Hawai‘i Gov. David Ige released the following comments on Monday, Jan. 16, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
“Today, we honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, a mortal man with an immortal dream. Some will honor him with public service, some through quiet reflection.
“While much may have changed since the time of Dr. King, inequality remains one of the primary issues that we must work together to resolve.
“Dr. King once wrote that ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others’.
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW AD
“Here in Hawai‘i we believe in lifting up our fellow citizens by helping to raise the standard of living for all our residents. We have committed millions to ease the homelessness crisis and make housing affordable. We have worked to bring meaningful job opportunities to Hawai‘i, jobs that pay well enough so people can live without being burdened with a life time of debt. We are 17th in the nation in personal income growth and we have the 3rd lowest unemployment rate in the country. For Dr. King, economic equality was just as important as racial equality.
“I want to encourage all our citizens, as we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, to ask themselves how we can work to make our communities stronger for everyone and what can we do as individuals to make someone’s life better.
“So I would like to end with the same call to action that Dr. King made so clear that night in Memphis: ‘Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation.’”
This comments section is a public community forum for the purpose of free expression. Although Big Island Now encourages respectful communication only, some content may be considered offensive. Please view at your own discretion. View Comments
