WHEREAS, Today, January 21, 2008, communities and neighborhoods all across our state and nation remember, celebrate, and honor the life and work of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King's ardent quest for knowledge brought him from humble beginnings in Atlanta, Georgia to Boston University from which he earned a doctorate degree in Systematic Theology; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King sought to change longstanding laws by executing a successful boycott of the Montgomery bus system, thus, in effect, ending Jim Crow and government-sanctioned segregation; and
     WHEREAS, He faced endless persecution from people who did not want a shift in the status quo, Dr. King stood strong in his convictions and kept an unwavering commitment to his beliefs; and
     WHEREAS, The Reverend Dr. King followed the nonviolent dogma of Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ, and truly welcomed those who opposed him with open arms, instead of spurning them or their misgivings; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King etched "Civil Disobedience" into the modern American lexicon, suggesting that we are justified in disobeying the laws when they are unjust and it is our moral obligation to do so; and
     WHEREAS, Other activists fought to simply recognize the African-American struggle in America, Dr. King strived to end the race and class divisions of all Americans; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King was taken from this planet in an act of violence – the sort that he vowed to not subscribe to. His work has left an everlasting mark and his image, in itself, is synonymous with peace and change; and
     WHEREAS, this year, 2008, marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. King, and while several generations have passed since his death we still face many of the same issues. With that said, we should not forget the commitments that this great man made: Nonviolence, peace, and a world in which we are all able to call each other "friend" without prejudice; and
     WHEREAS, We, as Americans, must make it our duty to continue the effort of our friend, Dr. Martin Luther King, and break down all racial, social, and class barriers;
     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 the Reverend 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 urging all the citizens of Washington to consider the kind of world we could live in if we approach any hardship with grace instead of fists or heartless words.