Distinguished members of the US House of Representatives and Senate, Governor Purdue, Lt. Governor Taylor, Mrs. Coretta Scott King, President Martin Luther King III, Chairman Dexter King, other members of the King family, Reverend Joseph Roberts, distinguished platform speakers, other elected officials, ladies and gentleman, and all those grateful for the life and sacrifice of Atlanta’s native son, Martin Luther King, Jr.

Good morning.
Mrs. King, I appreciate the opportunity to represent the people of Atlanta on this the 20th anniversary of the national holiday commemorating the birthday, life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.. It is an honor for me to participate again this year.
We come to celebrate.

I stand as mayor of Atlanta because Martin Luther King, Jr. believed in me having never met me.  He believed African Americans, women and other who were locked out of the halls of power, oppressed and despised could lead, could serve to change the world for the better and Martin King sacrificed his life to make it so.

We come to reflect on the substance of his message. In the word of Rev. Joseph Lowery…“This celebration has nothing to do with parades, revelry or folly…It is time for the country to renew its vows to justice.” This year like years before there are marches, rallies, teach-ins, and concerts – all planned and executed with hope, faith and commitment. With hope the lessons of King’s life and the civil rights movement will continue the transformation of America to serve the most needy. With the faith we will inspire nonviolence and community building, not war and destruction in America’s cities and towns and across the world. With resolve and unwavering commitment, inspired by King’s Life and words “almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better”…a more perfect world.

Over the year throughout the birthday celebrations we gather together, we sing, we preach and we pray that message will be strong, so clear and so compelling we can finish Martin Luther King’s work; that those without will have, those who hate will love, and those who war will reconcile. That we will protect the earth not plunder it. That we will not pass on the burdens of today an ugly reputation of America to our children.

We gather together, we sing, we preach and we pray that the message will be so strong, so clear and so compelling it will reach the halls of power and transform the hearts of the powerful. That they will join in our commitment to equal opportunity, universal healthcare, good schools, an decent wages because it is fair.

That they will seek a criminal justice system that is rational and even-handed because all people deserve to be treated fairly. That they will set national policy to represent and serve all Americans, promote fairness abroad and allocate all the needed resources to remove the obstacles of poverty because it is the fair thing to do.

How can it be that some children have enough to eat and others don’t in this land of opportunity, in America the beautiful and bountiful? How can it be that America has the means but not the will to feed the hungry or to eliminate malnutrition, poverty, homelessness and starvation?

Our annual pilgrimage to this place serves as a reminder of the very serious challenge Martin Luther King, Jr. left us. We all want something – better jobs, better healthcare, fair treatment, and world peace. We want America to make good on its promise of justice, the blessings of liberty and prosperity as written in the Constitution of the United States of America.
What was different about Martin Luther King Jr.? He led marches, rallies and prayer meetings. We know he stood up for peace and justice for all God’s children, but something was different about Martin. Martin Luther King, Jr. was willing to sacrifice to the end oppression, racism, hatred, war, and hopelessness. At great personal peril and danger to his family and associates he committed everything he had to the movement for human rights. His life exemplifies believing in something so much you are willing to sacrifice everything. His life teaches courage. His was a life wrapped in faith and covered with personal sacrifice.
Are we willing to have less for ourselves so that others may benefit and prosper? Are we willing to be tolerant of those who hold different views of family, love and religion? Are we willing to teach and live by the principles of nonviolence? Or to risk unpopularity or public ridicule in our truth telling?

Are we willing to eat less that others may eat more or to forgive those who have discriminated against and hated us? Are we willing to fight injustice wherever and whenever we find it even among our own ranks?

When Martin Luther King, Jr. issued the call to action, he didn’t exempt high-ranking officials, Democrats or Republicans, presidents or prime ministers, college scholars or generals, parents or children or anyone for that matter…Martin Luther King, Jr. called all people to action.

In his words, “There is an existential moment in your life when you must speak for yourself. No one else can…Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle. And so we must straighten our backs and work for our freedom. A man can’t ride you unless your back is bent… Before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth, we were here. Before the pen of Jefferson etched across the pages of history…we were here. If the inexpressible cruelties of slavery could not stop us, the opposition we now face will surely fail… I refuse to accept the view that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality…I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word…”

Martin Luther King, Jr. called us to action.

To answer the call, it cost money and requires new resources. It takes hard work, compromise and sacrifice to answer Martin’s call. It takes following not always leading. The call to action requires we do everything morally and ethically possible to answer Martin’s call.

He called us to action.

Will we answer the call?
Who among us will answer the call?

Thank you.