On the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington, led by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Congressman Alan Grayson (FL-09) issued the following statement today.
“Today we honor the vision and dedication of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the hundreds of thousands of Americans who came to our nation’s capital to demand an end to discrimination. We are forever grateful for their courage, commitment, and capacity to change the course of our nation’s history.
“Fifty years have passed since the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. challenged America to free itself from hate and discrimination – to extend freedom, and justice, and equality to each and every person, regardless of the color of his or her skin. Though today is a celebration of the civil rights milestones that we have achieved, the fight for justice and racial equality endures. The struggle for equal opportunity and economic stability continues today.
“The Voting Rights Act of 1965, which outlawed racist poll taxes and literacy tests, passed not-long after the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech. This Act has protected the fundamental right of our democracy, the right to vote, from discrimination for nearly five decades. But a recent Supreme Court decision and newly-passed laws implemented by state legislatures have placed the right to vote under significant new restrictions. This is unacceptable. The right to vote must be protected.
“As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, let us honor the men and women who came before us; the people who ensured that our nation’s future was one of justice and equality. And let us reaffirm our commitment to democracy, to the American Dream, and to one another.”
