WASHINGTON—Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued the following statement on April 23in response to President Barack Obama’s remarks at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, outlining U.S. commitment to the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities.
“President Obama undermined his own commitment to ‘Never Again’ in his speech at the U.S. Holocaust Museum this morning, when, on the day before the annual commemoration marking the Armenian Genocide—the atrocities that Hitler himself referenced prior to launching the Holocaust—he cited several past genocides but remained entirely silent on the Armenian Genocide, the crime that, as a candidate for the White House, he so prominently and repeatedly promised to recognize,” stated Hamparian.
“President Obama has the chance, on April 24th, to give real meaning to his words about genocide prevention by rejecting Ankara’s gag-rule and honoring his pledge to properly condemn and commemorate the Armenian Genocide,” he said.
As Senator and presidential candidate, President Obama consistently and repeatedly urged former President George Bush to properly characterize the Armenian Genocide, and pledged, as president, to recognize that crime. In a January 2008, statement, then-Senator Obama clearly stated, “as president, I will recognize the Armenian Genocide.”
Obama’s April 23rd ‘Never Again’ speech at the U.S. Holocaust Museum took place one day before Armenians and people of good conscience worldwide commemorate the murder of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman-Turkish government during the years 1915-23. Forty-two U.S. states and over 20 countries have properly recognized the Armenian Genocide. Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan acknowledged the crime as genocide in 1981. The U.S. House adopted Armenian Genocide legislation in 1975 and 1984 and included reference to the crime in House adopted amendments in 1996 and 2005. More recently, the House Foreign Affairs Committee passed Armenian Genocide legislation in 2007 and 2010. The Republic of Turkey continues its international campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, issuing economic and political threats against countries who properly characterize the crime. Those threats have largely been hollow, with economic trade data showing a marked increase in trade with Turkey after the genocide has been recognized.
Forget this President – he doesn’t call the shots anyways, he’s powerless and will be out of office this year or in 4 more years, he’s a puppet of the State Department. He’s afraid to be criticized for taking a stand, just like his other policies, if he only took a stand on an issue and followed through with it, instead of standing in front of people and saying “we need to do this,” or “we need to do that”, but he never follows through because he’s afraid of taking a position on anything. We have better luck for Azerbaijan to recognize the genocide, rather than a country, or president, who claims they are for moral values when they are afraid to stand up for moral values. Never again is right, Never again in trusting an elected official and using the Armenians for votes…!
Speaking of the Obama administration, anyone heard from Samantha Power lately? No, I didn’t think so.
Very sad Dave. Armenians grieve, Turks deny, and learned academicians willingly wear their muzzles.
Obama has to repent and apologize to Armenians!
There should be an Armenian Genocide Museum from which a President might speak. It’s so much about money. There is a lot of good effort and money put into Armenian interests but our enemies have even more money to contest us.
This stunt by Obama, at the Holocaust museum of all places, with every camera and network focused on him, was highly offensive, and very much a slap in the face of all Armenians. No matter what he says on the 24th, it will make no difference. As always, he dances to the tune demanded by those paying his way.
John Kerry was called a flip-flopper….I’ll let you come up with appropriate terms to describe Obama…who, as a senator, advocated the genocide, but as president seems to run away from it. He’s not a stupid man, so the only reasonable explanation points to a certain amount of arm twisting, mind control and who knows what else?
Do any of you really believe that Romney will properly recognize the Armenian genocide? PLEASE! Ron Reagan naively called it genocide his first year in office. HE then NEVER EVER called it a genocide again…Who got to him? What is it about Turkey and every US President that makes them quiver in their boots and compels them to avoid the term GENOCIDE at all cost?
This goes deeper then the just blaming it on the State Department..
“This goes deeper then the just blaming it on the State Department”
They must share a dark secret then he he he
Listen, yahya the idiot:
On this solemn day, April the 24th, the day of remembrance of innocent Armenian victims of Ottoman Turkish barbarity, you could, if you have sanctity at all, at least suspend posting comments. We grieve today. Do you understand this with your melon-shaped head?!
“your melon-shaped head” Hilarious !
I doubt they know what Եմիշ Գլուխ really means or implies.
Very appropriate in this case though.
They can’t stop themselves from disgorging their venom on any day.
All is not lost, at the U.S. Holocaust Museum, they commemorate the Armenian Genocide. When I was on the advisory board of putting the museum together, I suggested it. In Jerusalem, there is both Yad Vashem, and a museum in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City, dedicated to the Armenian Genocide. We all know how human rights abuse is interconnected. Let us just hope that those who serve public office realize it as well.
Why has Obama never visited an Armenian Church to pray for the martyrs?
I celebrated Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day without going to an Armenian Orthodox Church. The last time I was in one, was the Armenian section of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City within the city of Jerusalem. I celebrated the day, but writing commentaries and going on-line to light a candle, and stating my reasons for commemorating. If anyone is a decent human being, they will celebrate the day, because there so much to learn about human rights abuse from doing so. But you are not Armenian, do we all have to be that provincial?
ok guys, i have to tell you something… TRUST NO ONE! US will NEVER recognize the genocide since they have at least 2 military bases in turkey, which they use to keep Russia in check… the only way they will recognize it, is if Turkey recognizes it, or Turkey tells US to remove those basses…
@ guga
You’re 100% correct.
In addition to US military bases in Turkey, you should add recent installation of NATO’s missile shield in Turkey with the excus of protection of Europe; US will never ever move a finger against Turkey just to respect human rights and its obligation toward recognition of Armenian Genocide!
Armenian political resources shold never be wasted in forcing US to formally recognize Armenian Genocide NOR for the US to ask Turkey to change its Denial tactics!
Therefore, Armenians in general who hope to achieve anything in relation to ‘Forgotten Genocide’ have to look into all alternative forums where those forums have NO DIRECT/INDIRECT INTERESTS in Turkey!