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Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
August 19, 2007
Contact: Sevag Arzoumanian
Tel: 617-233-3174
FOXMAN FORCES SHAKEUP IN NEW ENGLAND ADL
-- ADL National Leader Fires Regional Director Andrew H. Tarsy; Two Regional
Board Members Resign in Protest
-- ANC Calls for ADL National Leadership to End Genocide Denial; Support
Armenian Genocide Legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106)
WATERTOWN, MA - Turmoil in the New England Regional Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) continued this weekend with two Board Members resigning following the
firing of Regional Director Andrew H. Tarsy, for public calls on ADL
National Director Abe Foxman to reverse policy and properly characterize the
Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of Eastern
Massachusetts (ANC-EM).
`We are disappointed and outraged to hear that Mr. Tarsy was removed from
his position simply for speaking openly and honestly about the Armenian
Genocide,' stated ANCEM chairperson Sharistan Melkonian. `Mr. Foxman and the
ADL National Leadership are clearly out of step with their own membership,
who have rightly concluded that genocide denial is morally indefensible and
will only serve to diminish the credibility of this once-respected civil
rights organization.'
Reports of Tarsy's firing and the resignations by Stewart L. Cohen and
Boston City Councilman Mike Ross came just days after the New England ADL
Board voted to call on the ADL National leadership to reverse their
position, properly characterize the Armenian Genocide as `genocide,' and
support Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106). According to
an August 17th Boston Globe article, Tarsy told reporter Keith O'Brien, "I
strongly disagree with ADL's national position. It's my strong hope that
we'll be able to move forward in a relationship with the Armenian community
and the community in general." Just 48 hours prior, Tarsy had defended the
ADL National's genocide denial position at the Watertown Town Council.
Tarsy, clearly uncomfortable in his remarks before the capacity crowd at the
Council meeting, was challenged when he evaded the word `genocide' in
describing the murder of over 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman
Turkish government from 1915-1923. A myriad of Watertown residents urged the
Town Council to take action, including ANC-EM spokesperson Grace Kehetian
Kulegian, who stated `on behalf of Watertown's Armenian community - and our
century-long history of service and sacrifice for our town - we call upon
the Town Council to dissociate itself from the ADL until such time that: The
Anti-Defamation League, through its National Director, Mr. Foxman, openly
and unequivocally acknowledges the Armenian Genocide and supports
congressional affirmation of this crime against humanity.
The Watertown Town Council voted unanimously that evening to cut ties with
the ADL, by disassociating with their `No Place for Hate' program.
Following the New England ADL's public call for ADL National to reverse
their position, the National ADL posted an `Open Letter to the New England
Community,' refraining from characterizing the events of 1915-1923 as
`genocide.' The letter also claimed that the ADL `takes no position' on
Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106) while stating `We
believe that legislative efforts outside of Turkey are counterproductive to
the goal of having Turkey itself come to grips with its past.'
`Mr. Foxman is sadly reading from a page in the Turkish government's
genocide denial playbook,' stated Melkonian. `Instead of helping Turkey
confront this dark page in human history, the ADL is enabling its continued
genocide denial - a decision which comes at the expense of its own
reputation." The ADL statement comes as additional towns in Massachusetts
prepare to follow Watertown's lead in ending their association with the ADL
and Armenian Genocide denial.
Foxman's claims of neutrality regarding Armenian Genocide legislation
contradict earlier published statements in the Boston Globe and Los Angeles
Times, where Foxman noted `The Turks and Armenians need to revisit their
past. The Jewish community shouldn't be the arbiter of that history. And I
don't think the U.S. Congress should be the arbiter either.' According to
press reports, Foxman joined the American Jewish Committee, B'nai B'rith and
JINSA in forwarding a letter from Turkey's Jewish Community citing concerns
about Armenian Genocide legislation to Members of Congress. According to an
April 27th Jewish Telegraphic Agency article by Ron Kampeas, the ADL and
JINSA `added their own statements opposing the bill.'
The Watertown - ADL controversy erupted in recent weeks, with Boston area
civil rights advocates, and local Armenian and Jewish American community
members expressing disappointment and outrage at recent statements by ADL
National Director Abe Foxman denying the Armenian Genocide. Editorials and
community letters in the local Watertown Tab and Boston Globe cast a shadow
on the credibility of the anti-racism program, `No Place for Hate', due to
its affiliation with the ADL.
Reporter Keith O'Brien first reported Tarsy's firing in a front-page Boston
Globe article on August 18th. The news was accompanied by a strongly worded
Globe editorial, titled `No Synonyms for Genocide,' arguing that the
national ADL should not `pick and choose among genocides,' and stating `if
the national ADL doesn't acknowledge the [Armenian] genocide, it is
complicit in a cover-up.' An op/ed coauthored by Massachusetts State
Representative Rachel Kaprielian and Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz,
published in the Boston Globe on the same day, noted `For any organization
or official to believe that there are differing sides to the Armenian
Genocide is as much an outrage as it would be for Germany to say that the
work of Jewish scholars, witnesses, and victim testimonies represented
merely the "Jewish side" of the Holocaust.' Kaprielian and Dershowitz went
on to praise the New England Regional ADL for taking a principled stand,
noting that the `regional chapter was courageous and correct in its decision
to affirm its position that the [Armenian] genocide was fact.'
