Dear MoveOn member,
Today we celebrate America's "Drum Major for Justice," the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The vastness of Dr. King's biography, the story of his service and leadership in the Civil Rights movement, and the depth of his philosophy of change—his vision of the world as it could be—could never be fairly articulated by a single email.
However, we know in simple terms that Dr. King stood against injustice. He stood against militarism, against racism, and against unfettered materialism. He dreamt of a day when Americans of all backgrounds would live in sisterhood and brotherhood, and when our nation would be the world's biggest purveyor of peace rather than violence—including the crippling violence of poverty born of society's disregard.
MoveOn members have been a political force in this country for 16 years, and have been embedded in the cultural movements that have moved us ever further down the path of progressivism. We are inspired by legends like Dr. King, and by today's champions for opportunity and equality who follow in his incomparable footsteps—people like Senator Elizabeth Warren.
Just over a week ago, Sen. Warren was presented with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Award at Boston's Twelfth Baptist Church—a church where Dr. King preached during his years in Boston.
Speaking to the audience, Sen. Warren said:
"In the past half-century, our country has made progress. But we are under attack ... There are those who want to reverse those gains. Those who want to take away votes. Those who want to make it harder to get an education. Those who believe justice and dignity are reserved only for some people. Those who believe it should be a challenge to vote or even walk down the street. The Supreme Court has now struck down a key section of the Voting Rights Act. Young men have died in police custody. And the growing heel of poverty has worn down harder on children of color."1
Sen. Warren then went on to issue a call to action—and today we're spreading her call. Will you take a moment to remind the world that we can live up to Dr. King's dreams?
Dr. King is a forefather to America's modern activist movement—and his dreams continue to resonate and inspire us to action. MoveOn members like you have been at the forefront of work that secured health care for millions, defended our democracy against corporate overreach, continuously spoken out to stop violent escalations toward war, and joined the growing movement for police accountability and racial justice.
Among other things, though, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is a day for reflection, and so today, we ask ourselves and each other: Can we do more to build a better nation and world? Can we dream—and act—together?
Thanks for all you do.
–Mark, Alejandro, Corinne, Ilya, and the rest of the team
P.S. The subject line of this email was inspired by a group called The Dream Defenders, a leaderful, youth-led movement that's continuing in Dr. King's tradition by fighting for racial and social justice today, while embodying the concept of solidarity.
Source:
1. "Elizabeth Warren touts racial equality in speech," Boston Herald, January 12, 2015
http://www.moveon.org/r?r=302337&id=107323-10220574-tSMngEx&t=8
We're part of a growing grassroots movement to convince Senator Warren to run for president. Help build the momentum—start a monthly donation here or chip in a one-time donation here.
PAID FOR BY MOVEON.ORG POLITICAL ACTION, http://pol.moveon.org/. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. This email was sent to eddie alfaro on January 19, 2015. To change your email address or update your contact info, click here. To remove yourself from this list, click here.
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