Enrolled  April 18, 2024
Passed  IN  Senate  April 18, 2024
Passed  IN  Assembly  March 21, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 156

Introduced by Assembly Member Papan
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Dixon, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Holden, Hoover, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, and Wood)

March 06, 2024

Relative to Greek Independence Day.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


ACR 156, Papan. Greek Independence Day.
This measure would designate March 25, 2024, as Greek Independence Day.
Fiscal Committee: NO  
WHEREAS, The ancient Greeks developed the concept of democracy, in which the supreme power to govern was vested in the people; and
WHEREAS, The Founding Fathers of the United States drew heavily on the political experience and philosophy of ancient Greece in forming our representative democracy; and
WHEREAS, After centuries of unsuccessful uprisings and failure of the Ottoman Empire to assimilate and convert the Greeks, the Greek War of Independence began in 1821 rising up against 400 years of occupation and oppression by the Ottoman Turks. During the dark years of the Ottoman occupation, thousands were killed and tortured for attending church or teaching their children Greek culture, history, and language; and
WHEREAS, For eight years the fighting ensued, until 1829, when the Sultan Mahmud II, facing Russian troops at the gates of Constantinople, accepted Greek independence with the Treaty of Andrianople; and
WHEREAS, March 25, 2024, marks the 203rd anniversary of the rebellion and the tenacity of the Greek people to stand strong against the Ottoman Empire; and
WHEREAS, Greece played a major role in the World War II struggle to protect freedom and democracy; and
WHEREAS, Sir Winston Churchill said of the Greeks after this fighting, “Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks”; and
WHEREAS, Greece and the United States of America are at the forefront of the effort for freedom, democracy, peace, stability, and human rights; and
WHEREAS, Those and other ideals have forged a close bond between our two nations and their peoples; and
WHEREAS, Greek Independence Day reminds us of the strong principles and bonds that the United States of America and Greece share, including commitment to the democratic ideals of justice and freedom; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 3 million Greek Americans have joined mainstream society and began to make significant contributions as Californians in the fields of finance, technology, law, medicine, education, sports, media, the arts, the military, and government, as well as in other areas; and
WHEREAS, Today, we take special note of those citizens and thank them for their innumerable contributions to our nation’s cultural, economic, and political heritage; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates March 25, 2024, as “Greek Independence Day: A Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy”; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the author for distribution.