Johnny Isakson: “I rise on behalf of myself, all Georgians, and I am sure all Americans, to express my deepest sympathy and condolences…”

“I rise on behalf of myself, all Georgians, and I am sure all Americans, to express my deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of Coretta Scott King, the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King. We learned this morning that she passed away yesterday at the age of 78. Coretta Scott King is known in history for being the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King, but she was far more than that. As he wrote in his ``Letter from the Birmingham Jail'' to the concerned clergy of Birmingham about his justification for coming to Birmingham on behalf of the citizens who had been discriminated against, Dr. King said: I come because injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. As we all know from history, he took his mission wherever it took him to fight on behalf of justice for all Americans. He was able to do that in large measure with the support and the partnership of his great partner in life, Coretta Scott King. I had the privilege, as a Georgian, of knowing her since my days in the legislature. I saw her as an equal with Dr. King in the movement. I saw her as a loving mother in the raising of their four children. And I have seen her, since the loss of Dr. King, as an untiring advocate on behalf of ensuring that the legacy of Dr. King and his movement is perpetuated in American history. A few months ago, the United States of America and this Senate honored the life of Rosa Parks as a significant leader, the matriarch of the civil rights movement.…”