Tom Lantos: “As we approach Greek Independence Day, it is a great honor for me to pay tribute to one of the United States' most…”

“As we approach Greek Independence Day, it is a great honor for me to pay tribute to one of the United States' most important allies and one which is held in such deep affection by millions and millions of Americans. Western civilization as we know it today owes the deepest debt and, indeed, its very origins, to the Greek nation. Greek philosophy, sculpture, and theater set standards to which today's practitioners still aspire. And, as the cradle of democracy, Athens is the spiritual ancestor of our own Republic. The history of Greek independence is one of the inspiring stories of our time. It is the tale of the revival of an ancient and great people through sheer commitment, sacrifice, and love of freedom and heritage. Transmitted through the generations, the ideals of the ancient Greeks inspired their revolutionary descendants in the nineteenth century, and great and gallant stalwarts of the War of Independence such as Theodore Kolokotronis and Rigas Velestinlis wrote of their belief in the rights of man. The histories of the United States and Greece have been intimately intertwined ever since the beginning of modern Greek sovereignty.”