Frank Riggs: “Martin Luther King, I think we can agree on this, he dreamed of the day, he spoke of the day, he preached of the day…”

“Martin Luther King, I think we can agree on this, he dreamed of the day, he spoke of the day, he preached of the day when all Americans would participate freely in the American dream. I cannot see how continuing institutionalized discrimination, or if we want to go one step further, institutionalized racism, and I do not use that word lightly because I know it is an explosive word, I cannot see how that moves us towards the realization of Dr. King's vision. Because I believe institutionalized discrimination is inherently unfair, it is undemocratic, and I think ultimately it is anti-American. With all due respect to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Lewis), who obviously knew Dr. King well and worked with him, I would like to believe that Dr. King would agree that as we approach the dawn of a new millennium, now is the time to try to move our country in the direction of a post-affirmative action era where we really can build, working as individuals and human beings and as American citizens and as children of God, a color-blind society.”