Apr 22
White House Commemorates More Than 100 Million Lives Lost at the Hands of Communism
House resolution supports designation of annual “Victims of Communism Memorial Day”
Victims of Communism Memorial Statue of the Goddess of Democracy (The Epoch Times)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — This Tuesday, Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-IL), Co-Chair of the Victims of Communism Caucus, introduced a House Resolution expressing support for the designation of November 7th as the annual ‘‘Victims of Communism Memorial Day’’.
The resolution, co-sponsored by Reps. Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Jeff Duncan (R-SC), fellow Co-Chairs of the VOC Caucus, lists the crimes committed by communist regimes (which have murdered one hundred million people), condemns the destructive effects of Marxism, and calls on the President to issue a yearly proclamation declaring November 7th as National Day for the Victims of Communism. See the White House’s statement on the National Day for the Victims of Communism here.
Marion Smith, Executive Director of the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC), notes the following regarding the passage of the resolution: “The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation applauds the introduction of the House Resolution establishing November 7th as Victims of Communism Memorial Day. We are glad that Congress is joining the nine states that have already introduced or passed such legislation, and hope this important bill will move quickly through the House. At a time when ignorance of socialism is growing and communist countries like China, Cuba, and North Korea remain threats, we need to be reminded of the one hundred million victims of communism who perished in the past century and the threat to liberty that communism still poses. Opposition to communism and appreciation of democracy have always been bipartisan and must remain so today. Marxism has no place in America’s political life.”
Rep. Jeff Duncan notes that he is “proud to lead this important resolution to designate November 7th as the Victims of Communism Memorial Day with my fellow Co-Chair of the Caucus for the Victims of Communism, Congressman Dan Lipinski. Our nation stands with victims of communism across the globe, remembers those who have died or endured suffering under communist regimes, and supports those that are continuing the fight for freedom under tyrannical rule. The United States will always stand for liberty, and I pray this liberty will continue to spread across the world.”
Rep. Dan Lipinski notes the following: “I’m proud to introduce this resolution to designate November 7th as Victims of Communism Memorial Day. I vividly recall visiting Berlin 30 years ago this week right after the gates opened and the Wall began to fall. I’ll never forget watching Germans from the East experiencing freedom, many for the first time ever. I also remember seeing East Berlin and the incredibly stark contrast between two sides of the same city. This experience helped inspire me to create and co-chair the Congressional Victims of Communism Caucus. Unfortunately the horrors of communism are not over, so we need this day to remind everyone of the past and current victims of communism, and remind Americans of the need to continue the fight for every person’s God-given right to freedom.”
Rep. Chris Smith said that “[w]hile we memorialize the many victims of communism and celebrate the collapse of the Berlin Wall this week, we need also to remember those – particularly in China, Cuba, North Korea and Vietnam – who still suffer from Communist oppression. We in America must lift high the banner of Freedom which so inspires people in places like Hong Kong, and resist anew the siren call of Socialism, which sadly infects some in the younger generation everywhere who are too-often unaware of the oppressive legacy of socialist extremism. May we never forget.”
