WHEREAS, Today, January 19, 2009, we join with the people of the state of Washington and throughout our nation in celebration, and in reflection, of the life and legacy of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; and
     WHEREAS, We recall his words some 46 years ago when he stood at our nation's capital in the shadow of the Great Emancipator and reminded all Americans that, "We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back."; and
     WHEREAS, We remember those words and his unwavering commitment in the face of tyranny and oppression, in abuse and incarceration, and we thank him for his sacrifice; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King's work, and the mere mention of his name, are synonymous with peace and equality; and
     WHEREAS, He changed America by suggesting we are justified when disobeying injustice, that it is our moral obligation to do so; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King and his followers helped change the status quo through nonviolent means, with protests at lunch counters and a march in Selma; and
     WHEREAS, He worked with his detractors to alter the destiny of all Americans; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King helped bring an end to segregation and a new beginning to America, fulfilling the promise of a democracy available to every American. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 became law because of the blood and tears shed by Dr. King and his followers; and
     WHEREAS, We wonder what Dr. King would think today as we stand here on the eve of history, just hours before the first African-American is sworn in as our 44th president; and
     WHEREAS, We reflect on what would have been Dr. King's 80th year on Earth. We contemplate how far we've come and how far we still must travel; and
     WHEREAS, We wonder if he would approve of our deeds and how we have behaved in our own lives since his ended 41 years ago;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives, on behalf of the people of our state, recognize the importance of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to the civil society and freedoms of the United States of America and of the state of Washington; and
     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor Dr. King's memory by remembering that we, too, must remain resolute in our pursuit of his dream. We encourage every citizen to envision the kind of world for which Dr. King yearned, one of equality and justice where differences are settled through dialogue rather than discord.