[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 36 (Tuesday, March 28, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E417]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 28, 2006

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, last Saturday, March 25th, the people of 
Greece celebrated the 185th anniversary of their independence from the 
Ottoman Empire.
  As the brilliant Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote in the 
preface to Hellas in 1821, ``We are all Greeks. Our laws, our 
literature, our religion, our arts, have their root in Greece.'' 
Nowhere is this more true than in America, a country crafted to embody 
the vision and ideals of the ancient Greeks, and home to more than 
three million citizens of Greek decent.
  The building in which we now stand, along with many prominent 
structures in our Nation's Capital, draws heavily on the architecture 
of ancient Greece, and is a fitting tribute to the civilization that 
provided the model for our own democratic experiment. America's 
founders were deeply inspired by the heroic individualism of Homer's 
epic poetry, the search for truth embodied by Socrates, and the passion 
for justice that guided Greek political theory.
  The American Revolution was driven by the Greek idea that the 
authority to govern derives directly from the people, and this 
successful assertion of autonomy in turn inspired Greece to declare its 
independence on March 25, 1821, after nearly 400 years of rule by the 
Ottomans. Weeks later, the Messinian Congress sent a letter to then 
Secretary of State John Quincy Adams asking for moral support, 
asserting: ``Your virtues, Americans, are close to ours, although a 
broad sea separates us.'' In response, stirring speeches by President 
James Monroe and Daniel Webster led the Congress to send funds and 
supplies to aid the Greeks and motivated many Americans to fight 
alongside the Greeks in their struggle for freedom.
  Today, history, mutual respect, and shared values continue to 
strengthen the alliance between Greece and the United States. After 
fighting side-by-side in every major war of the 20th century, we are 
now united in the war against terror that poses a threat to liberty and 
justice everywhere. Together we have stood up to the forces of 
oppression in conflicts from World War II to the Persian Gulf, we have 
joined as strategic partners in NATO, and are working to build peace, 
stability, and democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq.
  Unfortunately, not all Greeks are celebrating their independence this 
week. In one of the most militarized regions in the world, members of 
the Greek Cypriot community continue to live under conditions of 
oppression, harassment, and deprivation imposed by some 35,000 Turkish 
soldiers. I am disturbed that Turkey continues to defy the 
international community and the U.N. resolutions with its policies 
towards Cyprus.
  If a solution to Cyprus can be finalized it would reshape the eastern 
Mediterranean and could lead to an improvement in relations between 
Greece and Turkey. I am saddened by the persistence of tensions between 
these two neighbors, both of which are strong friends of the United 
States and vital partners in NATO and the war on terror. I hope that a 
negotiated agreement will soon be reached, so that Greeks everywhere 
can realize the inherently human desire for freedom.

  I also support the reunification of the remains of one of the most 
magnificent and best-known monuments in the world: the Parthenon. I 
welcome the announcement last month that the British and Greek 
governments have engaged the Director General of UNESCO to lead a 
cooperative approach to resolving the issue of the Parthenon Marbles. I 
congratulate both parties for the shift in focus from contentious 
restitution to cooperative reunification and look forward to the 
opening of the New Acropolis Museum, where all the Sculptures will be 
displayed as close to their original position as possible.
  The United States' kinship with the Greek people was reflected in the 
enthusiasm with which America embraced modern Greece's fight for 
independence 179 years ago. Similarly, the American ideal of freedom 
has drawn generations of Greek men and women to America's shores. Today 
we celebrate and give thanks for the contributions Greek Americans and 
their devotion to family, faith, community, and country that has 
enriched our Nation.
  Through decades of challenge and change, the shared admiration, 
cooperation, and friendship between Greece and the United States has 
endured and deepened, and together we have proved the fundamental truth 
of the Greek proverb, ``The passion for freedom never dies.'' Today we 
reaffirm that sentiment and our commitment to promoting liberty, 
democracy, and justice in America, in Greece, and around the world.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with great joy and admiration that I wish the 
people of Greece a happy Independence Day and continued freedom and 
prosperity.

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