08-R111
2008 -- S 2879
Enacted 03/19/08
S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N
CELEBRATING MARCH 25,
2008 AS THE
187TH ANNIVERSARY OF
GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY
Introduced By: Senators
Raptakis, McBurney, Gallo, Paiva-Weed, and J Montalbano
Date Introduced: March 19,
2008
WHEREAS,
On March 25, 1821, the Feast Day of the Annunciation, the Greek nation
reclaimed
its ancient heritage as the "Cradle of Democracy" by overthrowing the
yoke of
oppression
which had enslaved its people since the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Conquered by
the
Ottoman Turks in the 15th century, Greece waged a successful War of
Independence (1821-
1829)
and re-instituted a democratic form of government; and
WHEREAS,
It was the genius of Greece which first ignited the flame of freedom in the
6th
and 5th centuries B.C., when Athens introduced the idea of direct
representative government to
the
world, thus ushering in a Golden Age of art, architecture, philosophy and drama
under such
giants
of western history as Pericles, Sophocles, Euripedes, Socrates and Plato; and
WHEREAS,
The Founding Fathers of the United States of America drew extensively
upon
the political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our
representative
democracy;
and
WHEREAS,
It is proper and desirable to celebrate with the Greek people and to reaffirm
the
democratic principles from which our two great nations were born; and
WHEREAS,
President George W. Bush, in recognizing Greek Independence Day, said
"Greece
and America have been firm allies in the great struggles for liberty. Americans
will
always
remember Greek heroism and Greek sacrifice for the sake of liberty and as the
21st
century
dawns, Greece and America once again stand united; this time in the fight
against
terrorism.
The United States deeply appreciates the role Greece is playing in the war
against
terror.
America and Greece are strong allies, and we're strategic partners"; and
WHEREAS,
Greece is only one of three nations in the world, beyond the former British
Empire,
that has been allied with the United States in every major international
conflict in the last
100
years; and
WHEREAS,
United States Ambassador to Greece Daniel Speckhard has emphasized that
Greece
has a very important role in the Balkans, adding that United States looks
forward to joint
cooperation
in this region; and
WHEREAS,
Historically the Greeks, Greeks Pontian and Anatolian Greeks have been
persecuted
by the Turkish government. Greeks living in Turkey have had their basic rights
and
freedoms
taken away from them and that kind of persecution continues today; and
WHEREAS,
The ancient Macedonians were Hellenes and that the northern province of
Greece,
Macedonia are their Hellenic descendants; and
WHEREAS,
The Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the rights and religious
freedoms
of Ecumenical Patriarchate, the head of Greek Orthodox Christian Church, which
is a
minority
religion in Turkey; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
hereby
celebrates March 25, 2008 as the 187th Anniversary of Greek Independence,
reaffirms
Rhode
Island's abiding commitment to the magnificent principles of democracy and
religious
freedom,
and urges Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate;
and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit
duly certified copies of this resolution to the Annunciation Greek Orthodox
Church of
Cranston,
the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church of Pawtucket, the St. Spyridon Greek
Orthodox
Church of Newport, and the members of the Rhode Island Congressional Delegation
and
to Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Archdiocese of America.
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LC02539
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