MLK message from Nancy Pelosi

[paineinthearse]

1/17/2005

Today, we honor the life and legacy of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who challenged the conscience of our country and affirmed our deepest values. He lived his life in the belief that "liberty and justice for all" is not just a pledge, but a fundamental principle that must guide us as a people.

Dr. King believed that, "Everybody can be great because everybody can serve." As we reflect on Dr. King, we are inspired by his words and deeds, but we honor his legacy most when we answer his call to service.

House Democrats are committed to meeting that challenge and during the 109th Congress, we will work to widen the circle of prosperity; expand access to health care; promote opportunity; preserve retirement security; and maintain a clean and healthy environment. We must end the national disgrace of 1 in 5 children living in poverty, including more than one-third of African American children. We must provide a quality education for every child and to fully fund initiatives that students need to succeed. And we must fight for a better America in which African American unemployment is not twice that of the national average.

Let us honor Dr. King by building a country of opportunity that values our beautiful diversity, where all people have the chance to realize their God-given potential. Let us honor him by building an America that makes 'justice a reality for all of God's children.' And let us honor Dr. King's service with our own.

[hiley]

1. thank you for posting that message

and I hope you will like this from Moving Idea's email

"There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it. There is no deficit in human resources; the deficit is in human will."
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech 1964


On January 17th, America honors the great civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. Before his death in 1968, King began plans for the Poor People's Campaign.http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/about_king / The aim of the campaign was to organize people, across racial divides, to lift people out of poverty through significant changes to the domestic economic policies of the U.S. One of the policy prescriptions of the Poor People's Campaign was an end to poverty wages. Honor the memory of Dr. King today by calling for an increase in the minimum wage!http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/movingideas/...

this is email from Moving Ideas here is a little more....
An increase in the minimum wage would help millions of low-income workers. Experts estimate that 7.4 million workers' wages would increase if the minimum wage were to increase. In particular, an increase in the minimum wage would help African-American and Latino workers. Our friends at the Economic Policy Institute report that:
http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/issueguides_minwage_m...

A disproportionate share of minorities would benefit from a minimum wage increase. African Americans represent 11.1% of the total workforce, but are 14.8% of workers affected by an increase. Similarly, 13.1% of the total workforce is Hispanic, but Hispanics are 18.9% of workers affected by an increase.



An increase in the minimum wage is long over due! Tell your members of Congress that a person who works 40 hours a week should not live in poverty!
http://www.demaction.org/dia/organizations/movingideas/...