Tweet
Newton to drop out of ADL program
City cites genocide of the Armenians
By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff | September 19, 2007
Mayor David B. Cohen of Newton said yesterday that the city would drop
out of the No Place for Hate program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation
League, drawing rebuke from two prominent Jewish groups.
In making the announcement, Cohen said he had fielded more than 100
phone calls and e-mails on both sides of the issue, but that
ultimately the decision was personal.
"I think this was really an issue of conscience," Cohen said in an
interview. "We certainly
hope the national ADL will do the right thing."
Newton has joined Watertown and Belmont in leaving the program, in
protest of the Anti-Defamation League's ambiguous position on the
World War I-era killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks.
Last month, the ADL's national director, Abraham Foxman, called the
killings "tantamount to genocide," but stopped short of endorsing a
congressional resolution acknowledging a genocide. Critics such as the
Newton Human Rights Commission said Foxman's acknowledgment was too
hesitant and demanded that the national organization "fully and
unequivocally recognize[s] the Armenian genocide."
Armenian leaders nationally have asked communities to cease offering
the No Place for Hate program until the ADL explicitly acknowledges a
genocide.
But area Jewish leaders, including one who has been critical of the
national group's position, said yesterday they were disappointed by
Cohen's decision.
Last month, Foxman fired Andrew H. Tarsy, the ADL's regional director
for New England, for breaking ranks with the national ADL and
condemning the Armenian killings. Tarsy was rehired when Foxman
revised his views.
Tarsy said yesterday he was disappointed with Cohen's decision to drop
the program, saying the organization has worked closely with city
officials in Newton. The city has one of the state's largest Jewish
populations.
"I had hoped the city of Newton would not rush to judgment on the
issue," Tarsy said. "The program is a very valuable resource for all
of the participating communities. We stand ready to work with all of
them."
Nancy Kaufman, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations
Council of Greater Boston, also condemned Cohen's decision.
"I totally understand as an American Jew that nothing would be worse
than someone saying the Holocaust didn't happen," Kaufman said. "But
to continue to focus on No Place for Hate, which is a very important
program, is not the right approach."
The ADL established the No Place of Hate program in 1999 as a vehicle
for local municipalities to take a public stand against bias. To earn
the designation, cities and towns had to show the ADL that they had
taken certain steps, including hosting at least three antibias events.
Communities then receive recertification, provided they hold at least
two more annual events. More than 50 communities in Massachusetts
still participate in the program.
The controversy erupted in August when officials in Watertown, which
has a sizeable Armenian-American community, voted to end their
affiliation with the program. Belmont followed suit.
After the Newton Human Rights Commission's vote earlier this month,
Cohen, who is Jewish, said he expected to make a decision within days.
He issued his first statement on the matter yesterday.
"The recognition of the Armenian genocide is an important step along
the path of freedom and justice and crucial in combating other
genocides now and in the future," he said in a press release. Cohen
said he will ask the human rights panel to meet again in November,
after the national ADL meeting, to review its position.
Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee
of America, said he is not surprised by Cohen's decision.
"This shows how opposition to the [congressional] legislation is just
crumbling," he said. "Turkey is trying to enforce US silence and even
complicity, and that effort is crumbling."
Jane Brown, a member of the Newton Human Rights Commission, applauded
Cohen's decision. She said he told her of his decision Monday.
"He's very much with us," she said. "He told me how proud he was of
the commission for our courageous stand."
(c) Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/art icles/2007/09/19/newton_to_drop_out_of_adl_program /
City cites genocide of the Armenians
By Megan Woolhouse, Globe Staff | September 19, 2007
Mayor David B. Cohen of Newton said yesterday that the city would drop
out of the No Place for Hate program sponsored by the Anti-Defamation
League, drawing rebuke from two prominent Jewish groups.
In making the announcement, Cohen said he had fielded more than 100
phone calls and e-mails on both sides of the issue, but that
ultimately the decision was personal.
"I think this was really an issue of conscience," Cohen said in an
interview. "We certainly
hope the national ADL will do the right thing."
Newton has joined Watertown and Belmont in leaving the program, in
protest of the Anti-Defamation League's ambiguous position on the
World War I-era killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks.
Last month, the ADL's national director, Abraham Foxman, called the
killings "tantamount to genocide," but stopped short of endorsing a
congressional resolution acknowledging a genocide. Critics such as the
Newton Human Rights Commission said Foxman's acknowledgment was too
hesitant and demanded that the national organization "fully and
unequivocally recognize[s] the Armenian genocide."
Armenian leaders nationally have asked communities to cease offering
the No Place for Hate program until the ADL explicitly acknowledges a
genocide.
But area Jewish leaders, including one who has been critical of the
national group's position, said yesterday they were disappointed by
Cohen's decision.
Last month, Foxman fired Andrew H. Tarsy, the ADL's regional director
for New England, for breaking ranks with the national ADL and
condemning the Armenian killings. Tarsy was rehired when Foxman
revised his views.
Tarsy said yesterday he was disappointed with Cohen's decision to drop
the program, saying the organization has worked closely with city
officials in Newton. The city has one of the state's largest Jewish
populations.
"I had hoped the city of Newton would not rush to judgment on the
issue," Tarsy said. "The program is a very valuable resource for all
of the participating communities. We stand ready to work with all of
them."
Nancy Kaufman, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations
Council of Greater Boston, also condemned Cohen's decision.
"I totally understand as an American Jew that nothing would be worse
than someone saying the Holocaust didn't happen," Kaufman said. "But
to continue to focus on No Place for Hate, which is a very important
program, is not the right approach."
The ADL established the No Place of Hate program in 1999 as a vehicle
for local municipalities to take a public stand against bias. To earn
the designation, cities and towns had to show the ADL that they had
taken certain steps, including hosting at least three antibias events.
Communities then receive recertification, provided they hold at least
two more annual events. More than 50 communities in Massachusetts
still participate in the program.
The controversy erupted in August when officials in Watertown, which
has a sizeable Armenian-American community, voted to end their
affiliation with the program. Belmont followed suit.
After the Newton Human Rights Commission's vote earlier this month,
Cohen, who is Jewish, said he expected to make a decision within days.
He issued his first statement on the matter yesterday.
"The recognition of the Armenian genocide is an important step along
the path of freedom and justice and crucial in combating other
genocides now and in the future," he said in a press release. Cohen
said he will ask the human rights panel to meet again in November,
after the national ADL meeting, to review its position.
Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee
of America, said he is not surprised by Cohen's decision.
"This shows how opposition to the [congressional] legislation is just
crumbling," he said. "Turkey is trying to enforce US silence and even
complicity, and that effort is crumbling."
Jane Brown, a member of the Newton Human Rights Commission, applauded
Cohen's decision. She said he told her of his decision Monday.
"He's very much with us," she said. "He told me how proud he was of
the commission for our courageous stand."
(c) Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/art icles/2007/09/19/newton_to_drop_out_of_adl_program /