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SUPPORT H. RES. 106 AND S. RES. 106 RECOGNIZING THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
By Gene Rossides
Hellenic News of America, PA
April 11 2007
If you want to support the rule of law in international affairs;
if you want the U.S. Congress officially to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, the first holocaust in the 20th century; if you want to
publicize genocides so as to help stop current genocides and help
prevent future genocides, then support H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106,
the bipartisan resolutions in the House and Senate which recognize
the Armenian Genocide.
H. Rees. 106 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
on January 30, 2007 by Representative Adam Schiff (D-29th CA) for
himself and co-sponsors Representatives George Radanovich (R-19th
CA), Frank Pallone (D-6th NJ), Joseph Knollenberg (R-9th MI), Brad
Sherman (D-27th CA), and Thaddeus McCotter (R-11th MI). H. Res. 106
was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Chairman Tom
Lantos (D-12th CA) has not scheduled a vote.
As of April 5, 2007, there are 184 co-sponsors of H. Res. 106. House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indicated she will seek a vote on H. Res.
106 but has not set a date. In my judgment, if a vote is allowed in
the House, H. Res. 106 will pass.
S. Res. 106 was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Richard J.
Durbin (D-IL), Majority Whip, with 25 co-sponsors as of April
5, 2007. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is one of the original
co-sponsors. S. Res. 106 was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
In previous years, the Bush administration and the previous Clinton
administration were, unfortunately, able to convince Congress not
to allow a vote. This year Speaker Pelosi, with bipartisan support,
hopefully will allow the Congress to act on H. Res. 106.
The Turkish government is going all-out to prevent a vote. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates have
written a joint letter to Congressional leaders, including committee
chairs, opposing the Armenian Genocide resolutions by Congress.
Representative Adam Schiff
The appeasement of Turkey, a disloyal ally, by Gates and Rice
is embarrassing. On March 21, 2007 there was an exchange between
Representative Adam Schiff and Secretary Rice during a hearing before
the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs. Secretary Rice repeatedly refused to state that
the murder of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 by Turkey
was genocide.
Mr. Schiff asked Rice: ?Do you have any doubt in your mind, that the
murder of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 constituted
genocide? Is there any doubt about that in your mind?? Rice responded
with the standard State Department response: ?Congressman, I think
these historical circumstances require a very detailed and sober look
from historians and what we?ve encouraged the Turks and the Armenians
to do is to have joint historical commissions that can look at this,
to have efforts to examine their past and, in examining their past,
to get over their past?.?
Mr. Schiff then asked: ?Is there any historic debate outside of
Turkey? Is there any reputable historian you?re aware of that
takes issue with the fact that the murder of 1.5 million Armenians
constituted genocide??
Secretary Rice again refused to directly answer this and several
other questions and gave the evasive State Department position.
The French Parliament last year passed a law stating that denial of
the Armenian Genocide would be a crime. The French Parliament did
not give in to the Turkish threats of economic retaliation and stood
tall. The U.S. should do the same.
Time Magazine
In the June 6, 2005 issue of its European edition, Time Magazine ran
a four-page advertisement, placed by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce,
promoting tourism in Turkey, together with a DVD which contained a
70-minute segment that completely denied the Armenian Genocide and
distorted the facts. The DVD also contained numerous false allegations
against the Armenian people.
Following protests by Armenian National Committee branches worldwide,
Time Magazine published in its October 17, 2005 European edition a
letter to the editors of Time-Europe by leading French, Armenian,
Jewish and human rights organizations. The publication was required
by France?s ?right to reply? laws for those unfairly attacked in
its pages.
Time also ran a brief apology alongside the letter stating: ?Time
regrets distributing the dvd and we are very sorry for the offense
it has caused. The so-called documentary portion of the dvd presents
a one-sided view of history that does not meet our standards for
fairness and accuracy, and we would not have distributed it had we
been aware of its content. Unfortunately the dvd was not adequately
reviewed by anyone at Time because it was believed to be a benign
promotion piece. We have since changed our review process so as to
guarantee more vigilance in future. We apologize to the Armenian
community and to our readers.?
In December 2005 the French organizations together with the
Switzerland-Armenia Association (SAA), the French Association of
Armenian Lawyers and Jurists (AFAJA), the European Armenian Federation
for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) and the California Courier newspaper
?reached an amicable agreement with Time executives ensuring the
facts of the Armenian Genocide are not distorted again in the pages
of the magazine.?
Thereafter, Michael Elliot, editor of Time International stated in
a letter to California Courier publisher Harut Sassounian: ?Please
be advised that, in common with other leading news organizations, it
is Time?s policy and practice to refer to the Armenian genocide as a
historical fact. Accordingly, I will be informing our correspondents
and editors that the term ?Armenian genocide? should be used without
qualification.?
