Congressman Dennis Kucinich invoked the name of civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. to support the legalization of marijuana.

This is how Dr. Martin Luther King's March on Washington became a pivotal moment in the civil rights history of this country, said Kucinich at the 20th Seattle Hempfest. The event seeks to come together to peacefully protest the government's prohibition of marijuana, according to its Web site.

Kucinich also compared the movement to legalize marijuana to the women's suffrage movement, Gandhi's independence movement against the British, the writing of the Declaration of Independence, and the 2011 Arab Spring.

The Ohio Congressman urged marijuana supporters to engage in mass action to bring about change in marijuana laws, just like the way Martin Luther King did it for the civil rights movement.

Mass action could involve going to the streets, linking arms, marching, and singing, said Kucinich. Just showing up for a huge rally like Hempfest already gives the movement strength and unity, he said.

In addition to demanding change in marijuana laws, the ultra-liberal politician took the opportunity to demand the global withdrawal of U.S. troops, more abortion rights, and more gay rights.