AJR92: Joint Resolution Text

LRB-3699/1

SRM:bjk:md

2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE

2009 Assembly JOINT RESOLUTION 92

October 29, 2009 - Introduced by Representatives J. Fitzgerald, Tauchen, Ziegelbauer, Pridemore, Vukmir, Ballweg, Kerkman, Suder, Vos, Newcomer, Mursau, Strachota, Bies, Townsend, Meyer, Knodl, Lothian, Kestell, LeMahieu, Gunderson, Gottlieb, Petrowski, Clark, Davis, A. Ott and M. Williams, cosponsored by Senator S. Fitzgerald. Referred to Committee on Rules.

AJR92,1,2 Relating to: recognizing the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the symbolic end of the Cold War.

AJR92,1,4 Whereas, November 9, 2009, marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the symbolic end of the Cold War; and

AJR92,1,6 Whereas, the Cold War was an enduring struggle between communism and democracy throughout the second half of the 20th century; and

AJR92,1,12 Whereas, the last United States president to speak at the Brandenburg Gate prior to the destruction of the Berlin Wall was President Ronald Reagan, who, in June 1987, stated, "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"; and

AJR92,2,2 Whereas, two years later, in September 1989, protests that the East Germans called the "Peaceful Revolution" broke out, with protestors at first chanting "We want out!", and then gradually changing that protest cry to "We're staying here!", demonstrating their desire for democracy in their part of Germany; and

AJR92,2,6 Whereas, on November 9, 1989, in response to protests that had grown to include over 1,000,000 people in Berlin's Alexanderplatz, Gunter Schabowski, the communist East German minister of propaganda, announced that the border would be opened for "private trips abroad"; and

AJR92,2,10 Whereas, thousands of people in East Berlin immediately flooded the checkpoints at the Berlin Wall and demanded entry into West Berlin causing the overwhelmed East German border guards to open the border checkpoints to allow people to cross into West Berlin; and

AJR92,2,14 Whereas, people in West Berlin enthusiastically greeted those coming across from East Berlin, dancing atop the Berlin Wall and hammering chunks out of it until a section opened through which more East Germans walked and shouted out "Freedom! Freedom! Just once, Freedom!"; and

AJR92,2,19 Whereas, over 400,000,000 people were freed from the bondage of communism at the end of the Cold War in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, East Germany, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania; and

AJR92,2,21 Whereas, the victory of the United States in the Cold War will signify freedom from oppression for decades to come; and

AJR92,2,23 Whereas, Berlin, Germany, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with the "Festival of Freedom"; and

AJR92,3,3 Whereas, the fall of the Berlin Wall was one of the most significant events of the 20th century and symbolized the triumph of democracy over communism; now, therefore, be it

AJR92,3,6 Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That the members of the Wisconsin state legislature recognize November 9, 2009, as the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall; and, be it further

AJR92,3,10 Resolved, That the members of the Wisconsin state legislature celebrate 20 years of freedom from the bondage of communism with the people of the former communist countries, and acknowledge the symbolic triumph of democracy over communism.

AJR92,3,11 (End)