And most recently and by continued effort of Armenian organizations
and non-Armenian organizations, Time Magazine in its February 12,
2007 European edition carried a full page factual announcement on
the Armenian Genocide, together with a complimentary dvd in English
and French ?which contains a compelling 52 minute documentary on
the Armenian genocide by French director Laurence Jourdan? and ?a 46
minute interview with Dr. Yves Temon, a leading expert on the Armenian
Genocide.? The full-page statement and the dvd were provided free of
charge by Time Europe (circulation 550,000).
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA) said ?We welcome Time Magazine?s judgment that ? in
the interest of its readers? right to accurate reporting- the Armenian
Genocide should be reported as a fact, without qualification. This
announcement by Time, along with similar policy statements by the New
York Times, the Boston Globe, and many other leading publications,
only increases the pressure on the administration to abandon its
morally bankrupt complicity in the Turkish government?s denial of
its crime against the Armenian nation.?
The above actions by Armenian and non-Armenian organizations
demonstrate that actions by groups, their individual members and by
citizens at large do have an impact.
I urge our many Greek American organizations, their members and Greek
Americans at large to support our fellow Armenian American citizens
with political action. Specifically, I urge them to contact Speaker
Pelosi and their own Representative and two Senators and urge their
full support of H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106 and particularly urge
them in the interests of the U.S. to have a vote on these resolutions.
It is easy to call your Representative and two Senators by dialing
the central Capital switchboard telephone number 202-224-3121 and
ask for your Representative and Senators. Also make sure to write them.
The addresses for letters to House and Senate members are:
The Honorable ___________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable ____________
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
They should also contact Secretaries Rice and Gates and express
disappointment and disagreement with their basically denialist position
on the Armenian Genocide.
The address for Secretary Rice is:
U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000
The address for Secretary Gates is:
Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000
Finally, call and write to President George W. Bush and urge him to
support the Armenian Genocide resolutions.
To call the President:
Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414
To write to the President:
President George W. Bush
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Please take action- it can help.
Gene Rossides is President of the American Hellenic Institute and
former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
http://www.hellenicnews.com/readnews.htm l?newsid=6657&lang=US
By Gene Rossides
Hellenic News of America, PA
April 11 2007
If you want to support the rule of law in international affairs;
if you want the U.S. Congress officially to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, the first holocaust in the 20th century; if you want to
publicize genocides so as to help stop current genocides and help
prevent future genocides, then support H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106,
the bipartisan resolutions in the House and Senate which recognize
the Armenian Genocide.
H. Rees. 106 was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
on January 30, 2007 by Representative Adam Schiff (D-29th CA) for
himself and co-sponsors Representatives George Radanovich (R-19th
CA), Frank Pallone (D-6th NJ), Joseph Knollenberg (R-9th MI), Brad
Sherman (D-27th CA), and Thaddeus McCotter (R-11th MI). H. Res. 106
was referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Chairman Tom
Lantos (D-12th CA) has not scheduled a vote.
As of April 5, 2007, there are 184 co-sponsors of H. Res. 106. House
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has indicated she will seek a vote on H. Res.
106 but has not set a date. In my judgment, if a vote is allowed in
the House, H. Res. 106 will pass.
S. Res. 106 was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senator Richard J.
Durbin (D-IL), Majority Whip, with 25 co-sponsors as of April
5, 2007. Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) is one of the original
co-sponsors. S. Res. 106 was referred to the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
In previous years, the Bush administration and the previous Clinton
administration were, unfortunately, able to convince Congress not
to allow a vote. This year Speaker Pelosi, with bipartisan support,
hopefully will allow the Congress to act on H. Res. 106.
The Turkish government is going all-out to prevent a vote. Secretary of
State Condoleezza Rice and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates have
written a joint letter to Congressional leaders, including committee
chairs, opposing the Armenian Genocide resolutions by Congress.
Representative Adam Schiff
The appeasement of Turkey, a disloyal ally, by Gates and Rice
is embarrassing. On March 21, 2007 there was an exchange between
Representative Adam Schiff and Secretary Rice during a hearing before
the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and
Related Programs. Secretary Rice repeatedly refused to state that
the murder of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 by Turkey
was genocide.
Mr. Schiff asked Rice: ?Do you have any doubt in your mind, that the
murder of 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1923 constituted
genocide? Is there any doubt about that in your mind?? Rice responded
with the standard State Department response: ?Congressman, I think
these historical circumstances require a very detailed and sober look
from historians and what we?ve encouraged the Turks and the Armenians
to do is to have joint historical commissions that can look at this,
to have efforts to examine their past and, in examining their past,
to get over their past?.?
