‘We’ll never stand by while others suffer’

Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi publishes a statement on Holocaust Remembrance Day:

On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the memories of millions of children, women, and men murdered for their identities and their faith. We remember them by rededicating ourselves to speaking out against injustice and inequality, bigotry and brutality. In their name, we vow to never forget and never to stand by while others suffer.

The late Congressman Tom Lantos, the first Holocaust survivor to serve in the US Congress, once said, ‘We must remember that the veneer of civilization is paper thin. We are its guardians, and we can never rest.’ As a nation founded on ideals of equality and freedom, we must never rest when extremism and prejudice threaten any group, anywhere in the world.

Holocaust Remembrance Day reminds us of the danger of remaining silent when we see acts of bigotry and discrimination that can metastasize into violence and genocide. Today, as we reflect on one of the most brutal chapters in human history, we draw fresh determination to fight the toxic anti-Semitism and hate that persists in our own day. Let us honor those who died, draw strength from the spirit of those who survived, and renew our vow to build a world of peace, justice and dignity for all.