Bill Text: NY K00948 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

New York Assembly Resolution 948 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 19, 2022, as Armenian Heritage Day in the State of New York

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2022-05-23 - adopted [K00948 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-K00948-Introduced.html


Assembly Resolution No. 948

BY: M. of A. Rules (Lemondes)

        MEMORIALIZING  Governor  Kathy  Hochul to proclaim
        May 19, 2022, as Armenian Heritage Day in the  State
        of New York

  WHEREAS,  It  is  the  custom  of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness of serious events
that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

  WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and  in  full  accord  with  its
long-  standing  tradition,  it is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 19, 2022, as  Armenian
Heritage Day in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS,  New  York  is  proud  to  be  the  home of numerous ethnic
communities, many of whom have prospered and  enjoyed  the  freedom  and
democracy  upon  which  our  nation  was founded; tragically, throughout
history, the people  of  many  countries  have  not  realized  the  same
autonomy and equality; and

  WHEREAS,  The  seeds  for  the Armenian genocide were planted during
negotiations among the European powers that led to the  signing  of  the
Treaty  of  Berlin  in 1878; the ensuing rise of nationalism led to many
revolutionary  wars  and  independence  movements  within  the  decaying
Ottoman  Empire,  causing Turkish leaders to become increasingly fearful
that their ethnically diverse domain would begin to disintegrate; and

  WHEREAS,  From  1914  until  1922,  in  a  systematic   attempt   to
exterminate an entire population, the Ottoman Turks directed the killing
of  over  one  million  Armenians  and  Assyrians  living in Pontos, and
353,000 Pontian and Anatolian Greeks; furthermore, an equal number  were
forced  to flee their homeland in one of the most condemnable atrocities
in the history of the world; and

  WHEREAS,  The  Ottoman  and  Kemals  Neoturks  engaged   in   exile,
starvation,  slaughter  and  murder, using axes and fire to massacre the
Armenian and Pontic Greek  population  and  perpetrate  the  first  mass
genocide  of  the  20th  century, resulting in the deportation of nearly
2,000,000 Armenians, of whom 1,500,000 men,  women,  and  children  were
killed,  and the remaining 500,000 survived but were expelled from their
homes; and

  WHEREAS, It is imperative to pay tribute to the  survivors  of  this
atrocious  time,  as  well as their descendants, who have made countless
contributions to the enrichment of our culture and our way of life  here
in  the  great  State  of  New  York, and who stand as an inspiration to
oppressed people around the world; and

  WHEREAS, It is vital and proper to remember  those  who  lost  their
lives  in  the Armenian Genocide, and it is paramount that people of all
nations look at  this  horrific  event  in  our  world's  not-so-distant
history as a way to learn a valuable lesson, so that such atrocities are
not tolerated and are never committed again; and

  WHEREAS,  Members  of  the  Armenian and Pontian community honor the
memory of the victims of this genocide and emphasize that crimes against
humanity must be condemned and never be allowed; now, therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim May 19, 2022, as  Armenian
Heritage Day in the State of New York; and be it further

  RESOLVED,  That  a  copy  of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of  New
York.