Mr. Schiff then asked: ?Is there any historic debate outside of
Turkey? Is there any reputable historian you?re aware of that
takes issue with the fact that the murder of 1.5 million Armenians
constituted genocide??
Secretary Rice again refused to directly answer this and several
other questions and gave the evasive State Department position.
The French Parliament last year passed a law stating that denial of
the Armenian Genocide would be a crime. The French Parliament did
not give in to the Turkish threats of economic retaliation and stood
tall. The U.S. should do the same.
Time Magazine
In the June 6, 2005 issue of its European edition, Time Magazine ran
a four-page advertisement, placed by the Ankara Chamber of Commerce,
promoting tourism in Turkey, together with a DVD which contained a
70-minute segment that completely denied the Armenian Genocide and
distorted the facts. The DVD also contained numerous false allegations
against the Armenian people.
Following protests by Armenian National Committee branches worldwide,
Time Magazine published in its October 17, 2005 European edition a
letter to the editors of Time-Europe by leading French, Armenian,
Jewish and human rights organizations. The publication was required
by France?s ?right to reply? laws for those unfairly attacked in
its pages.
Time also ran a brief apology alongside the letter stating: ?Time
regrets distributing the dvd and we are very sorry for the offense
it has caused. The so-called documentary portion of the dvd presents
a one-sided view of history that does not meet our standards for
fairness and accuracy, and we would not have distributed it had we
been aware of its content. Unfortunately the dvd was not adequately
reviewed by anyone at Time because it was believed to be a benign
promotion piece. We have since changed our review process so as to
guarantee more vigilance in future. We apologize to the Armenian
community and to our readers.?
In December 2005 the French organizations together with the
Switzerland-Armenia Association (SAA), the French Association of
Armenian Lawyers and Jurists (AFAJA), the European Armenian Federation
for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD) and the California Courier newspaper
?reached an amicable agreement with Time executives ensuring the
facts of the Armenian Genocide are not distorted again in the pages
of the magazine.?
Thereafter, Michael Elliot, editor of Time International stated in
a letter to California Courier publisher Harut Sassounian: ?Please
be advised that, in common with other leading news organizations, it
is Time?s policy and practice to refer to the Armenian genocide as a
historical fact. Accordingly, I will be informing our correspondents
and editors that the term ?Armenian genocide? should be used without
qualification.?
And most recently and by continued effort of Armenian organizations
and non-Armenian organizations, Time Magazine in its February 12,
2007 European edition carried a full page factual announcement on
the Armenian Genocide, together with a complimentary dvd in English
and French ?which contains a compelling 52 minute documentary on
the Armenian genocide by French director Laurence Jourdan? and ?a 46
minute interview with Dr. Yves Temon, a leading expert on the Armenian
Genocide.? The full-page statement and the dvd were provided free of
charge by Time Europe (circulation 550,000).
Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA) said ?We welcome Time Magazine?s judgment that ? in
the interest of its readers? right to accurate reporting- the Armenian
Genocide should be reported as a fact, without qualification. This
announcement by Time, along with similar policy statements by the New
York Times, the Boston Globe, and many other leading publications,
only increases the pressure on the administration to abandon its
morally bankrupt complicity in the Turkish government?s denial of
its crime against the Armenian nation.?
The above actions by Armenian and non-Armenian organizations
demonstrate that actions by groups, their individual members and by
citizens at large do have an impact.
I urge our many Greek American organizations, their members and Greek
Americans at large to support our fellow Armenian American citizens
with political action. Specifically, I urge them to contact Speaker
Pelosi and their own Representative and two Senators and urge their
full support of H. Res. 106 and S. Res. 106 and particularly urge
them in the interests of the U.S. to have a vote on these resolutions.
It is easy to call your Representative and two Senators by dialing
the central Capital switchboard telephone number 202-224-3121 and
ask for your Representative and Senators. Also make sure to write them.
The addresses for letters to House and Senate members are:
The Honorable ___________
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable ____________
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
They should also contact Secretaries Rice and Gates and express
disappointment and disagreement with their basically denialist position
on the Armenian Genocide.
The address for Secretary Rice is:
U.S. Department of State 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520
Main Switchboard: 202-647-4000
The address for Secretary Gates is:
Secretary of Defense 1000 Defense Pentagon Washington, DC 20301-1000
Finally, call and write to President George W. Bush and urge him to
support the Armenian Genocide resolutions.
To call the President:
Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414
To write to the President:
President George W. Bush
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Please take action- it can help.
Gene Rossides is President of the American Hellenic Institute and
former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury
http://www.hellenicnews.com/readnews.htm l?newsid=6657&lang=US