MLK Day couldn’t come at a more appropriate time (Rep. Mike Honda)

Dr. King’s compelling and unequivocal commitment to non-violent resistance sparked a movement that campaigned civil rights, justice, equality and human dignity for all. This is a movement for which we must continue to advocate and protect.

As we remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s life, we must not shy away from our community commons in light of Arizona’s violence. We must face the fear, which violence propagates, with courage and compassion and an unwavering commitment to making our speech, our streets, and our systems, less violent.

Now more than ever, America must work to ensure Dr. King’s Dream becomes reality: Americans of all ethnicities and creeds living together with dignity and hope.

Admiring Dr. King’s life is not enough; we must live his legacy as well. Let us honor his life by working together to continue to build an America where every child can safely and securely enjoy the privileges of equal opportunity and freedom.