Reps. Vagnozzi, Accavitti, Ball, Bauer, Bieda, Brandenburg, Brown, Byrum, Caswell, Clack, Dean, Farrah, Garfield, Gonzales, Hammel, Hammon, Hildenbrand, Hoogendyk, Hopgood, Johnson, Rick Jones, Robert Jones, Kathleen Law, Leland, Lemmons, Marleau, Melton, Miller, Pearce, Polidori, Proos, Sak, Shaffer, Spade, Tobocman, Warren and Wojno offered the following resolution:

House Resolution No. 54.

A resolution marking the 62nd anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, and declaring April 18, 2007, as Holocaust Remembrance Day in the state of Michigan.

Whereas, The horrors of the Holocaust should never be forgotten. This year marks the 62nd anniversary of the end of the Holocaust, which was ruthlessly and tragically carried out by Nazi Germany under the leadership of Adolf Hitler and his collaborators; and

Whereas, The Holocaust involved the genocide of millions of innocent Jewish men, women, and children and other minorities throughout Europe.  In addition, there was an enormity of suffering inflicted on the many survivors through mistreatment, brutalization, violence, torture, slave labor, involuntary medical experimentation, death marches, and numerous other acts of cruelty that have come to be known as “crimes against humanity”; and

Whereas, In the past 62 years, the Holocaust has provided the people of the world with a critical lesson in the importance of compassion, caring, and kindness.  The Holocaust also has served as a reminder of the dangers inherent in bigotry, racism, and intolerance in the world; and

Whereas, Recognition of the 62nd anniversary of the end of World War II and the liberation of the concentration camps is crucial. We encourage all Americans to commemorate the occasion through reflection, acts of compassionate caring, and learning about the terrible consequences and lessons of the Holocaust; and

Whereas, On April 18, 2007, we recognize the Holocaust Commemoration Ceremony, Legacies of Justice, in memory of the 62nd anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps and the subsequent prosecution under international law of the major Nazi war criminals at Nuremberg, Germany; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That the members of this legislative body mark the 62nd anniversary of the end of the Holocaust and declare April 18, 2007, as Holocaust Remembrance Day in the state of Michigan.