Madam Speaker, 180 years ago the Greek people rose against the
Ottoman Empire to free themselves from oppression and to
reestablish not only a free and independent state, but a country
that would eventually regain her ancient status as a democracy.
In congratulating the people of Greece on the anniversary of
their revolution, I join in recognizing the distinction earned
by Greece as the birthplace of democracy and her special
relationship with the United States in our fight together
against Nazism, communism and other aggression in the last
century alone. Yes, democrats around the world should recognize
and celebrate this day together with Greece to reaffirm our
common democratic heritage. Yet, Mr. Speaker, while the ancient
Greeks forged the notion of democracy, and many Greeks of the
last century fought to regain democracy, careful analyses of the
political and basic human freedoms climate in today's Greece
paint a sobering picture of how fundamental and precious
freedoms are treated. Taking a look at the i