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THE WOODROW WILSON CENTER HAS VIOLATED THE LEGACY OF PRESIDENT WILSON AND THE DIGNITY OF AMERICA
http://hetq.am/en/politics/a-papyan-19/
[ 2010/06/22 | 11:33 ]
world politics
They [Turks] had exhibited complete absence of common sense and
a total misunderstanding of the West. They had imagined that the
[Paris Peace] Conference knew no history and was ready to swallow
enormous falsehoods. President Woodrow Wilson, June 26, 1919, Paris
(The Papers of Woodrow Wilson, v. 61, June 18 - July 25, 1919, New
Jersey, 1989, p. 210)
In spite of numerous complaints and protests, Turkey's Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu nevertheless received the Woodrow Wilson Award for
Public Service from the Washington, DC-based think tank, the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars. Whereas this turn of events
can be qualified as merely an incident for us Armenians, a painful and
undesirable one, but just an incident all the same, this is a serious
blow, on the other hand, to the credibility of American think tanks.
The principle value of a think tank is in its freedom, that is, in its
ability to carry out independent analysis and present an objective
outlook. To be on someone else's payroll would be the worst kind of
reputation for any think tank. By presenting an award to Davutoglu,
the Woodrow Wilson Center brought to light the fact that it has simply
auctioned off the prize, or, as they themselves worded beautifully,
"The Wilson Center said in an e-mailed statement that the award is
part of its fund-raising effort."
Of course, the Woodrow Wilson Center has no legal obligation in terms
of upholding the views and policies of the 28th President of the United
States. Still, the very name places certain moral responsibilities
on the center. Wilson was the first among heads of state to raise
the issue of the self-determination of peoples to the international
stage. How does one justify bestowing an award to the foreign minister
of a country which, for decades now, has been drowning the right
to self-determination of the Kurdish people in blood? By violating
the right to self-determination of the Kurds, Turkey is violating
Wilson's political legacy as well. It is most unfortunate that among
those with a part to play in violating the legacy of Woodrow Wilson
and the dignity of America is the think tank bearing the name of the
just president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson.
Ara Papian Head of the Modus Vivendi Center 18 June, 2010
From: A. Papazian
http://hetq.am/en/politics/a-papyan-19/
[ 2010/06/22 | 11:33 ]
world politics
They [Turks] had exhibited complete absence of common sense and
a total misunderstanding of the West. They had imagined that the
[Paris Peace] Conference knew no history and was ready to swallow
enormous falsehoods. President Woodrow Wilson, June 26, 1919, Paris
(The Papers of Woodrow Wilson, v. 61, June 18 - July 25, 1919, New
Jersey, 1989, p. 210)
In spite of numerous complaints and protests, Turkey's Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu nevertheless received the Woodrow Wilson Award for
Public Service from the Washington, DC-based think tank, the Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars. Whereas this turn of events
can be qualified as merely an incident for us Armenians, a painful and
undesirable one, but just an incident all the same, this is a serious
blow, on the other hand, to the credibility of American think tanks.
The principle value of a think tank is in its freedom, that is, in its
ability to carry out independent analysis and present an objective
outlook. To be on someone else's payroll would be the worst kind of
reputation for any think tank. By presenting an award to Davutoglu,
the Woodrow Wilson Center brought to light the fact that it has simply
auctioned off the prize, or, as they themselves worded beautifully,
"The Wilson Center said in an e-mailed statement that the award is
part of its fund-raising effort."
Of course, the Woodrow Wilson Center has no legal obligation in terms
of upholding the views and policies of the 28th President of the United
States. Still, the very name places certain moral responsibilities
on the center. Wilson was the first among heads of state to raise
the issue of the self-determination of peoples to the international
stage. How does one justify bestowing an award to the foreign minister
of a country which, for decades now, has been drowning the right
to self-determination of the Kurdish people in blood? By violating
the right to self-determination of the Kurds, Turkey is violating
Wilson's political legacy as well. It is most unfortunate that among
those with a part to play in violating the legacy of Woodrow Wilson
and the dignity of America is the think tank bearing the name of the
just president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson.
Ara Papian Head of the Modus Vivendi Center 18 June, 2010
From: A. Papazian