Political Quotes

“in the course of America's immigration history, there have emerged leaders whose names are synonymous with the struggle and triumph of these immigrants. Stanley Balzekas was that leader for Lithuanian Americans, especially in the city of Chicago. Stanley was my friend. His devotion to Lithuania, to America, and to the cause of human freedom and dignity was legendary. Whether you bumped into him on the streets of Vilnius or Pulaski Road, he always had a smile and story to share. He was as gracious and as comfortable with the Chicago hotdog salesmen as he was with heads of state. He died last week, passing peacefully at his home at the age of 95. As his family said in his obituary: ``His failing heart could no longer keep up with his zest for life.'' What a heroic heart he had. Stanley Balzekas was a decorated war hero in World War II, one of the thinning ranks of the Greatest Generation. He joined the U.S. Army in 1943 and served in the infantry. He fought in key battles, including the Battle of the Bulge and the Battle of Huertgen Forest, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for rescuing 12 wounded soldiers. He landed at Normandy and marched with other U.S. soldiers under the Arc de Triomphe and along the Champs-Elysees to celebrate the liberation of Paris from Nazi occupation. He was captured by a Waffen SS unit in France in February 1945 and spent four months as a POW at a camp in Germany.…”