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WHEREAS, the denial of the Armenian genocide by the present-day Turkish <br />government serves to taint history and disavows Armenians of the <br />right to their homeland and heritage; and <br />WHEREAS, ancestral Armenian lands taken by the Ottoman Turks have not <br />been returned to the Armenian people, nor have the Armenians <br />received compensation for their losses; and <br />WHEREAS, Armenians have traditionally designated April 24~" as ARMENIAN <br />MARTYRS DAY, in recognition and remembrance of those who died <br />during the Armenian genocide; and <br />WHEREAS, it is important to remember history so that mistakes of the past are <br />not repeated in future generations; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, do we, the Commissioners of Orange County, proclaim April 24, 2000 as <br />ARMENIAN MARTYRS DAY and commend this observance to all Orange County <br />citizens. <br />VOTE: UNANIMOUS <br />b. Proclamation for Fair Hausing Month, April, 2aaa <br />The Board considered proclaiming April as Fair Housing Month. <br />Sheila O'Donnell from the Department of Human Rights and Relations presented this <br />proclamation. She said that 32 years ago this month, congress passed the Federal Fair Housing <br />Act and the Orange County ordinance mirrors this act. The purpose of these laws is to ensure <br />equal housing opportunities to everyone regardless of race, color, national origin, disability, etc. <br />A motion was made by Commissioner Gordon, seconded by Commissioner Halkiotis to <br />approve and authorize the Chair to sign the proclamation as stated below: <br />PROCLAMATION <br />FAIR HOUSING MONTH <br />WHEREAS, April, 2000 marks the thirty-second anniversary of Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of <br />1968, the Federal Fair Housing Act, which provides far equal opportunity for all <br />people in the sale, rental, and financing of housing, and prohibits housing <br />discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, or national origin; and <br />WHEREAS, the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 added familial status and handicap to <br />those classes protected by Title VIII and added strong new rights, remedies, <br />monetary penalties, and judicial and administrative enforcement procedures; and <br />WHEREAS, the Orange County Board of Commissioners enacted the Orange County Civil <br />Rights Ordinance on June 6, 1994, which affords to the residents of Orange County <br />the protections guaranteed by Title VIII and additionally encompasses the protected <br />classes of veteran status and age; and <br />WHEREAS, in spite of the protections afforded by the Orange County Civil Rights Ordinance and <br />Title VIII as amended, illegal hauling discrimination still occurs in our nation and in <br />our county; <br />NOW, THEREFORE, do we, the Commissioners of Orange County, proclaim April, 2000 as FAIR <br />HOUSING DAY and commend this observance to all Orange County citizens. <br />