Merkley Statement Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

PORTLAND—Oregon House Speaker Jeff Merkley, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, released the following statement today in honor of Martin Luther King Day:

“Today, Americans will pause to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Forty years after his death, Dr. King’s message remains as important today as it has ever been.

“Because of the work he did and the legacy he left, America has taken great strides forward in the last decades. But we have not rooted out all racial inequality. We have not ended economic injustice. We have not yet completely replaced violence with more peaceful means of solving our differences.

“Until we do, Dr. King would not have us rest, and he would not let us be satisfied. So while we set aside this one day every year to honor his memory, we should remind ourselves and each other of his message – freedom, equality, justice and peace – every single day. That is the greatest honor we can extend.”

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Posted January 21, 2008
Press, Spotlight

Jeff Merkley was born in the small town of Myrtle Creek, Oregon, the son of a sawmill worker. He's fought hard for working families in Oregon and he's ready to help lead America.

As Oregon's Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley led one of the most effective, efficient and progressive legislative sessions in Oregon's history - with big achievements for schools, ethics, health care, jobs, alternative energy, and protections for working families.

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For years, Gordon Smith has given rich corporations and well-connected lobbyists in DC the upper hand - costing too many working families their jobs.

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