[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 11, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E930-E931]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 5, 2005

  Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in observance of Holocaust 
Martyrs, and Heroes Rememorance Day. Known as Yom Hashoah in Hebrew, 
this solem day commemorates the anniversary of the beginning of the 
Warsaw Ghetto uprising. This year is of particular import, as it marks 
the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. I 
join my distinguished colleagues in remembering the victims of the 
Holocaust while vowing that such a horror shall never again take place.
  In remembering the six million victims of the Holocaust, we must 
recommit ourselves to fighting against the evils that led to the 
Holocaust; anti-Semitism, racism, bigotry, and intolerance. This 
commitment requires that we tell the story of the Holocaust to our 
children and grandchildren. We owe nothing less to the survivors and to 
the brave men who fought to liberate the Ghettos and the death camps.
  I rise also to condemn the rising tide of anti-Semitism around the 
globe and to demonstrate the United States' lasting commitment to the 
elimination of such bigotry and ignorance. It is essential that each 
and everyone of us takes action to prevent such atrocities and 
vigorously pursues justice for the victims of acts of hatred and 
inhumanity. The crimes against humanity that were perpetrated by the 
Nazis must never be forgotten, lest we allow such evil to spread again.
  We must also remember the handicapped, homosexuals, gypsies, 
political dissidents, and even Poles who were murdered in the Nazi 
``Final Solution,'' simply for being different. The

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Nazi hatred for anyone considered different stands as the antithesis of 
the values of freedom and liberty that we hold so dear.
  It is also important to recognize the sacrifices, service, and 
dedication of Allied soldiers and underground fighters that resulted in 
the defeat of the Nazi regime and the liberation of the concentration 
camps. We are indebted to the service of these brave souls who fought 
against evil to stop the death and destruction of the Holocaust.
  Mr. Speaker, today we mourn the innocent lives lost and vibrant 
communities destroyed by the Holocaust. We also honor those heroes of 
the Warsaw Ghetto who faced certain death when they fought against the 
Nazi's planned extermination of their community. With our solemn 
remembrance of the atrocities of the Holocaust, we empower a new 
generation to ensure that such crimes are never again repeated.

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