GOP Presidential candidate John Cox Calls Dr. Martin Luther King "A Visionary"; Calls for a Color-Blind Society

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, January 15, 2007

The following statement was released today by John Cox, Republican candidate for president of the United States:

"In 1983, President Ronald Reagan signed a bill declaring that beginning in 1986, the third Monday of every January would be celebrated as Martin Luther King Day.

Reagan said Dr. King had a "truly prophetic voice," and praised his challenge to his fellow citizens "to make real the promise of America as a land of freedom, equality, opportunity, and brotherhood."

Dr. King would surely be pleased by how far we have come in the nearly 40 years since his violent and senseless death.

Living examples of his famous "I have a Dream" speech can be seen in schoolyards across America as children of all races and nationalities play and live together each day as friends. Neighbors and co-workers of all races and colors share their lives together with little thought towards differences in ethnic background.

Fulfilling Dr. King's vision of judging our neighbors not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character, requires us to seek an equality of opportunity for all.

We must achieve true opportunity in America for all of her citizens, regardless of color. We can do this only through working towards a truly colorblind society - one in which merit and opportunity work hand-in-hand, and one in which advancement is never based upon racial background.

Programs such as affirmative action, however, still cause division, separation and suspicion among people of different racial backgrounds.

Many economically disadvantaged children are trapped in schools that are failing to give them the educational head start they need, and deserve.

We must work towards a day in which no one is judged by their race, no one is advanced or kept back because of their race, and no one is simply judged by their race. Such a system corrodes the very nature of equality, and mocks Dr. King's vision of a society in which skin color is never used to disqualify one from personal advancement and achievement.

A person's principles, values and character truly count more than his or her racial or ethnic background. When that ideal becomes a universal reality, Dr. King's vision of racial equality will be fully accomplished.

As we honor Dr. King and all who have fought for equality this day, let us rededicate ourselves to the ideal of equality, opportunity and brotherhood for all."

John H. Cox, 51, is the former president of the Cook County (IL) Republican Party. He is a CPA, real estate broker, attorney and investment advisor. John Cox lives in Chicago, IL with his wife and four daughters. For more information, visit www.cox2008.com