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Harut Sassounian

Harut Sassounian

California Courier Editor
Harut Sassounian is the publisher of The California Courier, a weekly newspaper based in Glendale, Calif. He is the president of the Armenia Artsakh Fund, a non-profit organization that has donated to Armenia and Artsakh one billion dollars of humanitarian aid, mostly medicines, since 1989 (including its predecessor, the United Armenian Fund). He has been decorated by the presidents of Armenia and Artsakh and the heads of the Armenian Apostolic and Catholic churches. He is also the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.

54 Comments

  1. What would you expect from a “Secretary of State” with a “PC” global outlook. Now that Mr. Kerry does not need to court the Armenian vote, he can be true to form. The Department of State and especially the United Nations are institutions which no longer represent the people of the United States, rather they have been permeated with nations that express anti-west sentiments.

  2. As a Armenian I don’t blame John Kerry or president, since when they both took this their new jobs, there are dark powers above them and that they have to follow their rules otherwise they won’t be where they are now, and as long as Turkey lets US use them like a dog, things won’t change much.

    • New Jobs? This is his second term, what are you talking about? The only dog being used is Kerry by BO. His principles got neutered when he became Secretary. Dark Powers? The food chain stops at POTUS. if he wanted to say it he would have. recognize the Armenian Genocide. “Its just the right thing to do.”

  3. No surprise, really.

    Secretary of the State works for the Executive branch.
    Executive branch Official Policy is to deny the Armenian Genocide.
    That is why Amb Evans was fired.

    Since the US Government (Executive branch) does not officially recognize the AG, everyone that works for that branch has to publicly deny the AG. Otherwise they will be resigned (…for ‘personal reasons’).

    No problem: we continue working US Congress and causing problems and headaches for the POTUS via Congress (i.e. keep Bryzing (like Borking)). Executive branch has a lot of power, but it is only one of the 3 branches.

    Nothing to worry about: we stay the course.
    Keep chipping away the Denialist Dam: it will burst eventually.

  4. Some of us Armenians who have met with Kerry’s Senate staff over the years or run into Kerry have gotten a decidely frosty reception.

    He cares about one thing and one thing only: himself.

    He was famous for being against the Vietnam war and then turned around and has been in favor of virtually every US war since then. Go figure.

    I bet he pays more attention to the political opinions of illegal aliens than he does Armenian Americans.

    Kerry is all about Kerry. Always has been, always will be.

  5. Typical American policy. Kerry’s attitude is not a surprise. As long as the US will lick Turkish boots we will never get any justice.

  6. You know what I find even more despicable than a backstabbing flip-flopper like kerry? The fact that each and every one of those senators who supposedly also claim to be a “good friend of the Armenian community” did or said very little if nothing at all in response to senator kerry’s blatant attempt to whitewash facts documented in US archives with euphemistic mumbo jumbo. Welcome to the rank and file of the spineless and imoral kerry, you finally succumbed to the inevitable. Congrats, you have allowed yourself to be part of the problem.

  7. American politics is a bunch of bs, they if lie to all Americans, what makes you think they will be any different regarding Armenian issue? There is a bigger political game here.

  8. Have we Armenians not yet learned (some 150 years now since the treaty of Berlin when initial promises to the Armenians by European powers were renigged upon) that politics is all about self interest. It’s the name of the game and we Armenians do it just like everyone else. Rather than be disappointed about this or that politician, or country, breaking promises, lets figure out ever clever and effective ways to allign various political interests with our own. So, in addition to keeping the pressure on through political means, lets also grab the publics attention with PR such as feature films on the Armenian Genocide. At the same time, lets keep making the money, e.g. want to know how to get Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide? Lend them money, that’s how!

  9. I wonder why you would think it important for Kerry to use the G word. Don’t you know that ALL politicians in the US are bought . All Armenians need to face up to the truth, we are totally alone on this planet and we need to make ourselves much
    tougher than we presrently are.

  10. American politicians/leaders will feel sorry once Turkey turned their back towards USA as Iran did, then they will be disappointed for ignoring Armenian Genocide and other issues.

  11. There is an organization, a group, a think tank or what have you, that sits every president down right from the beginning, and basically says that we need to prentend that the Armenian Genocide didn’t happen..They got to Reagan after he dared to speak the truth his first year and never did repeate those truths again..Same with Bush Sr. Clinton, Bush Jr and Obama.. These are the deep entities that we need to go after..

    Politicians will be politicians.. They are useful to a certain degree but usless after a certian point…As Armenian advocacy have done, we have gone fairly deep but obviously not deep enough. We need to be even more proactive in all phases. As Avery said we need to be a thorn in everyones side untill justice is served.

    John Kerry is useless…

    • Actually, John, these supragovernmental groups are many, collectively called internationalist power elites, i.e. behind-the-scene unelected, unaccountable, and unrepresentative manipulators of and meddlers in the domestic and world affairs. In the US, one such group is the Council of Foreign Relations, a sinister organization whose major task is to make sure that the general policy line in America’s domestic and foreign relations remains unchanged. Hillary Clinton was a CFR member. John Kerry is a member of a more sinister group, the Yale-based secret society “Skull & Bones” in which former presidents William H. Taft, George Bush, and George W. Bush, as well as Senator Prescot Bush, father of George Bush, Daniel Gilman, president of Johns Hopkins University, Russell Davenport, editor of Fortune magazine, H.J. Heinz II, heir of Heinz Company, William Buckley, founder of National review and a CIA officer, David McCullough, a Pulitzer Prize winner historian, and Austan Goolsbee, chief economist of President Obama’s Economic Recovery Board, were members. At initiation, Skull & Bones’ new members are stripped naked and are being berated and insulted by others. The idea is to strip them of their identity and dignity and then build them up again as formidable and powerful leaders unempathetic to the people’s needs. Bonesmen have played key roles in the CIA and CFR. They are also US congressmen, bankers, media moguls, Oscar winners, Olympic champions, and physicians. What can we expect from Kerry as a member of such a group?

