Howard Berman: “I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 79th anniversary of one of the great tragedies of our…”

“I rise today to ask my colleagues to join me in commemorating the 79th anniversary of one of the great tragedies of our century--the slaughter of over 1 million Armenians, residents of Ottoman Turkey, between 1915 and 1923. As we remember this and the other massacres and deportations that were inflicted on Armenian civilians in the early years of this century, we must remind ourselves, once again, that only by keeping the memory of these tragedies alive can we hope to avert their recurrence in the future. In a year when the movie ``Schindler's List'' reminded us all why we must ``never forget'' let us remind ourselves that it was the world's inattention to the massacres of Armenians that emboldened Hitler to proceed with the final solution. At the same time, since 1991, this annual commemoration is also an occasion to mark the historic reemergence of an independent Armenia. A resilient and resourceful people, the Armenians have overcome great adversity and are building an inspiring new chapter in their national history. We also want to note the enormous contributions made by Armenian-Americans in our own country. Mostly descended from those who escaped the slaughter, these Americans fill leading ranks of business, medicine, law, and every other conceivable undertaking. We salute their achievements and we offer our sincerest condolences as they grieve for the victims of this terrible tragedy.”