[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 65 (Thursday, May 6, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E896]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNITION OF THE FIRST ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY FOR THE GAY, LESBIAN, 
                   BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JERROLD NADLER

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 6, 1999

  Mr. NADLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the first 
annual Memorial Day for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender 
community. This special day has been established to remember the many 
who have lost their lives due to killings, beatings, and suicides that 
have resulted from the homophobic attitude prevalent in our society and 
throughout history.
  Every year, on the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising, the 
world commemorates Yom Hashoah or the Day of Remembrance for the 
Holocaust. Although several museums throughout the United States and 
Europe include exhibits recalling the homosexual experience during the 
Nazi era, most Yom Hashoah services fail to mention that part of 
Hitler's reign of terror was the systematic attempt to eliminate 
homosexuals from Germany. It is estimated that, under his plan, tens of 
thousands of homosexuals were arrested and thousands were confined to 
death camps along with others he deemed ``undesirable.'' Today's solemn 
remembrance is part of an effort to remove the veil of silence about 
this tragic history of persecution and killing, underscore the 
seemingly endless chain of hate crimes, and provide education aimed at 
eradicating intolerance and violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and 
transgender persons.
  I salute Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, the Church of the Holy 
Apostles, the International Association of Lesbian and Gay Children of 
Holocaust Survivors and the many other religious and community 
organizations that have joined in coalition to cosponsor today's solemn 
commemoration of the many lives lost as a result of a national reaction 
to homophobia. May their lives serve as reminders of the horrors of 
prejudicial acts of this kind. Let us honor their memory by committing 
ourselves to ending bigotry toward all people regardless of who they 
are or who they love.

                          ____________________