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PRINTER'S NO. 735
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
113
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MACKENZIE, DELOZIER, BERNSTINE, BIZZARRO, BROWN,
BURNS, CALTAGIRONE, DiGIROLAMO, HEFFLEY, HENNESSEY, HILL-
EVANS, HOHENSTEIN, KNOWLES, KORTZ, LONGIETTI, MATZIE,
McCLINTON, MENTZER, MILLARD, MULLINS, MURT, NEILSON, PICKETT,
READSHAW, RYAN, SAINATO, SCHLOSSBERG, SONNEY AND STAATS,
MARCH 6, 2019
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
MARCH 6, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Designating the month of March 2019 as "Greek-American Heritage
Month" in Pennsylvania and recognizing the constructive role
Greek Americans continue to play in the economic and cultural
development of our nation and this Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, The 2010 census identified more than 1.3 million
people of Greek ancestry in the United States; and
WHEREAS, Greek Americans remain proud of their heritage by
passing their traditions and loyalty to the United States on to
new generations of Greek Americans; and
WHEREAS, "Greek Independence Day" is a national holiday that
commemorates the start of the Greek War of Independence in 1821
and is celebrated annually in Greece on March 25; and
WHEREAS, In 1821, the Greek Commander-in-Chief Petros
Mavromichalis, a founder of the modern Greek state, remarked to
citizens of the United States that "it is in your land that
liberty has fixed her abode and . . . in imitating you, we shall
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imitate our ancestors and be thought worthy of them if we
succeed in resembling you"; and
WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers of our nation, many of whom
read Greek political philosophy in the original Greek, drew upon
the experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our
nation's representative democracy; and
WHEREAS, The modern Greek national anthem, "Hymn to Liberty,"
illustrates Greece's strong bond with and respect for our nation
and ideals by including the words "most heartily was gladdened
George Washington's brave land"; and
WHEREAS, Ancient Greeks in the city-state of Athens made
vital contributions to democratic governance by inventing the
concept of citizenship where laws were proposed by citizen
assemblies and subject to popular vote, by recognizing the
principle of separation of powers in independent Athenian
legislative, executive and judicial branches and by conceiving
and implementing the concept of trial by jury; and
WHEREAS, Sir Winston Churchill said of the Greeks, "Hence, we
will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes
fight like Greeks," recognizing that Greece played a major role
in World War II by delaying the German invasion of Russia; and
WHEREAS, Greek Americans served with distinction in all
branches of the United States military during World War II and,
through the American Hellenic Educational Progressive
Association, raised more than $253 million in war bonds for the
United States; and
WHEREAS, Throughout the 20th century, Greece was one of only
three nations to ally with the United States in every major
international conflict, and to this day, the Greek nation
remains a reliable strategic partner and steadfast ally of the
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United States; and
WHEREAS, Greek Americans continue to demonstrate loyalty to
the United States and the ideals of our Founding Fathers;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
month of March 2019 as "Greek-American Heritage Month" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage all
residents to recognize the constructive role Greek Americans
continue to play in the economic and cultural development of our
nation and this Commonwealth.
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