Office of the Mayor

Proclamation

Lawrence, Kansas

WHEREAS:   The theme of this 30^th annual celebration is “Courage and Conviction:  Moving Forward in Challenging Times” and by such an event we are expressing our hopes, dreams and beliefs and reaffirming our rights as citizens and the liberties possible in the United States; and

WHEREAS:   We rededicate ourselves to the truths that he strove for, in this special year of commemoration, we thus engage in the valuable activity of reserving a day or days toward that end and we recall the legacy that the Reverend Dr. King created; and

WHEREAS:   This legacy is expressed in national holidays and the building of  monuments and it is remembered in the exceptional and separate character of our values as expressed by Dr. King’s; and

WHEREAS:   In 1962 the Reverend Dr. King stated “Hating is always tragic. It is as injurious to the hater as it is to the hated. It distorts the personality and scars the soul. Psychiatrists, believing that many of man’s inner conflicts are rooted in hate, are now saying “Love or perish.” And this is the beauty of nonviolence. It says you can struggle without hating; you can fight war without violence.”; and

WHEREAS:   The Ecumenical Fellowship, the City of Lawrence, Kansas, USD #497 and the University of Kansas along with other community institutions are all cooperating to support the activities planned for the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday and encourage local residents to show their commitment to continue to develop Dr. King’s vision by participating in them;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Amyx, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the week of January 17 – 22, 2016 as

“DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR WEEK”

                                                                   Mike Amyx, Mayor

January 12, 2016