Reflections of a President: His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Jack Greenberg

Statement by the President on the Passing of His
Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Jack Greenberg

On behalf of the people of the United States, I offer my heartfelt condolences to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, her children and grandchildren, and the people of Thailand on the passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.  His Majesty the King was a close friend of the United States and a valued partner of many U.S. Presidents.  I had the honor of calling on His Majesty the King during my visit to Thailand in 2012, and recall his grace and warmth, as well as his deep affection and compassion for the Thai people.

As the revered leader and only monarch that most Thais have ever known, His Majesty was a tireless champion of his country's development and demonstrated unflagging devotion to improving the standard of living of the Thai people.  With a creative spirit and a drive for innovation, he pioneered new technologies that have rightfully received worldwide acclaim.  His Majesty leaves a legacy of care for the Thai people that will be cherished by future generations.

The American people and I stand with the people of Thailand as we mourn His Majesty the King's passing, and today we hold the Thai people in our thoughts and prayers.   

Thanks to Jack Greenberg’s devotion to justice, millions of Americans have known the freedom to learn and work and vote and live in a country that more faithfully lives up to its founding principle of equality under the law.  The son of immigrants who had fled anti-Semitism, he believed that civil rights was a cause for all Americans, regardless of race or circumstances of birth.  As a leader of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, he followed in the footsteps of his mentor,  Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and pushed our nation to confront some of our most profound challenges.  

Jack served in our Navy at Iwo Jima and Okinawa and then, at just 27 years old, he helped argue the landmark Brown v. Board of Education case that desegregated our schools.  A decade later, he represented Dr. King in Birmingham Jail.  He learned quickly that change would not come overnight -- that it would take many generations, more court cases, and nationwide movements to even begin realizing the dream of civil rights for all Americans.  But Jack’s calm temperament and intellectual approach to moral arguments perfectly suited him for the fight; he knew, after all, that history was on his side.  Michelle and I offer our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Deborah, his children, and all those who loved him dearly and have benefited from his strong sense of right and wrong. 

 

Source: The White House, Office of the Press Secretary