[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 57 (Wednesday, April 9, 2003)]
[House]
[Page H2943]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              THE 88TH OBSERVANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  (Mr. McCOTTER asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McCOTTER. Mr. Speaker, between 1915 and 1923, the Ottoman Empire 
systematically murdered more than 1.5 million innocent Armenian men, 
women, and children; and 500,000 Armenians were compelled to flee their 
homes and escape into exile. This crime constituted a heinous milestone 
in modern evil. It was the 20th century's first recorded instance of 
genocide. This tragedy, this crime against humanity, must be remembered 
by all people of good conscience, lest only evil men remember and be 
tempted to repeat this horrific lesson of history. For in fact, while 
most of the civilized world resisted acknowledging this mass murder, 
one barbarian at the gate did not; and that is why on the eve of his 
own paroxysm of mass murder, Adolph Hitler blithely remarked: ``Who 
today remembers the annihilation of the Armenians?''
  Mr. Speaker, on the 88th observance of one of human history's 
greatest tragedies and most savage crimes, we have the vile Herr 
Hitler's answer. We remember the murdered Armenians. Today. Tomorrow. 
Forever.

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