R 156
2003 -- H 6358
Enacted 04/23/03
H O U S E R E S
O L U T I O N
PROCLAIMING
APRIL 24TH, 2003 AS "RHODE ISLAND DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN
GENOCIDE" IN COMMEMORATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FROM 1915 TO 1923 AND
HONORING ARMENIAN-AMERICANS
Introduced
By: Representatives Corvese, and Handy
Date
Introduced: April 23, 2003
WHEREAS,
1.5 million men, women, and children of Armenian descent were victims of
the
genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and thereafter; and
WHEREAS,
The United States Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, Henry Morgenthau,
Sr.,
stated, “Whatever crimes the most perverted instincts of the human mind can
devise, and
whatever
refinements of persecutions and injustice the most debased imagination can
conceive,
became
the daily misfortunes of these devoted people. I am confident that the whole
history of
the
human race contains no such horrible episode as this. The great massacres and
persecutions of
the
past seem almost insignificant when compared to the sufferings of the Armenian
race in 1915.
The
killing of the Armenian people was accomplished by the systematic destruction
of churches,
schools,
libraries, treasures of art, and cultural monuments in an attempt to eliminate
all traces of
a
noble civilization with a history of more than 3,000 years”; and
WHEREAS,
Contemporary newspapers, such as the New York Times, carried headlines
including
“Tales of Armenian Horrors Confirmed” and “Million Armenians Killed or in
Exile”;
and
WHEREAS,
The Armenian genocide has been acknowledged by countries and
international
bodies such as Argentina, Belgium, Canada, the Council of Europe, Cyprus, the
European
Parliament, France, Great Britain, Greece, Lebanon, Russia, the United Nations,
and
Uruguay;
and
WHEREAS,
Each year Armenians throughout the world honor those who perished from
1915
to 1923, and all the world’s people should commemorate the Armenian Genocide
because it
stands
as an ugly testament to man’s inhumanity to man; and
WHEREAS,
We must all do our best to raise awareness about the Armenian genocide not
only
because it is an undeniable chapter of world history, but also because learning
more about
this
unconscionable tragedy will help better understand the necessity of eliminating
hatred from
our
own communities; and
WHEREAS,
Residents of Rhode Island are highly sensitive to the need for consistently
remembering
and openly condemning the crimes committed against any culture or people to
prevent
similar atrocities in the future; and
WHEREAS,
Armenian-Americans living in Rhode Island have greatly enriched our State
through
their leadership in business, agriculture, academia, government, and the arts;
now,
therefore
be it
RESOLVED,
That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and
Providence
Plantations hereby proclaims April 24th, 2003 as “Rhode Island Day of
Remembrance
of the Armenian Genocide”; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and
Providence
Plantations respectfully urges the Congress of the United States to likewise
commemorate
the Armenian Genocide; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he is hereby authorized and directed to
transmit
duly certified copies of this resolution to the Honorable George W. Bush,
President of
the
United States, the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation, the Honorable Donald
L. Carcieri,
Governor
of Rhode Island, and the Armenian National Committee in Rhode Island.
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LC03056
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