(Long Island, NY) Suffolk Legislature Presiding Officer DuWayne Gregory Statement on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:
“It really boils down to this: that all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied into a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one destiny, affects all indirectly.” -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Our nation has seen profound division in recent months, and as we enter a presidential election year, the national dialogue will only become more heated. Disagreement and debate make us better, forcing us to form more precise opinions and to see the world through the eyes of others. Yet too often our differences breed vitriol or even hate, as evidenced by Donald Trump’s recent call to ban Muslims from entering the United States.
As our country and our county take on the demands of the coming year, let us not forget our fates are tied into what Dr. King called “a single garment of destiny.” On occasion, some grave event will remind us of how interconnected we truly are: the horror of Sept. 11 and the devastation of Superstorm Sandy both brought out the best in us. Living on an island also engenders an inevitable sense of community. Bound on all sides by water, millions of us have managed to share an alarmingly finite space.
Eighteen legislators will undoubtedly disagree on the best way to build a stronger Suffolk County in 2016. We must balance another budget; restore confidence in our police department; and work to strengthen and expand our middle class. As we confront each challenge, I urge my colleagues to remain cognizant of Dr. King’s “inescapable network of mutuality.” Simply put, we share each other’s future.
