Attorney General Kamala D. Harris Issues Statement Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Monday, January 18, 2016
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

LOS ANGELES – Attorney General Kamala D. Harris issued the following statement in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. united and inspired people to fight for and demand a more just nation in a time of violent and systemic racism, when millions of Americans were denied their right to vote and basic human and civil rights, and when racial enmity was stoked and exploited by voices of reaction.  

Today, many thousands of people, young and old, have been marching in the streets to decry the injustices their communities have suffered for far too long.  They are demanding an end to the killing of unarmed Black men like Trayvon Martin and Walter Scott.  They are demanding a justice system where the color of one's skin does not predetermine the measure of justice received.  They are demanding economic opportunity in long-suffering communities.  And they are demanding true inclusion and acceptance of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or identity.  

Let us recommit ourselves to Dr. King's vision—his unyielding demand for justice and an end to bigotry.  As Dr. King did in his time, let us reject any voice of intolerance that would vilify people based on their race or religion. We must look to Dr. King's vision to inspire real change, not just today but every day."

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