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    WE'LL SEE

    AZG Armenian Daily
    01/05/2009

    Armenian Genocide

    Ambassador John Marshall Evans spoke at our commemoration last night
    (all 5 Armenian churches participated), as well as at our "Genocide
    Walk" today on the Phila. Art Museum steps. We had several hundred
    people at each of the events. Al Momjian was instrumental in arranging
    his visit to Philadelphia (from which both sets of his grandparents
    originated, incidentally).

    Having read the actual text of Pres. Obama's statement, Evans indicated
    that although it was a compromise statement, it was still more hopeful
    than previous U.S. presidents have made. To him it was clear that
    this statement was made by a committee, and not the heartfelt words
    of Obama. Using a term that only Armenians know ("Medz Yeghern"), and
    twice at that, seemed a bit out of place, even condescending, when the
    purpose of the proclamation is to let those who don't know about the
    history become informed. He feels that Rahm Emanuel (AIPAC's "Man in
    the White House") probably had a strong hand in altering the language
    of the statement to eliminate the word "genocide". On the hopeful side,
    Obama said, as he did in Turkey, "my views have not changed". And
    he talked about pushing for "acknowledgment", not the equivocating
    "examination" of previous presidents.We'll see.The Genocide Walk today
    was also to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur. Ibrahim
    Hamid, a Darfurian, and the treasurer of the Philadelphia-based Darfur
    Alert Coalition, also spoke at this program. I had an opportunity to
    speak as well, at the end, before the Requiem ceremony.

    PHOTO BY ARA SHAKARJIAN - DSCN3062L to R: Fr. Nerses Manoogian
    (St. Gregory - Antelias), Amb. John Evans, Abp. Yeghishe Gizirian
    (ret. - Etchmiadzin), Mrs. Donna Evans, Very Rev. Fr. Mkrtich Proshyan
    (Ss. Sahag & Mesrob - Etchmiadzin), Rev. Fr. Armenag Bedrosian
    (St. Mark Arm. Cath.), Rev. Nishan Bakalian (Armenian Martyrs'
    Congl.). Taken at the altar of Ss. Sahag & Mesrob Armenian Apostolic
    Church, Wynnewood, Pa. (April 24, 2009)
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