Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown
D-Ohio

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On this Martin Luther King Day, we honor a man whose life was dedicated to the timeless ideals of fairness, equality, and justice. Dr. King fought to break the chains of discrimination and provide harbor for those stranded on the "lonely island of poverty."

Today, we build on that legacy as we confront our own challenges.

Ohio has some of the finest doctors and hospitals in the country, but we also have the worst African American infant mortality rate in the country.

Dr. King said "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane."

That’s why we must work together on so many issues before us – from maintaining expanded Medicaid coverage for low-income Ohioans to addressing Ohio’s unacceptably high rate of infant mortality. Inequality will only continue if we don’t heed Dr. King’s call to take action.

Dr. King understood progress in our nation is never easy. From health care reform to voting rights to workers’ rights and women’s rights – our progress has been an uphill battle. But we must continue the fight and we must not lose hope.

As Dr. King believed, "Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase."

I look forward to continuing our work to make Ohio an even better place to advance Dr. King’s ideals.

In February, I will travel alongside U.S. Representative John Lewis – who marched with Dr. King and later stood next to him for Dr. King’s, “I Have a Dream Speech” – to Selma for a commemoration of the 50-year anniversary of Dr. King’s historical march from Selma to Montgomery for civil and human rights.