Patrick Kennedy: “Today we in Congress are solemnly observing the tragedy of the Armenian genocide. We honor the bravery and courage of…”

“Today we in Congress are solemnly observing the tragedy of the Armenian genocide. We honor the bravery and courage of those who survived and we honor the memory of those who perished. We speak out so that future generations of Americans will know the story of the first genocide of this century. Over 6 million people of Armenian descent live in this country. Many of them can still recount the persecution they faced during the Ottoman Empire and the stories of the night of April 24, 1915. That night must be remembered, not only for the atrocities which took place, but because we must never forget our duty to fight against human rights abuses, ethnic cleansings, genocides, and other atrocities. Unfortunately, we see the atrocities of the past being replayed today. In the former Yugoslavia, the terrors of the past have recently been replayed. By observing the Armenian genocide we make a strong statement. A statement that the atrocities of the past are not acceptable. They were not acceptable then and they are not acceptable today. It has been said many times that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Let us never repeat this history. We must all work to always remember and never forget the genocide, to cherish and preserve the Armenian culture, and to fight for human rights in this region. We owe that to those we honor today and to our Nation's Armenian-Americans. Thank you.”