John,

Today we honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- a civil rights leader dedicated to liberty and justice for all Americans. His ideas and work helped create a movement that has continued to this day.

But change has come slowly. Nearly 60 years after the March on Washington and Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, we are still engaged in a struggle for equity and equality in this country.

In the 12 days since the siege of our Capitol by an angry, armed, violent mob, many of us have thought back to just last summer, when citizens peacefully demanding one system of justice for all and highlighting a pattern of excessive use of force against unarmed Black men were met with the full force of federal law enforcement, and the National Guard in full riot gear. The protesters faced tear gas, rubber bullets, batons, and brute force. And, with few exceptions, the protesters were non-violent.

This stands in stark contrast to the horror we witnessed on January 6 at the Capitol. That was violent to its core. And it was anticipated. Yet there was not even a fraction of the armed response we saw over the summer.

We still have a long way to go in this country.

I had the great fortune of talking with a dear friend from high school just the other day. He called because he was worried about my safety. He is a man who has spent 26 years fighting for justice for Black victims of police violence. We talked about the awakening of white America to what Black America has known for a very long time. And we also talked about our collective responsibility. Change happens when we all stand up to injustice. These are not "somebody else's issues."

With the new Biden-Harris administration and Democratic Senate majority working alongside our Democratic House majority, we have an opportunity this year to expand voting rights and enact criminal justice reform to get us one step closer to achieving Dr. King's vision.

I hope you'll join me in taking time today to honor Dr. King's legacy. And every day, I hope you will renew your commitment to fighting for fairness and justice for all.

Thank you,

Kim








Paid for by Dr. Kim Schrier for Congress

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