Gus Bilirakis: “I too proudly rise to celebrate Greek Independence Day and the strong ties that bind the nation of Greece and the United…”

“I too proudly rise to celebrate Greek Independence Day and the strong ties that bind the nation of Greece and the United States. One hundred and eighty-three years ago, the people of Greece began a journey that would mark a symbolic rebirth of democracy in the land, where those principles of human dignity were first espoused. They rebelled against more than 400 years of Turkish oppression. The revolution of 1821 brought independence to Greece and emboldened those who still sought freedom across the world. I commemorate Greek Independence Day each year for the same reasons that we celebrate our July 4. It proved that a united people through sheer will and perseverance can prevail against tyranny. Men such as Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, and Euripides developed a then-unique notion that men could, if left to their own devices, lead themselves rather than be subject to the will of a sovereign. It was Aristotle who said, 'We make war that we may live in peace.'”