U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders released the following statement for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

“We honor Martin Luther King, Jr. today because he was one of the great intellectual and moral leaders of the 20th century. Today, as our country faces enormous problems with regard to Iraq and our foreign policy; with the increase in poverty and the decline of the middle class; with environmental issues that threaten the long-term well being of our planet, we would be well served to learn from the legacy of his extraordinary life. Let us never forget that Dr. King was not only a leader in the anti-segregation efforts of the 1950s and 1960s, but that he was also a leader in the anti-war movement and the fight for economic and social justice for all people. He understood that when people stand together for a brighter future, there is no force on earth which can stop them.”