R 111900Z DEC 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL MARADMIN(uc)
MARADMIN
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
MARADMIN 576/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE//
POC/M.Y. AYRES/CAPT/CMC (MPE)/-/TEL:DSN 278-9371/TEL:COM 703-784-9371
//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE 19TH NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF DR. MARTIN
LUTHER KING, JR.'S BIRTHDAY WILL BE CELEBRATED ON 19 JAN 2004.
ESTABLISHED BY PUBLIC LAW 98-144 IN 1986, CONGRESS DESIGNATED
THE THIRD MONDAY IN JAN A NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN HONOR OF DR. KING.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "REMEMBER!  CELEBRATE!  ACT!  A DAY ON, NOT A
DAY OFF!"
2.  DR. KING WAS A PIVOTAL FIGURE IN THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.  HE
WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE MONTGOMERY IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION,
WHICH WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESSFUL MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT FROM
1955 TO 1956 (381 DAYS).  DR. KING WAS HIGHLY RESPECTED AND REVERED
BY MANY AS A VITAL PERSONALITY OF THE MODERN ERA.  HIS LECTURES AND
REMARKS STIRRED THE CONCERN AND SPARKED THE CONSCIENCE OF A
GENERATION; THE MOVEMENTS AND MARCHES HE LED BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT
CHANGES IN THE FABRIC OF AMERICAN LIFE; HIS COURAGEOUS AND SELFLESS
DEVOTION GAVE DIRECTION TO THIRTEEN YEARS OF CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVITIES.
AMONG HIS MANY PRESTIGIOUS RECOGNITIONS ARE:  1957 WHO'S WHO IN
AMERICA, 1963 TIME MAGAZINE MAN OF THE YEAR, AND THE 1964 NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE RECIPIENT.  DR. KING DECLARED HIS FAITH IN MANKIND, IN HIS
NOBEL LECTURE, TO "SOMEHOW RISE UP TO THE OCCASION AND GIVE NEW
DIRECTIONS TO AN AGE DRIFITING RAPIDLY TO ITS DOOM.  IN SPITE OF THE
TENSIONS AND UNCERTAINTIES OF THIS PERIOD SOMETHING PROFOUNDLY
MEANINGFUL IS TAKING PLACE.  OLD SYSTEMS OF EXPLOITATION AND
OPPRESSION ARE PASSING AWAY, AND OUT OF THE WOMB OF A FRAIL WORLD NEW
SYSTEMS OF JUSTICE AND EQUALITY ARE BEING BORN.  DOORS OF OPPORTUNITY
ARE GRADUALLY BEING OPENED TO THOSE AT THE BOTTOM OF SOCIETY."  AS A
LEADER AND MODERN DAY FOUNDING FATHER, DR. KING'S DIRECTION FOR
NONVIOLENT PROTEST GENERATED A NEWFOUND COMPASSION FOR THE
UNFORTUNATE AND DISADVANTAGED WITHIN OUR COUNTRY AND THE WORLD.
3.  OUR CORPS PRIDES ITSELF IN TREATING OUR MARINES WITH DIGNITY AND
RESPECT.  BY DOING SO, WE CONTINUE TO SUCCEED IN OUR MISSION OF
MAKING MARINES, WINNING BATTLES, RETURNING QUALITY CITIZENS TO
SOCIETY, AND STRIVING TO REALIZE DR. KING'S DREAM OF A SOCIETY WHOSE
CITIZENS HAVE FULL ADVANTAGE OF ACHIEVING THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL.
4.  MARINES AND COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME ON THIS
HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE TO REFLECT ON THE MAN WHOSE WISDOM, WORDS,
ACTIONS, COMMITMENT, AND DREAMS ARE NOW INTERTWINED WITH THE AMERICAN
EXPERIENCE.//