2012 National Days of Remembrance

Floor Speech

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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