[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 52 (Tuesday, April 26, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S4254]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               90TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge and 
commemorate April 24, 2005, the 90th anniversary of the beginning of 
the Armenian Genocide and to urge all Americans to join together to 
ensure that these crimes never happen again.
  On April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Empire began arresting hundreds of 
Armenian intellectuals, most of whom were subsequently executed. What 
soon followed can only be described as a tragedy that shocked the human 
conscience: by some estimates, over a million Armenians were killed, 
and another 500,000 were driven from their homes. These events marked 
the 20th century's first experience with such atrocities, and, sadly, 
they would not be the last.
  Maya Angelou, the famous poet and civil rights activist once said:

       History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but 
     if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

  Indeed it is our duty to remember this horrific tragedy, and face the 
crimes of humanity with unflinching determination, courage, and moral 
fortitude so that they never happen again.
  As a country founded on the principles of justice, equality, and 
liberty, the United States must take a leadership role in preventing 
genocide.
  I am proud that the Armenian American community in my home State of 
California--over 500,000 strong--has taken such a leadership role in 
ensuring that the U.S. lives up to its values by acknowledging the 
crimes of the past and taking action against the crimes of the present 
and future. Their determination and perseverance is a testament to the 
human spirit and the ability to overcome injustice and build a better 
tomorrow.
  Today, we stand with the Armenian American community in commemorating 
the start of the Armenian Genocide, and together we stand with those 
around the world who face persecution and even death simply because of 
who they are. They must know they are not alone and those who commit 
these crimes must know we are watching.
  We will never forget the Armenian Genocide as we look to the future 
with courage and determination.

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