MARADMINS : 633/05
R 291943Z DEC 05
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
TO AL MARADMIN(UC)
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 633/05
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/DR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR HOLIDAY OBSERVANCE//
POC/R. L. TAYLOR/CAPT/MRA(MPE)/-/TEL:DSN 278-9371
/TEL:COM (703)784-9371//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE 20TH NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF DR. MARTIN
LUTHER KING JR.'S BIRTHDAY WILL BE CELEBRATED ON 16 JAN 06.
ESTABLISHED BY PUBLIC LAW 98-144 IN 1986, CONGRESS DESIGNATED THE
THIRD MONDAY IN JANUARY A NATIONAL HOLIDAY IN HONOR OF DR. KING.
THE PERMANENT THEME FOR THIS HOLIDAY IS "REMEMBER! CELEBRATE! ACT!
A DAY ON, NOT A DAY OFF!"
2. FEW HAVE MADE COMPARABLE CONTRIBUTIONS TO THIS NATION'S JOURNEY
TO REALIZE ITS PROMISE OF FREEDOM AND EQUALITY AS DR. KING. HIS
STRONG, NONVIOLENT LEADERSHIP DURING TUMULTUOUS TIMES IN OUR
NATION'S HISTORY HELPED TO IMPROVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL AMERICANS.
THE MONTGOMERY, ALABAMA BUS BOYCOTT, BIRMINGHAM CAMPAIGN, SELMA
CAMPAIGN AND THE MARCH ON WASHINGTON WERE SIGNIFICANT MILESTONES
THAT ESTABLISHED THE FOUNDATION OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT.
DR. KING'S CRUSADE TO SECURE EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL WAS ULTIMATELY
RECOGNIZED IN DECEMBER OF 1964, WHEN, AT AGE 35, HE BECAME THE
YOUNGEST PERSON EVER TO RECEIVE THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.
3. MARINES ARE COMMITTED TO MAINTAINING THE HIGHEST STANDARDS,
TREATING ALL INDIVIDUALS WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT, AND AFFORDING
EVERY MARINE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVANCEMENT
BASED ON MERIT AND INDIVIDUAL CAPABILITY. LIKE DR. KING, THE
MARINE CORPS RECOGNIZES THE VALUE OF TREATING EVERYONE AS A VITAL
MEMBER OF THE TEAM. AS MARINES WE CAN IDENTIFY WITH THE HONORABLE
WAY IN WHICH DR KING FOUGHT FOR CHANGE, THE IMMENSE COURAGE HE
DISPLAYED DURING TIMES OF GREAT PERIL TO HIS OWN SAFETY, AND HIS
TIRELESS COMMITMENT TO THE CAUSE OF FREEDOM.
4. MARINES ARE ENCOURAGED TO TAKE TIME ON THIS DAY TO REFLECT ON
THE MAN WHO DEDICATED HIS LIFE IN THE SEARCH OF EQUALITY FOR ALL
PEOPLE. COMMANDERS ARE ALSO ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP LOCAL PROGRAMS
CONSISTENT WITH THIS CELEBRATION.//