Attorney General John Ashcroft Pays Tribute to the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

On January 21, the United States will celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 73rd birthday and the 16th time Americans have celebrated the national day that now honors him.

During a commemorative event at the Department of Justice January 17, Attorney General John Ashcroft took time to pay tribute to the legacy of Dr. King.

But not all Americans choose to recognize his legacy, Ashcroft said, referring largely to events following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington in which Arab-Americans and people of the Muslim faith were singled out in racial profiling incidents by some Americans.

"Dr. King challenged Americans to live out the true meaning of our values.... Even in a time of great national tragedy, to strike out in violence on the basis of someone's race, religion or national origin is not merely a violation of our values, it is against the law," said Ashcroft.

"Today we honor Martin Luther King's birth. But tomorrow ... let us strive to honor the cause of equal justice for which he gave his life, and to make his dream of freedom a reality for all Americans," the Attorney General said.

Following is the Justice Department text of Ashcroft's prepared remarks:

Today and in the coming days, thousands of events will occur in communities across the nation to honor the birth, the life and the dream of Dr. Martin Luther King. But it is particularly appropriate that we pause today to pay tribute to Dr. King here, in this Great Hall of Justice.

Here, we stand in awe of our predecessors in the Department of Justice. We strive to build upon the heritage of the men and women who were the trust busters, the protectors of our nation's security from fascists and communists, the prosecutors of mafia bosses and corrupt political machines, and the crusaders for every American's equality and civil rights.

Here, too, we stand in awe of Martin Luther King, who led a struggle for the rights and dignity of his fellow citizens, deeply rooted in the cause of justice for all Americans.

"In the end," Dr. King wrote early in his career, the struggle for civil rights "is not a struggle between people at all, but a tension between justice and injustice." Dr. King was not afraid to evoke this tension, and he devoted his life to rallying the consciences of Americans to those places where justice was absent.

"I am here in Birmingham because injustice is here," he wrote in his extraordinary letter to a group of white clergymen from a Birmingham city jail cell in 1963. "And injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

Monday will mark the 73rd anniversary of Martin Luther King's birth and the 16th time Americans have celebrated a national day honoring him. The work that he began in Montgomery, Selma, and Washington is not finished, but his message of freedom, tolerance and hope continues to echo in the cause of justice.

It is a testimony to Dr. King's legacy that almost immediately following the terrorist attacks of September 11, voices were raised cautioning Americans not to turn their anger against Arab Americans and people of the Muslim faith. Americans overwhelmingly heeded this message. In many cases, individuals reached out to Muslims and others to reassure them that they were still welcome and valued members of their communities. The vast majority of Americans seemed to understand that the nation had suffered a great loss. To seek vengeance through ethnically or religiously-motivated violence, most Americans understood, would only compound our loss.

Tragically, however, some Americans chose to ignore Dr. King's legacy. Since September 11, the Department of Justice has investigated approximately 300 incidents involving violence or threats against those perceived to be of Middle Eastern origin. Misguided individuals have made bomb threats, attacked those they perceived to be Arab Americans or Muslim Americans, and threatened mosques and businesses.

Dr. King challenged Americans to live out the true meaning of our values and, today, our values are embodied in laws that protect the civil rights of all Americans. Even in a time of great national tragedy, to strike out in violence on the basis of someone's race, religion or national origin is not merely a violation of our values, it is against the law.

Working together, the Department of Justice and state and local officials are prosecuting over 60 cases of civil rights violations stemming from September 11. In these cases, as in all civil rights cases, we take each complaint seriously, we thoroughly investigate every incident and we prosecute violators to the fullest extent of the law.

Martin Luther King also challenged us to live out the true meaning of our values by envisioning a day when citizens of this great nation are judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. It is my great honor to be Attorney General of the United States at a time when Dr. King's dream is closer to reality than ever before.

Never before in history has there been a more diverse and more qualified leadership team here at the Department of Justice. Under Larry Thompson's indispensable leadership, we have not been satisfied with a team that merely looks like America - we have built a team that reflects the strength of America. I am honored to serve with them, and I look forward to the day when the length and breadth of the Department of Justice - from line attorneys to investigators to staff assistants - reflects the same diversity and professional excellence.

In his letter from the Birmingham city jail, Martin Luther King affirmed that "the goal of America is freedom," and that this "sacred heritage of our nation" is embodied in the echoing demands of all people for justice. We are privileged to follow in Martin Luther King's footsteps in defending freedom by ensuring justice. There is no higher calling in government than ensuring that the law applies fairly and equally to all Americans. Today we honor Martin Luther King's birth. But tomorrow, and in the days, weeks and months to follow, let us strive to honor the cause of equal justice for which he gave his life, and to make his dream of freedom a reality for all Americans.

Thank you. God bless you and God bless America.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)