For a full listing of the press coverage this issue has received, visit:
www.noplacefordenial.com
47 Nichols Avenue
Watertown, MA 02472
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
August 19, 2007
Contact: Sevag Arzoumanian
Tel: 617-233-3174
FOXMAN FORCES SHAKEUP IN NEW ENGLAND ADL
-- ADL National Leader Fires Regional Director Andrew H. Tarsy; Two Regional
Board Members Resign in Protest
-- ANC Calls for ADL National Leadership to End Genocide Denial; Support
Armenian Genocide Legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106)
WATERTOWN, MA - Turmoil in the New England Regional Anti-Defamation League
(ADL) continued this weekend with two Board Members resigning following the
firing of Regional Director Andrew H. Tarsy, for public calls on ADL
National Director Abe Foxman to reverse policy and properly characterize the
Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of Eastern
Massachusetts (ANC-EM).
`We are disappointed and outraged to hear that Mr. Tarsy was removed from
his position simply for speaking openly and honestly about the Armenian
Genocide,' stated ANCEM chairperson Sharistan Melkonian. `Mr. Foxman and the
ADL National Leadership are clearly out of step with their own membership,
who have rightly concluded that genocide denial is morally indefensible and
will only serve to diminish the credibility of this once-respected civil
rights organization.'
Reports of Tarsy's firing and the resignations by Stewart L. Cohen and
Boston City Councilman Mike Ross came just days after the New England ADL
Board voted to call on the ADL National leadership to reverse their
position, properly characterize the Armenian Genocide as `genocide,' and
support Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106). According to
an August 17th Boston Globe article, Tarsy told reporter Keith O'Brien, "I
strongly disagree with ADL's national position. It's my strong hope that
we'll be able to move forward in a relationship with the Armenian community
and the community in general." Just 48 hours prior, Tarsy had defended the
ADL National's genocide denial position at the Watertown Town Council.
Tarsy, clearly uncomfortable in his remarks before the capacity crowd at the
Council meeting, was challenged when he evaded the word `genocide' in
describing the murder of over 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman
Turkish government from 1915-1923. A myriad of Watertown residents urged the
Town Council to take action, including ANC-EM spokesperson Grace Kehetian
Kulegian, who stated `on behalf of Watertown's Armenian community - and our
century-long history of service and sacrifice for our town - we call upon
the Town Council to dissociate itself from the ADL until such time that: The
Anti-Defamation League, through its National Director, Mr. Foxman, openly
and unequivocally acknowledges the Armenian Genocide and supports
congressional affirmation of this crime against humanity.
The Watertown Town Council voted unanimously that evening to cut ties with
the ADL, by disassociating with their `No Place for Hate' program.
Following the New England ADL's public call for ADL National to reverse
their position, the National ADL posted an `Open Letter to the New England
Community,' refraining from characterizing the events of 1915-1923 as
`genocide.' The letter also claimed that the ADL `takes no position' on
Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.106 / S.Res.106) while stating `We
believe that legislative efforts outside of Turkey are counterproductive to
the goal of having Turkey itself come to grips with its past.'
`Mr. Foxman is sadly reading from a page in the Turkish government's
genocide denial playbook,' stated Melkonian. `Instead of helping Turkey
confront this dark page in human history, the ADL is enabling its continued
genocide denial - a decision which comes at the expense of its own
reputation." The ADL statement comes as additional towns in Massachusetts
prepare to follow Watertown's lead in ending their association with the ADL
and Armenian Genocide denial.
Foxman's claims of neutrality regarding Armenian Genocide legislation
contradict earlier published statements in the Boston Globe and Los Angeles
Times, where Foxman noted `The Turks and Armenians need to revisit their
past. The Jewish community shouldn't be the arbiter of that history. And I
don't think the U.S. Congress should be the arbiter either.' According to
press reports, Foxman joined the American Jewish Committee, B'nai B'rith and
JINSA in forwarding a letter from Turkey's Jewish Community citing concerns
about Armenian Genocide legislation to Members of Congress. According to an
April 27th Jewish Telegraphic Agency article by Ron Kampeas, the ADL and
JINSA `added their own statements opposing the bill.'
The Watertown - ADL controversy erupted in recent weeks, with Boston area
civil rights advocates, and local Armenian and Jewish American community
members expressing disappointment and outrage at recent statements by ADL
National Director Abe Foxman denying the Armenian Genocide. Editorials and
community letters in the local Watertown Tab and Boston Globe cast a shadow
on the credibility of the anti-racism program, `No Place for Hate', due to
its affiliation with the ADL.
Reporter Keith O'Brien first reported Tarsy's firing in a front-page Boston
Globe article on August 18th. The news was accompanied by a strongly worded
Globe editorial, titled `No Synonyms for Genocide,' arguing that the
national ADL should not `pick and choose among genocides,' and stating `if
the national ADL doesn't acknowledge the [Armenian] genocide, it is
complicit in a cover-up.' An op/ed coauthored by Massachusetts State
Representative Rachel Kaprielian and Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz,
published in the Boston Globe on the same day, noted `For any organization
or official to believe that there are differing sides to the Armenian
Genocide is as much an outrage as it would be for Germany to say that the
work of Jewish scholars, witnesses, and victim testimonies represented
merely the "Jewish side" of the Holocaust.' Kaprielian and Dershowitz went
on to praise the New England Regional ADL for taking a principled stand,
noting that the `regional chapter was courageous and correct in its decision
to affirm its position that the [Armenian] genocide was fact.'
For a full listing of the press coverage this issue has received, visit:
www.noplacefordenial.com