Utah governor reflects on Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Posted: Jan 18, 2021 / 12:33 PM MST / Updated: Jan 18, 2021 / 12:33 PM MST

Utah Republican gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox greets supporters arriving at an election night event in Mount Pleasant on Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Cox has won the Republican nomination in the Utah governor’s race Monday, July 6, 2020, giving him a heavy advantage in the conservative state’s general election. The competitive four-way contest was conducted entirely by mail during the coronavirus pandemic, which also shaped the campaign. (Trent Nelson /The Salt Lake Tribune via AP, File)

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – Utah’s new Governor shares his thoughts on American Civil Rights activist, Martin Luther King Jr., Monday.

On January 18, Governor Spencer Cox reflects on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., at 10:54 a.m., in a statement.

“As we remember the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., we must recommit ourselves to the ideals he advocated for: civil rights and an end to discrimination,” Cox shares. “Dr. King wisely said, ‘Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.’ We must find our way back to loving our neighbors as ourselves. And we must infuse our political discourse with respect, even when we disagree. This kind of civil engagement takes resolve and courage.”

Gov. @SpencerJCox issued the following statement in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: pic.twitter.com/tvABdkNVlZ
— Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) January 18, 2021

On January 4, Cox was named Utah’s 18th Governor.

“Let’s take the first step together. Let’s move forward as we form a more perfect union,” he concludes.

Every year, on the third Monday of January, America pays tribute to the life of clergyman, activist, and Civil Rights Movement leader, Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was officially signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1983. At first, many states opposed celebrating the holiday honoring America’s civil rights hero; as King played a crucial part in human rights activism, best known for the advancement of civil rights through nonviolent civil disobedience.