SENATE RESOLUTION

                             1998-8682

By Senators Franklin, Spanel, Thibaudeau, Snyder, Kline, B. Sheldon, Prentice, Kohl, Heavey, Wojahn, Rasmussen, T. Sheldon, Goings, Long, McAuliffe, Wood, Hochstatter, Haugen, Schow, Fairley, Hale, Johnson and Bauer

     WHEREAS, We live in a time when racial, religious, and cultural intolerance is too often a cause of mistrust, violence, and dislike for people seen as being Adifferent@; and

     WHEREAS, Although some forms of racism have changed, racism continues to raise its ugly head and seeks to divide the races based on skin color and stereotypes; and

     WHEREAS, The law in theory assures us all of equality, the rules keep changing and the bar keeps rising higher; and

     WHEREAS, In America today we rarely discuss openly and honestly the reasons for our differences and our own fears and prejudices, thus perpetuating the problem; and

     WHEREAS, Talking about race tends to uncover our deepest prejudices and emotions; and

     WHEREAS, The Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s example of dealing openly and directly with the things that divide us along racial and cultural lines is one that we would do well to emulate, not only one day each year but every day of the year; and

     WHEREAS, The increasing separation of citizens into groups of like-color as a way of dealing with racism is directly at odds with Rev. King's message of unity, equality, and justice; and

     WHEREAS, We as a nation and a people can only rise up in unison, and foster a country and community spirit of one America, working together and living in peace and harmony; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. King's message of peaceful perseverance in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles to equality is still a source of inspiration and hope for Americans and for many other people around the world;

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the members of the Washington State Senate do hereby honor the memory of the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr., a man of peace who saw injustice and tried to end it for the benefit of all Americans, regardless of race; and that we urge the citizens of Washington to heed Dr. King's message of unity and equality, remembering that as long as any one citizen is not fully free, then none of us can be truly free; and that the race issue, unresolved, is a barrier to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as articulated in the Declaration of Independence.

I, Mike O=Connell, Secretary of the Senate,

do hereby certify that this is a true and

correct copy of Senate Resolution 1998-8682,

adopted by the Senate January 19, 1998.

MIKE O=CONNELL

Secretary of the Senate