L.A. honors death of Martin Luther King
Updated: 2008-04-05 10:53
LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles citizens kicked off a 40-hour campaign to promote peace, justice and non-violence on Friday to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr.
 Children of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King III (C) and Bernice (R) stand with civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton (C) as King III speaks from the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, now the National Civil Rights Museum, at the site where their father was assassinated in 1968 marking the 40th anniversary of his death in Memphis, April 4, 2008. [Agencies] |
As part of the campaign, a symbolic 40-hour ban on murder was proposed by activists Earl Ofari Hutchinson and Eddie Jones. An amendment by City Councilman Richard Alarcon urged residents to use the 40 hours to "promote peace, justice and non-violence and build a dialogue and awareness of the root causes of violence and killing in our communities."
"The violence in our communities is unceasing," City Councilwoman Jan Perry, who represents part of South Los Angeles, said before the council approved the resolution earlier this week.
"Those who may think that this is an empty gesture, I think this will raise the level of discourse not only in our community but hopefully in communities that haven't been affected as much as we have."
City Councilwoman Janice Hahn told KTLA television, "Hopefully it won't just be symbolic because we know dialoguing, talking, getting the word out, does actually make a difference."
Hutchinson later told KTLA "we can't say" if there will be no murders during the moratorium.
Council members said the moratorium is a way to generate dialogue on violence in Los Angeles neighborhoods.
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