Israel's new Ambassador to the United States, Michael B. Oren, is a firm believer in the veracity of the Armenian Genocide, despite his government's denialist position on this issue.
Prior to his ambassadorial appointment, Oren repeatedly confirmed the facts of the genocide in his writings. In the May 10, 2007 issue of the New York Review of Books, he wrote a highly positive review of Taner Akcam's book A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility. The revi
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Well now is it officially a “Genocide” ? This need to have others use the “G” world really rubs me the wrong way. I understand why people and organizations work for having it be called “Genocide” but it somewhat misses the point .
The community seems to get a sense of statisfaction or at least treats it as important news everytime important/public people and organizations/countries use the word “Genocide” . I assume the idea is that the more people use the word and the more it will put pressure on on Turkey to do the same. It has not been working so far. Its nice that countries like France or Canada officially acknowledge it, and I am sure it annoys Turkey to no end…but in the end what does it really achieve ? Whether everyone acknowledges it or nobody acknowledges it, it does not change the facts of what happened from 1915-1923. (or put another way, no matter how much you call it a dog, if it quacks, and has wings…its a duck).
What ultimately matters is what Turkey says and does. What everyone else thinks is details. It does not seem like Turkey is going to be shamed into acknowledging anything… furthermore, countries have no intention of backing up their words with deeds much as they did against South Afirica. So we in the diaspora spend all our energy to get these different bodies to us the “G” word so that we can validate to the Turks what we knew all along.
Armo, if everyone on the playground keeps calling it a dog, even if it quacks and has wings, it will finally be accepted as a dog. If Turkey sees every major player in international politics calling the mass killings of Armenians; Genocide, it will inevitably have to come to grips with its own past and acknowledge it. If we say that it is not important for other nations to acknowledge Genocide as such, Turkey will have a reason for not acknowledging. “After all, the others do not think it is. Why should I?” Do you see why it is so important for world gevernments to call it as it is; a Genocide.
I understand your point of view, just because some others do not call it a Genocide, it does not change the fact of it being one. But this fact must become common knowledge, not to affirm, but to give it strong backing.
I don’t understand why the Armenian diaspora is obsessed with calling the mass killings Genocide. We, most Turks, do believe that many Armenians, Turks and Kurds lost their souls as a result of the rift between Ottoman Empire, Armenias, Russians and the Western Powers.
You are calling for everyone to recognize those killings and decry the demonization of the Armenians during the last days of the Ottoman Empire. However, you are demonizing Turks yourselves. When I speak with most Armenias they are about to kill me with their looks. I am as innocent as you claim those Armenias were. First, be rational and don’t see us as your enemies…You never even want to listen to our story… Yes, we condemn the killings of Armenians of all sorts; however, we claim that the people responsible for these crimes were punished by the Goverment of that time and it was not a State-orchestrated atrocity. So, lots of questions remain as to whether or not we can call these killings as genocide.
Israeli lobby will always back Turkey because they need Turkey. Plus, they would not want the G-word to be used for everyone’s death…
I hope my words don’t get censored. Thank you.
Ozzy:
Just because Turks and Kurds died in WW I does not mean they didn’t commit a genocide. Approximatly 7.2 million Germans died in WW II, nobody rational is makes the argument “plenty of Germans died too, it was war, it was not a Holocaust ” It is just about the most ignorant agrument one put forward.
You didn’t kill anyone and so in that sense you are innocent, but if you defend mass murder don’t expect anyone to reach out to you in friendship.
States apologize for the wrong doings of their past all the time. The senate just recently passed a resolution for slavery. Turkey celebrates the achievements of its past ancestors, they also need to admit to their failures.
Your last line is very telling. Its not that Isreal does not think a genocide happened they simply will not say it for political reasons. Same with U.S Adiminstation. Its not factual dispute. Your in your own world of denial if you think otherwise.
The easiest thing to do was admit to the Genocide 80 years ago and most of this would have been over. But it didn’t work out that way….and now your country faces disgrace one little article at a time.
I personally resent having to plead our case to these politicians to use the “G” word. It’s silly but I suppose necessary. I disagree with Master P. We are not going to shame you into anything, your country has none.
Finally your words got posted because unlike Turkey people here are free to express what they think.
If you want the G-word to be used so badly, then dont rely on politicians to do it for you. History has already judged what happened–it was genocide. Suppose it finally is considered a genocide…what do you expect to happen then? We dont need any sort of fake validation by a self-interested elite, it wont get anyone anywhere–its a road to contradiction.
This article is a case in point; i dont understand why we have to associate ourselves positively with everyone who recognizes the genocide–I wonder what this ambassador has to say about the massacre in Gaza in December/January. Armenians could do without the support of such exclusionary states as Israel. If this “Cause” is about values, we’d be alot smarter in how we go about reflecting them.
Great.
Now he’s gonna get fired.
READ MY WRITING.
THAT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH AND IT SHOULDN’T PASS MUSTARD ANY MORE.
Describing the twentieth century’s first genocidal crime against humanity for what it is; is only regurgitating what historical experts at the IAGS have said for decades. Let the Ambassador endorse a justice commission for the Armenian Genocide and convince his cronies in Washington and Jerusalem to do the same and then maybe I will have more appreciation for his supposedly frank account of undeniable history. Until then he is aiding and abetting a government who shamelessly continues to deny and revise history for political gain.