[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 4730]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   2012 NATIONAL DAYS OF REMEMBRANCE

  Mr. BLUMENTHAL. Mr. President, today I wish to pay my respects to the 
victims, survivors, and heroes of the Holocaust. April 19, 2012, marks 
Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed during a week-long 
memorial, the National Days of Remembrance, created by Congress in 1980 
and led by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. Through this year's 
theme, ``Choosing to Act: Stories of Rescue,'' we remember the 
courageous men, women, and children who stood up and saved lives, at 
grave risk and sometimes deadly consequences to themselves. On the 
anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising and the liberation of 
European concentration camps, we honor all who embraced their own 
humanity to save others, abandoning self-interest for selfless bravery.
  This week of commemoration that spans Sunday, April 15 to Sunday, 
April 22, is deeply personal. My father came to this country in 1935 to 
escape persecution. Speaking barely any English, he set down my 
family's roots with very little but memories of loved ones who had 
perished in the Holocaust and faith in the American dream.
  The Days of Remembrance is a living memorial, altered by every 
citizen who dares to speak up and open their mind and heart. It is more 
than an oral history project. It ties the past with our present, 
inspiring proactive, positive transformation in our daily lives. We 
recall that the brave individuals whose stories we bring to light were 
acting out of loyalty to their neighbors. Small communities held each 
other tightly. Each year, we come together at a national ceremony in 
the Capitol Rotunda, but this collective power is also felt through 
smaller groups, including State and local governments, civic 
organizations, places of worship, schools, offices, and military bases.
  Organizations such as the Holocaust Child Survivors of Connecticut 
document the personal histories of living survivors--children of the 
Holocaust. Sadly, as time goes on, our future generations will not have 
the privilege of hearing from them. We must work to perpetuate their 
messages beyond words. We must teach our Nation's children the lessons 
we have learned--about human betrayal, war crimes, and genocide, about 
heroes, hope, and honor--through our own activism.
  This Wednesday, the Holocaust Memorial Museum is awarding Aung San 
Suu Kyi the Elie Wiesel Award at their 2012 National Tribute Dinner for 
``her exceptional courage in resisting tyranny and advancing the 
dignity and freedom of the Burmese people.'' By honoring a woman who is 
a living hero for victims of a present-day dictatorship, the Holocaust 
Memorial Museum seamlessly unites history with the persecutions of 
today to create a new space of memory and action for generations to 
come.
  As we soberly recall those who were not rescued, we can remain 
hopeful through the memory of the rescuers--those who followed their 
heart, beliefs, or religion to help victims in desperate need. This 
compassion is inspirational for me, and I hope for all those who 
witness human suffering and confront feelings of helplessness. As we 
gather this week to remember, we are choosing to be actively 
compassionate. Memories of the Holocaust inspire us to live today and 
every day with kindness, generosity, and an undying commitment to 
strengthening our bonds as human beings.

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