On the recordMarch 20, 1996
As we celebrate this Greek Independence Day, we must remember the price that has been paid to attain freedom here in the United States and everywhere. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the ancient Greeks, who forged the very notion of democracy. The American philosopher Will Durant said it best, "Greece is the bright morning star of that western civilization which is our nourishment and life." We must remember our responsibility to those who sacrificed their lives to secure our freedom by preserving it for generations to come. So let us never forget or ignore that liberty demands responsibility, for on this Greek Independence Day, let us reflect on how dear freedom is to us all, and let us remember those Greek patriots who, as they valiantly fought off foreign oppression 175 years ago, shouted for all of us to hear "Eleftheria i thanatos," "Liberty or death."
Source
govinfo.gov
