March 28, 2005

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

________________________________________ HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 172 Session of 2005

________________________________________

INTRODUCED BY LEACH, BALDWIN, BEBKO-JONES, BELARDI, BISHOP, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAWLEY, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ, CURRY, DeWEESE, FAIRCHILD, FORCIER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GABIG, GEIST, GEORGE, GINGRICH, GOOD, GOODMAN, GRUCELA, HARHAI, HARPER, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, JAMES, JOSEPHS, W. KELLER, LEDERER, LEH, MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, McGEEHAN, PALLONE, PHILLIPS, PISTELLA, QUIGLEY, READSHAW, ROBERTS, ROSS, RUBLEY, SAINATO, SCHRODER, SHANER, SHAPIRO, B. SMITH, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRUE, WALKO, WANSACZ, WOJNAROSKI, YOUNGBLOOD AND FABRIZIO, MARCH 29, 2005

________________________________________

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MARCH 29, 2005

________________________________________ A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Designating April 24, 2005, as "Pennsylvania's Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923."

WHEREAS, One and one-half million men, women and children of Armenian descent were victims of the brutal genocide perpetrated by the Turkish Ottoman Empire from 1915 to 1923; and

WHEREAS, The Armenian genocide and massacres of the Armenian people have been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a thriving and noble civilization more than 3,000 years old; and

WHEREAS, Revisionists still inexplicably deny the existence of these horrific events; and

WHEREAS, Modern Turkey continues to deny and distort the facts of the Armenian genocide and honors the perpetrators of that crime against humanity as national heroes; and

WHEREAS, Before the implementation of the Holocaust of European Jews, in order to encourage his followers, Adolf Hitler asked, "Who remembers the Armenians?"; and

WHEREAS, By consistently remembering and openly condemning the atrocities committed against the Armenians, Pennsylvanians affirm the need for constant vigilance to prevent similar atrocities in the future; and

WHEREAS, The Armenian people have not received reparations for their losses; and

WHEREAS, Recognition of the 89th anniversary of the Armenian genocide and education about past horrors is crucial to ensuring against future genocide; and

WHEREAS, Armenia is now a free and independent republic, having embraced democracy following nearly 70 years of oppressive Soviet domination; and

WHEREAS, Armenian Americans living in Pennsylvania have greatly enriched this Commonwealth through their leadership in business, agriculture, academia, government and the arts; therefore be it

RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designate April 24, 2005, as "Pennsylvania's Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives transmit copies of this resolution to the Pennsylvania congressional delegation and to the Armenian National Committee of Pennsylvania.

A19L82DMS/20050H0172R1275