Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Senate Joint Resolution 5
by Senators Sfikas, Van Hollen et al., January 17, 2001
Posted: Friday, February 02, 2001 04:28 am CST

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 5

Unofficial Copy                 2001 Regular Session
P1              1lr1524
                CF 1lr0905

        Currie, DeGrange, Della, Exum, Ferguson, Forehand, Green, Harris,
        Hoffman, Hogan, Hollinger, Hooper, Hughes, Jimeno, Kelley, Lawlah,
        McFadden, Miller, Mitchell, Neall, Stone, and Teitelbaum

Introduced and read first time: January 17, 2001 Assigned to: Economic and Environmental Affairs

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

1 A Senate Joint Resolution concerning

2 Maryland Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide

3 FOR the purpose of remembering the Armenian Genocide; and designating April 24 4 as "Maryland Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923".

5 WHEREAS, One and one-half million men, women, and children of Armenian 6 descent were victims of the brutal genocide perpetrated by the Turkish Ottoman 7 Empire from 1915 to 1923; and

8 WHEREAS, The Armenian Genocide and massacres of the Armenian people 9 represented a deliberate attempt to eliminate all traces of a thriving and noble 10 civilization over 3,000 years old; and

11 WHEREAS, The Armenian people have not received reparations for their losses; 12 and

13 WHEREAS, To this day revisionists still inexplicably deny the existence of these 14 horrific events; and

15 WHEREAS, Modern Turkey continues to deny and distort the facts of the 16 Armenian Genocide, and honors the perpetrators of that crime against humanity as 17 national heroes; and

18 WHEREAS, Prior to his invasion of Poland in 1939, Adolf Hitler, the German 19 Nazi dictator, seeking to dispel fears among his military command regarding the 20 world's response to his genocidal plans, asked "Who, after all, today speaks of the 21 Armenians?"; and

22 WHEREAS, Residents of Maryland are highly sensitive to the need for 23 consistently remembering and openly condemning the crimes committed against any 24 culture or people to prevent similar atrocities in the future; and

2 SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 5

1 WHEREAS, Recognition of the 86th anniversary of this genocide is crucial to 2 ensuring against the repetition of future genocides and educating people about the 3 atrocities connected to these horrific events; and

4 WHEREAS, Armenia is now a free and independent republic, having embraced 5 democracy following nearly 70 years of oppressive Soviet domination; and

6 WHEREAS, Armenian-Americans living in Maryland have greatly enriched our 7 State through their leadership in business, agriculture, academia, government, and 8 the arts; now, therefore, be it

9 RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, That the 10 General Assembly of Maryland designates April 24 as "Maryland Day of 11 Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide of 1915-1923"; and be it further

12 RESOLVED, That the Governor in the Governor's annual message on or about 13 April 24 commemorate the Armenian Genocide and commend this observance to all 14 Maryland residents; and be it further

15 RESOLVED, That the General Assembly of Maryland encourages that 16 Maryland public schools develop programs similar to those already established in 17 California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York, that focus on 18 human rights, with specific attention given to the Armenian Genocide; and be it 19 further

20 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 21 Legislative Services to the Honorable Parris N. Glendening, Governor of Maryland; 22 the Honorable Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President of the Senate of Maryland; and 23 the Honorable Casper R. Taylor, Jr., Speaker of the House of Delegates; and be it 24 further

25 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 26 Legislative Services to the Maryland Congressional Delegation: Senators Paul S. 27 Sarbanes and Barbara A. Mikulski, Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510; 28 and Representatives Wayne T. Gilchrest, Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Benjamin L. Cardin, 29 Albert R. Wynn, Steny Hamilton Hoyer, Roscoe G. Bartlett, Elijah E. Cummings, and 30 Constance A. Morella, House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515; and be it 31 further

32 RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be forwarded by the Department of 33 Legislative Services to the Armenian National Committee of Maryland, 4906 Flint 34 Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20816; and the Armenian Assembly of America, 122 C 35 Street, NW, Suite 350, Washington, D.C. 20001.

Related Information...

Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News Archives