Thirty Democratic Pennsylvania House members voted against a measure last week to recognize November 7, 2019 as “Victims of Communism Memorial Day.”
Nov. 7 marks 102 years since the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia resulted in the world’s first communist regime under Vladimir Lenin.
A GOP house member proposed a resolution to recognize the victims of communism that said in part:
Whereas, Based on the philosophy of Karl Marx, communism has proven incompatible with the ideals of liberty, prosperity and dignity of human life and has given rise to such infamous totalitarian dictators as Joseph Stalin, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, Pol Pot, Nicolae Ceaușescu, the Castro brothers and the Kim dynasty…
WHEREAS, Communist regimes worldwide have killed more than100 million people and subjected countless others to the worst and widest-spread human rights abuses known to history, with victims representing many different ethnicities, creeds and backgrounds...
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania designate November 7, 2019, as ‘Victims of Communism Memorial Day’ in Pennsylvania.
While the straightforward measure passed, 30 Democrats voted against it.
Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D) called the measure “absurd” and a “political game and farce.”
“I’ll be voting ‘heck, no!’ And I ask my colleagues to do the same.” Kenyatta said on the floor.
(Photo: Manhai/Flickr)