SR0752 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0752 LRB097 21390 KXB 69427 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Polish Constitution Day has been celebrated in Chicago, home of the largest Polish community outside of Warsaw, Poland, for 115 years; and

WHEREAS, The Polish Constitution was the first democratic constitution in Europe and the second in the world after the United States Constitution; it was ratified on May 3, 1791; and

WHEREAS, The Polish Constitution demonstrates the commitment of Poles to human rights, to protection from jail without a trial, and to religious freedom, especially for European Jews, who at the time faced discrimination in most European nations; and

WHEREAS, Poles celebrate the Constitution for its ideals, that liberty and independence are vital to the strength of a people and a nation, and that a government that does not respect the rights of its people cannot and should not survive; and

WHEREAS, Polish Constitution Day was celebrated with a parade in Chicago on May 5, 2012; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we designate May 3, 2012 as "Polish Constitution Day" in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we stand with Illinois' Polish community in showing our appreciation for the commitment to democracy expressed in the Polish Constitution.