For Immediate Release: January 16, 2006

Contact: Kimberly Allen, (202) 226-8364, (571) 232-8037 [cell]

Rothman Celebrates Dr. King's Birthday at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Englewood, NJ

Rothman's speech outlined the repeated failures of the Bush Administration to put working families first.

January 16, 2006— At Ebenezer Baptist Church in Englewood, NJ, Rep. Rothman remembered Dr. King’s stirring words, celebrated his life and vision, and urged all congregants to act now for just social and economic policies and in opposition to the misguided priorities of the Bush Administration.

“Today, as we celebrate Dr. King’s life and works, and acknowledge the advances he helped set in motion—for African-Americans and all Americans—I can’t help but think what Dr. King would be thinking about today? What he would be asking of us today,” said Rothman.

The theme for this year’s celebrations of Dr. King’s birthday was “In the spirit of unity and service—Remember! Celebrate! Act!”

The King Center seeks to promote Dr. King’s birthday as a national holiday and advocates for year-round dedication to community service and programs that follow Dr. King’s vision for a non-violent world where human rights come first.

In that spirit, Rothman urged congregants to join him in fighting for policies that put the public’s welfare before corporate welfare and enumerated the failures of the Bush Administration to speak honestly about the War in Iraq and address poverty. Said Rothman:

“While most Americans are worried about their job security, their pensions, and a living wage, the President tells us that we should be happy with the country’s economy. He tells us that our ‘insecurity’ on this issue is just a ‘creation of the media.’

“Well, how about the fact that poverty in America is at its highest rate in six years and that the median income for Americans is lower than when this President took office? How about the fact that it now takes a two-earner family more hours of work per week to afford health care, housing, college and transportation; with less money left for everything else than in 1980?

”Stay the course? Absolutely not.”

Rothman concluded his remarks by urging congregants to join him in action by helping fellow citizens in need and by voting for those who would put their needs first. As Dr. King might say, change is up to us.

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