08 LC 36
0837
Senate
Resolution 715
By:
Senators Seay of the 34th, Johnson of the 1st, Brown of the 26th, Butler of the
55th, Tate of the 38th and others
A
RESOLUTION
Urging
the General Assembly to commemorate the life and work of Georgia´s own Dr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. by contributing funds for the Washington, D.C. Martin
Luther King, Jr. National Memorial; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was a distinguished Georgian whose effort
to obtain a peaceful and just society earned a Nobel Prize; and
WHEREAS,
to commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the Washington,
D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial Project Foundation has been
created to lead a collaborative funding, design, and construction process in the
creation of a memorial to honor his national and international contributions to
world peace through nonviolent social change; and
WHEREAS,
more than a monument to a great humanitarian, the National Memorial honoring
Georgia´s son, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., will be a place for visitors
from all over the world to be energized by its extraordinary power; the power
that illuminated the faith of our founders and now impels us toward our destiny
as a nation; the power flowing from the uniquely American spirit of brotherly
love, freedom, justice, and the priceless blessing of peace they engender;
and
WHEREAS,
the Ceremonial Groundbreaking for the memorial occurred on November 13, 2006
with the start of construction contingent upon raising the estimated total
construction cost of $100 million, of which approximately $82 million has been
raised; and
WHEREAS,
the United States Congress passed House of Representatives Bill 2361 authorizing
the United States Treasury to match $10 million in private contributions for the
construction of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial in Washington,
D.C. and said Congressional Match was achieved February 28, 2006;
and
WHEREAS,
Maryland with its donation of half a million dollars, not Dr. King´s home
state of Georgia, was the first state to contribute funds to the memorial with
governmental entities such as the District of Columbia; Denver, Colorado; Santa
Cruz, California; and Berkeley, California also making contributions; and
WHEREAS,
it is only fitting and proper that Georgia through its contributions ensures
that the life and memory of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are so honored
with a national memorial as such tributes are invaluable forums for remembering
what Dr. King´s courageous legacy has meant and continues to mean for
Georgia, the country, and the world.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body urge the
General Assembly to contribute state funds for the building of the Washington,
D.C. Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial and express their support of such
efforts.