21377 Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Hon. Diana
December 19, 2011 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 157, Pt. 15 21377 membership would grow to encompass nearly great extent, the movement that brought down ern Sahara in order to promote regional inte- one-third of Poland’s working-age population, the Wall was ‘‘made in Poland,’’ or at least gration and protect U.S. security interests in but its influence was beyond measure. More- owes an immense debt to the Poles. For 45 the region. over, Solidarity ultimately brought together di- years the Poles took the lead, within eastern f verse segments of the population—workers Europe, in pushing back on communist rule, HONORING THE LIFE OF RON and peasants, students and intellectuals—that testing the limits of what the Soviets would tol- LYLE had not previously worked together for a com- erate. In other words, taking the risks. The mon cause. And in Solidarity, one could see a rhythm of Polish uprisings and mass move- nation acting for a high moral purpose, in- ments against communism is instructive: in HON. DIANA DeGETTE formed by church and conscience, and by a 1944, the Nazis, with nearby Soviet forces OF COLORADO tradition of Polish patriotism. blocking allied assistance, crushed the War- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Inevitably, Solidarity was seen as a threat saw Uprising; 12 years later, in 1956, the Monday, December 19, 2011 not only to the communist authorities in War- Poles were rioting again, and they wrung con- Ms. DEGETTE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to saw, but to their taskmasters in Moscow, who cessions out of the communist government; 12 honor Ron Lyle, a Colorado resident and pro- escalated pressure on Warsaw to impose a years later, in 1968–1970, the same thing fessional boxer who passed away late last crackdown that would silence the growing happened; then six later, in 1976; then 3 years month.
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