2012 -- S 2830

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LC02104

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

CELEBRATING MARCH 25, 2012, AS THE 191ST ANNIVERSARY OF GREEK

INDEPENDENCE DAY

     Introduced By: Senators Gallo, Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, Goodwin, and Algiere

     Date Introduced: March 27, 2012

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, On March 25, 1821, the Feast Day of the Annunciation, the Greek nation

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reclaimed its ancient heritage as the "Cradle of Democracy" by overthrowing the yoke of

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oppression which had enslaved its people since the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Conquered by

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the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century, Greece waged a successful War of Independence (1821-

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1829) and re-instituted a democratic form of government; and

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     WHEREAS, The people of the United States generously offered humanitarian assistance

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to the Greek people during their struggle for independence; and

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     WHEREAS, The price for Greece in holding onto our common values in their region was

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high, as hundreds of thousands of civilians were killed in Greece during World War II; and

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     WHEREAS, Greece is only one of three nations in the world, beyond the former British

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Empire, that has been allied with the United States in every major international conflict in the last

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100 years; and

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     WHEREAS, Greece was extraordinarily responsive to requests by the United States

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during the war in Iraq, granting unlimited access to its airspace and its base in Souda Bay, and

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refueling many ships of the United States that delivered troops, cargo, and supplies to Iraq; and

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     WHEREAS, Greece, located in a region where Christianity meets Islam and Judaism,

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maintains excellent relations with Muslim nations and Israel and demonstrates religious

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tolerance; and

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     WHEREAS, Greece and the United States are at the forefront of the effort for freedom,

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democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and

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     WHEREAS, Those and similar ideals have forged a close bond between Greece and the

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United States and their peoples; and

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     WHEREAS, March 25, 2012, Greek Independence Day, marks the 191st anniversary of

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the beginning of the revolution that freed the Greek people from the Ottoman Empire and

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celebrates the aspirations for democracy and tolerance that the peoples of Greece and the United

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States share; and

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     WHEREAS, The Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the rights and religious

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freedoms of Ecumenical Patriarchate, the head of Greek Orthodox Christian Church, which is a

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minority religion in Turkey; and

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     WHEREAS, It is proper and desirable for the United States to celebrate this anniversary

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with the Greek people and to reaffirm the democratic principles from which these two great

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nations were born; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby celebrates March 25, 2012, as the 191st Anniversary of Greek Independence, reaffirms

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Rhode Island's abiding commitment to the magnificent principles of democracy and religious

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freedom, and urges Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical

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Patriarchate; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church of

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Cranston, the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of Pawtucket, the St. Spyridon Greek

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Orthodox Church of Newport, the members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, and

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Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Archdiocese of America.

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LC02104

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