WHEREAS, Today 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 49 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 his fellow Americans in a broad campaign to alter their own destiny, and in the process to strengthen our nation; and
     WHEREAS, Dr. King and his followers helped change the status quo of racial bigotry and legal discrimination 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 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 reflect on what would have been Dr. King's 83rd year on Earth, and we contemplate how far we have come and how far we still must travel;
     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Washington State Senate, 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 Washington State Senate honor Dr. King's memory by remembering that we, too, must remain resolute in our pursuit of his dream, and we encourage every citizen to envision the kind of world for which Dr. King yearned, one of equality, justice, and peace.