somebody’s asking, 'When will wounded justice, lying prostrate on the streets ... be lifted from this dust of shame to reign supreme among the children of men?' Somebody’s asking, 'When will the radiant star of hope be plunged against the nocturnal bosom of this lonely night, ... plucked from weary souls with chains of fear and the manacles of death? How long will justice be crucified, ... and truth bear it?'

"I come to say to you this afternoon, however difficult the moment, ... however frustrating the hour, it will not be long, ... because 'truth crushed to earth will rise again.'

"How long? Not long, ... because 'no lie can live forever.'

"How long? Not long, ... because 'you shall reap what you sow.'"

3 Comments:

 Obi wan liberali said...

Hopefully times change. I was a legislative intern during the year when MLK jr.'s birthday was discussed, debated and ultimately adopted as a state holiday. I saw alot of conservative Senators behind the scenes accuse Martin Luther King jr. as being a communist and an adulterer and someone who was not worthy of a holiday.

Ultimately, the accepted "Human Rights Day", without mentioning Martin Luther King jr. specifically. It passed by one vote if I remember right, and it took some procedural maneuvers by Sens. Swan and Williams to get it over to the House.

I'm glad to see the Senate Site give some praise to Martin Luther King jr., because it shows a measure of progress from those days in the mid 1980's when the Senate had it's share of doubters of King's legacy.

1/21/2008 9:21 PM  

 The Senate Site said...

Interesting historical insight, Obi Wan. That's cool you were here, back in the day. I heard the communist and adultery comments about MLK from my mother, who doesn't have a racist bone in her body. I wonder if that was part of the propaganda of the era. If I had to disqualify my heroes based on alleged adultery and rumors of communism, I'd lose two-thirds of them.

I love this speech. I think times do change and old battle lines fade. Sometimes it takes a few generations.

1/21/2008 10:21 PM  

 Obi wan liberali said...

Agreed. Ultimately, we will be remembered more for what we build, than what mistakes we might have made or erroneously accused of making while doing the building.

Our monuments should stand, and the monuments of Martin Luther King jr. are very important in the making of our Republic, a true Republic. May we keep our Republic.

1/21/2008 11:09 PM  

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