Hoyer Statement on the Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement marking the 102nd anniversary of the Armenian genocide:

“On this day in 1915, the arrest of Armenian social, political, and intellectual leaders launched a four-year campaign of genocide that took the lives of 1.5 million men, women, and children.  As we mark this anniversary, not only must we recommit ourselves to the remembrance of the twentieth century’s first genocide but also work to prevent ethnic killing in the twenty-first century.  For over seventy years, American leadership has made the world a safer place and helped stop or prevent attempts at mass murder.  We must not abdicate our special responsibility or our global moral leadership; to do so would make the world less safe from tyranny and the forces of intolerance.  In the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide, many survivors found refuge on our shores, and Armenian Americans today understand just how important it is that the United States remain a beacon of hope and safe harbor to those fleeing violence and murder.  I hope all Americans will join in honoring the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide on this very solemn and sad day of remembrance.”