U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee: Remembering Dr. King's Legacy on Poverty

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from HuffPost:



Rep. Barbara Lee
Remembering Dr. King's Legacy on Poverty
Posted April 4, 2008 | 02:01 PM (EST)


Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination in Memphis in 1968. And while plenty can be said about what more could have been accomplished had his life not been cut so tragically short, the legacy he left to us is one that we can rightfully celebrate and strive to uphold.

One of the most enduring (and, in my opinion, under-appreciated) aspects of Dr. King's legacy concerns his fight against poverty. From launching the Poor People's Campaign to speaking out against the Vietnam War's negative impact on the poor in America, his vision of a world without poverty is a vision I try to fight for every day. (I founded One Voice PAC in large part to bring more attention to reducing poverty and increasing opportunity in our country.)

We saw success in the fight against poverty this past January, when the House of Representatives unanimously supported a resolution I authored declaring it a national goal to reduce poverty in America by half in the next 10 years.

But to turn this priority into reality, we need to make systematic changes in the way we address poverty in America; addressing poverty should be one of our first priorities, not the last. And one of the first steps we should take is to end our generation's version of the Vietnam War, our occupation of Iraq.

When reflecting on his turn against the Vietnam War -- in large part because it was diverting badly needed resources away from places it was desperately needed here at home -- Dr. King noted, "I was increasingly compelled to see the war as an enemy of the poor and to attack it as such."

We are witnessing a similar situation develop today. While funding for the occupation is appropriated with seemingly no limits -- hundreds of billions of dollars have already been spent on the occupation, with the total rising over $12 billion each month -- we are constantly being told that we simply "can't afford" to spend money to address the challenges that we face here at home. And all too often, it is those who live in poverty who bear the brunt of these cutbacks. ....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-barbara-lee/remembering-dr-kings-lega_b_95099.html