CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1951 Work He Has Done in the Pennsylvania Asso- Lives of Some 50 Rhodes Jews
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October 11, 2004 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1951 work he has done in the Pennsylvania Asso- lives of some 50 Rhodes Jews. He was their Ted, and with the guidance of their mother, ciation of Realtors. The Pennsylvania Associa- only line of defense against the final solution. Chairwoman Florence Fang, AsianWeek tion of Realtors Distinguished Service and Na- The remainder of Rhodes Jews all were de- reaches a broad cross-section of Americans, tional Award Chip received is a most pres- ported to Auschwitz, where 90% of them per- from recent arrivals in the immigrant commu- tigious honor and one that appropriately ac- ished. nity to leaders of national stature in business, knowledges Chip’s outstanding contributions The story doesn’t end there. Shortly after politics, academia and culture. Its mission is to to his profession and community. the release of the Turkish Jews and their fami- tell the story of Asian Pacific American life, to f lies, the Germans—perhaps having discovered provide a forum in matters of importance to its that Consul-General Ulkumen had tricked readership, and to involve Asian Pacific Ameri- HOLOCAUST MUSEUM TO HONOR them regarding Turkish law—took their re- cans meaningfully in the nation’s political proc- TURKISH DIPLOMAT FOR SAVING venge. They bombed the Turkish Consulate ess. JEWISH LIVES on Rhodes. Consul-General Ulkumen escaped To this end, the paper recently scored an harm, but his pregnant wife did not. She was important exclusive among the Asian Amer- HON. TOM LANTOS seriously wounded—mortally, it turned out a ican press: an interview with presidential nomi- OF CALIFORNIA few weeks later. But, before she died, she nee JOHN KERRY, who discussed a range of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES managed to give birth. Ulkumen himself died subjects with editor-in-chief Samson Wong, from a proposed federal program combating Friday, October 8, 2004 last year at the age of 89, but the product of that pregnancy, a son—now a 60-year-old hate crimes to the new vistas that have Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on October man—will accept the Holocaust Museum’s opened for his niece, a toddler adopted in 26th, the Holocaust Memorial Museum will award on his late father’s behalf. China. honor former Turkish diplomat Selahattin Ulkumen went on to hold many distin- But perhaps more important than any single Ulkumen. Few honors anywhere have been guished positions in the Turkish foreign serv- story, AsianWeek aspires with every edition to more deserved. ice before retiring in the 1970s. Yad Vashem deliver consistent, high-quality information on In 1944, Mr. Selahattin was a young dip- paid tribute to his courage in 1990 by naming all manner of subjects of interest to its target lomat who stared down German military au- him one of the ‘‘Righteous Among the Na- readership. For these efforts, it has won sev- thorities on the occupied island of Rhodes, tions’’ and planting a tree in his honor. He was eral awards—both for overall coverage and in- convincing them to rescind the deportation or- the first Muslim ever to receive this honor. In dividual citations from New California Media, a ders of 50 Jews and their families and saving 2001, his own nation bestowed its highest national association of more than 700 ethnic them from certain death. He paid a painful award on Ulkumen—the Supreme Service media organizations. price for his courage. Medal—for his Holocaust-era heroism on be- The paper also provides place where dis- Today Rhodes is part of Greece, but it was half of Jews. parate views on those subjects can be freely part of the Ottoman Empire from 1522 to 1912 In both Judaism and Islam, it is said that expressed. Dedicated to promoting discussion and under Italian control from 1912 through saving one life is like saving the world. Thanks among people whose backgrounds include the most of World War II. There were 1,700 Jews to Mr. Ulkumen, several family trees flourish many ethnic groups of South Asia, Southeast on the island when Germany took over today that otherwise would have been elimi- Asia and the Pacific, AsianWeek describes Rhodes in 1943, after the death of Mussolini nated forever. He put his life—and that of his itself as ‘‘The Voice of Asian America.’’ hastened the disintegration of Italian rule. family—at risk rather than compromise his be- Mr. Speaker, may the Asian Pacific Amer- On July 19, 1944, the Gestapo ordered all lief in equality and his commitment to the ican community, and U.S. society as a whole, Jews on Rhodes to report for ‘‘temporary sanctity of human life. Unfortunately for Eu- continue to benefit from the availability of this transportation to a small island nearby.’’ Ev- rope’s Jews, bravery of his sort was all-too- eloquent and extraordinary voice. erybody knew what that meant. They were to rare. I commend the Holocaust Museum for f be transported—and not temporarily—to venerating the memory of Selahattin Ulkumen PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION Auschwitz. and his deeds and for bestowing this honor on OF H.R. 10, 9/11 RECOMMENDA- When the Jews were rounded up, Consul- this profoundly honorable man. TIONS IMPLEMENTATION ACT General Ulkumen went immediately to the de- f tention center and demanded the release of SPEECH OF the Jews who were Turkish citizens, as well CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF THE as their spouses and families. The German NEWSPAPER ASIANWEEK HON. SHEILA JACKSON-LEE commander refused at first, but Ulkumen per- OF TEXAS sisted, claiming that deportation of Turkish citi- HON. TOM LANTOS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, October 7, 2004 zens would violate German-Turkish treaties OF CALIFORNIA and boldly asserting that neutral and neigh- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, boring Turkey would raise the matter to the it pleases me that the Committee on Rules Friday, October 8, 2004 level of an ‘‘international incident’’ if Turkish had the prudence to make the amendment of- citizens were deported. In the eyes of Turkish Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, a distinguished, fered by the gentleman from New Jersey, Mr. law, he said, all citizens are equal. nationally-distributed newspaper based in San MENENDEZ, in order. This important amend- The German commander finally relented, Francisco is celebrating its 25th anniversary. ment has been endorsed by the 9/11 Commis- but insisted that only Jews with citizenship pa- Today I would like to ask my colleagues to sion and embodies the provisions found in the pers—a total of 13—would be released, not join me in saluting a quarter-century of Collins/Lieberman proposal, S. 2845 and the their spouses and families. Ulkumen, however, achievement by this important information re- McCain/Lieberman proposal, S. 2774. would not give ground. According to Turkish source, AsianWeek. Nevertheless, I am disappointed that we law, he said indignantly, the spouses and fam- Founded in 1979 by John T.C. Fang, who only have 3 hours and 40 minutes of general ilies of Turkish citizens ARE Turkish citizens. came to the United States from China in the debate to divide between eight of the many He was lying through his teeth. There was no early 1950s, AsianWeek now boasts a con- committees of jurisdiction with respect to this such Turkish law. But the German commander firmed readership of 175,000 people in its print legislation. In our work on H.R. 10, we have fell for it, and, after a few days, agreed to re- form and countless others on-line. It is the a duty to take into account the families that lease the spouses and families. In at least one only English language, national newsweekly will be affected. We in this august body have instance, the husband of a Jewish Turkish cit- chronicling the Asian Pacific American experi- a duty to take into account that these fami- izen actually was taken off a train already ence in all its variety. AsianWeek also offers lies—in fact, all American families, will be wait- bound from the Greek port of Piraeus to an opportunity for Americans as a whole to ing and watching to see if this body will act re- Auschwitz after Ulkumen won his point. learn about issues of particular importance to sponsibly, appropriately, and adequately. Ulkumen also managed to win the release of one of the country’s fastest-growing commu- The base bill includes over 50 extraneous some 25–30 Jews who were former Turkish nities, including civil rights, immigration, em- provisions that were not recommended by the citizens but had allowed their citizenship to ployment, and international affairs. 9/11 Commission. Within these extraneous lapse. John Fang launched the paper to help his provisions are legislative ‘‘poison pills’’ that will In all, according to the website of Israel’s fellow new Americans better themselves, and ultimately frustrate our overall purpose—to Yad Vashem Memorial Museum, Ulkumen his legacy has passed to his family: Now pub- make America safe. These poison pills in- managed to win the freedom and save the lished by his son James and edited his son clude: VerDate Aug 04 2004 02:50 Oct 13, 2004 Jkt 039060 PO 00000 Frm 00085 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K08OC8.002 E11PT1 E1952 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks October 11, 2004 Giving the President ‘‘fast track’’ authority to even more challenging during a time of mili- HONORING MARY MILLS reorganize the intelligence agencies, under- tary conflict. The chairman and ranking mem- mining the reforms recommended by the 9/11 ber have succeeded admirably in this endeav- HON.