Recognizing the 187th Anniversary of the Independence of Greece and Celebrating Greek and American Democracy
Floor Speech
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Mr. BILIRAKIS. Madam Speaker, I thank the gentleman, and thank you, Representative Berkley, for those kind words on my grandparents' country. I am so proud of my Greek heritage.
Madam Speaker, I rise today with great pride and in strong support of House Resolution 1024, recognizing the 187th anniversary of Greek independence and celebrating Greek and American democracy.
Like the American revolutionaries who fought for independence and established this great Republic we call the land of the free and the home of the brave, Greek freedom fighters began an arduous struggle to win independence for Greece and its people 187 years ago. When the Greeks began this glorious revolution after four centuries of Ottoman oppression, they faced what appeared to be insurmountable odds. It was David versus Goliath.
On March 25, 1821, Archbishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of freedom and was the first to declare Greece free. This day of rebellion was not chosen by chance. This holy day was dedicated to the Mother of God. To the Greeks of 1821, Theotokos was their champion, their savior, their protector. The revolution of 1821 brought independence to Greece and emboldened those who still sought freedom across the world. It was proved to the world that a united people through sheer will and perseverance can prevail against tyranny.
The lessons the Greeks taught us then continue to provide strength to victims of persecution around the world today. By honoring the Greek struggle for independence, we reaffirm the values and ideas that make our Nation great. We also remember why freedom is so important.
In the history of the Greek war for independence, there were many acts of heroism. From Theodoros Kolo ko tronis, the leader of the Klephts, who refused to submit to Ottoman domination, to the fiercely patriotic women of Suli, who, left alone, learned that Turkish troops were fast approaching their village, they began to dance the Syrtos, a patriotic Greek dance. One by one, they committed suicide by throwing themselves and their children off a mountain top. They chose to die rather than surrender and face slavery.
There was also Athanasios Diakos, a legendary hero, a priest, a patriot, and a soldier. In full knowledge of their fatal fate, he led 500 of his men in a notable stand against 8,000 Ottoman soldiers. Diakos' men were wiped out and he fell into the enemy's hands, where he was tortured before his death. He is the image of a Greek that gave all for love of faith and homeland. Long live his memory.
Although many Greeks died, they were undeterred from their ultimate goal. ``Eleftheria I Thanatos,'' liberty or death, became their battle cry.
These legends underscore Greece's absolute commitment to independence. As we all know, the price of liberty can be very high, hundreds of thousands of lives. Socrates, Plato, Pericles and many other great minds throughout history warned that we maintain democracy only at a great cost.
Our Greek brothers earned their liberty with blood, as did our American forefathers. The freedom we enjoy today is due to the sacrifices made by men and women in the past. I take great pride in both, as I said, my Greek and American heritage. Each time I perform my constitutional duties, I am doing so in the legacy of the ancient Greeks and our American forefathers.
As Thomas Jefferson once said, ``To the ancient Greeks we are all indebted for the light which led ourselves, American colonists, out of gothic darkness.''
We celebrate Greek independence to reaffirm the common democratic heritage we share. And as Americans, we must continue to pursue this spirit of freedom and liberty that characterizes both of these great nations.
BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT
Source