(TRENTON) – Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) released the following statement Friday in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day:
“While we have come a long way from the dark days of segregation and Jim Crow, it is painfully clear from the hateful, dangerous and divisive rhetoric that consumes many online conversations and is championed by individuals who aspire to lead our country, that the values and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are as relevant and necessary now, as they were decades ago.
“As we reflect on his legacy, let’s find strength in his teachings and the sacrifices that he and many other brave civil right leaders made, and stand up against bigotry and intolerance. The ravings can be deafening, but they can and will be silenced as long as we follow in Dr. King’s example.
“Let’s teach our children kindness, respect and the value of paying it forward so they approach life with love. Let’s work in unity to eliminate the economic inequality and racial injustice that plagues many of our communities. Let’s pay proper homage by committing to uplift the downtrodden. As President Obama echoed in his State of the Union address, this is what makes America great.”