Opinion
Letters: NAASR Panel Lacked Balance
On March 22 in Watertown, the National Association of Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) screened J. Michael Hagopian’s newest Armenian Genocide eyewitness documentary, “The River Ran Red,” before about 300 attendees.
A panel discussion afterward featured Hagopian, Clark University professor Taner Akcam, and MIT lecturer Bedross Der Matossian.
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I wonder if it has occurred to the directors of NAASR that Akcam, on behalf of the Turkish government, may be putting out feelers to test the climate for acceptance by the Armenian community of a limited acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide?
It is troubling to learn that Taner Akcam mentions that Armenians should not ask for reparations and land returns back to the Armenian Nation. Turkey not only committed Genocide of 2 million Armenians but emptied their historical homeland of 3 thousand years, not counting the millions she forcibly made Moslems. My father from the Provence of Shabin Kara Hissar from the Village of Sis, lost his wife, 3 Children, his father, mother, and many relative. My mother from the Provence of Erzerum lost her husband, 2 children, father & mother and all her relatives and was the only survivor from her Village of Goteh. Armenians must wake up and call their Senators & Congressman, as well as the President on his promises on recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
While the current Turkish government technically is not responsible for the genocide but it is responsible for the consequence of genocide, as the current German government is not responsible for Nazi era killings the current and past German governments shouldered the responsibility to meet its international obligations without denial. That is way, today when we discuss Holocaust and Germany, historians are carful to distinguish between the current and the past. I am surprised at Mr. Taner Akcam being a historian missed this point, or did he!
Kudos for your letter to the editor, “NAASR Panel Lacked Balance.” It seems that many times we are so eager to gain acceptance in connection with the Genocide, especially by Turks, that we drop our guard (if we had one, to begin with, and fall victim to ploys that we could have foreseen had we been more circumspect and cautious.
One rather simple question to those who dislike Akcam for not advocating land reparations (which would be equivalent to signing his own deaths entence): How many Genocide scholars of any nationality–who live comfortably in the US–do you know that believe in land reparations to Armenians (giving away the entire Anatolia)and have openly spoken out about it? Here’s another one: How many ARMENIAN scholars living in the comfort of their homes in the west have openly spoken about reclaiming Anatolia?
Just say it plainly, you hate Akcam because he is a Turk. And he causes problems by challenging your steryotypes of how a Turk should behave.
“Historic Commission” welcomed by Akcam
Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/11484056.asp?scr=1