  12. It is painfully obvious that whoever gets into a high office, like President or Sec of State, will not verbalize their previous beliefs. Sen. Menendez has been one of our most ardent supporters, but even he would not come through for us if elected or appointed to a higher office. I firmly believe that Obama, Kerry, and even Hillary believe there truly was a Genocide but were told to suppress their comments to mere euphemisms. The real question is WHO (or what group or agency) is telling them that they can’t state what they previously believed and supported? THAT my dear friends is the person(s) or group we have to somehow identify and influence. Any suggestions?

  13. PLEASE! What do you really expect? Any and all appointees WILL follow POLICY.
    Does ANC really think at this point otherwise. Suddenly a GREAT friend is now a dishonest politician? Please ANC we must get a grip….Stop projecting an image of a child who continually nags a parent for something that they will never receive. Please alter your tactics…. Once any of these politicians flip to the next level its a done deal. This is a never ending cycle that we must alter.

  14. I don’t buy all this “US interests” baloney for one second. There is no nation on this planet that the US needs to bow down to. All these LIARS who have the audacity to claim “we cannot disappoint our (supposed) ally Turkey” are a bunch of FOREIGN AGENTS. And Frankenstein’s mummy is no exception.

  15. I am sure if the Kardashian sisters press this issue the US politicians will prefer to lick Kardashian boots, rather than Turkish boots!

    • Most of the media thinks the Kardashian family is too overrated actually and their opinions are going to be discarded in the political arena more easily then David Duke’s opinions on world foreign policy. Celebs have no business in the political arena. Why do you think that Arnold Schwartzenegger did really horribly as the governor of California and everyone got tired of him.

  16. This man is guilty of denegoscelus, which is the crime of the denial of a crime, in particular the great crime of genocide! And I think it is time that the crime was called by the proper word for it, the word that I coined last year and which the Oxford “Journal of International Criminal Justice” referred to in its editorial in volume 10, No. 1 (March 2012)!

    The man goes further than simple denegoscelus (by denying his own previous acknowledgement of the truth) and employs denegoscelus for purely political ends – as a price to pay (to his government and its policies, and to Turkey) for the occupation of a governmental office! This man was therefore, lying to Armenians in his acceptance of the Armenian Genocide. He was employing the truth for political gain (so that he could get Armenian votes) when in his heart he had absolutely no regard for it. Thus, such an abuser of the truth for political gains, will surely deny the truth (and commit denegoscelus) when his political gain dictates that.

    I believe the mistake of Armenians is being naive and gullible. The acknowledgement of the truth should be no reason for showering someone with rewards (whether those be mere praise or votes). The truth and its acknowledgement are their own rewards.

    So long as the acknowledgement of the truth and its denial are dictated by political gains, I believe they are equally worthless. Only, the denial of a crime of the magnitude of genocide (i.e. denegoscelus) should be a punishable offence so that it could not be freely interchanged with the political-gain-dictated false acknowledgement of the truth.

  17. Since when does justice really matter in politics? To think otherwise is at best hopeful and and worst naive. Of course, it would be wonderful if such moral virtues as justice mattered in the slightest with politicians, but unfortunately this is nearly never the case.

    Politics is all about self interest, pure and simple. Do you think it’s any coincidence that US politicians who support Armenian issues tend to have sizeable, or at least influential Armenian constituencies? How about Russian interests in line with Armenian interests? For over a 100 years or so it’s worked out well for Armenians (in an overall sense, neglecting some specifics eg. the USSR giving Artsahk and Nakhchivan to Azerbijan).

    We need to be careful when battling our causes, i.e. pick our battles where we can win, that is where we have the leverage of mutual self interest from which to achieve our aims. To do otherwise may seem innocent enough, but could cause our nation harm, as in the late 1800’s when all the high noble talk of Western Europe deserted the Armenians in the 1895 massacres and the 1915 Genocide. Has any of our moaning and sorrow about how this or that politician flip-flopped ever changed that politician’s mind? Is it not better to determine how to find mutual self interest with the politician and thereby achieve whatever possible advantage to the Armenian Cause possible? In this sense Harut’s final point about Armenian-Americans meeting and working with Secretary of State Kerry is on the mark.

  18. Never rely on others,NEVER.Only on ourselves & we continue our struggle until the end of our lives & pass it to our children who will carry the torch & continue the struggle.We’ll never give up our rights.Our massacred forefathers need to rest in peace & they will not until we get justice.

  19. I don’t like when people accuse Armenians of suffering from a victim-mentality. It makes us sound like we are whiny complainers. It feels like our legitimate cry for justice is being de-legitimized. Yet we continually look outside of ourselves for validation of our claims. We place the power to solve our dilemma outside ourselves. We shouldn’t be disappointed by a politician who is not willing to fight harder for us than we are for ourselves.

    It’s time to wake up. Governments and politicians operate on two levels, one overt, the other covert. They overtly purport to serve their citizens, but they covertly serve hidden powers who serve themselves. And serving Armenians will never trump these self-interests.

    Let’s stop courting these politicians and feeding their overblown egos and senses of self-importance. They inevitably let us down after we’ve given them more power (and money) than they’ve earned. Our battle for justice for the genocide is part of a larger struggle—a battle between the interests of power conglomerates that have no use for such universal truths as ‘liberty and justice for all,’ and ordinary people who are determined to be masters of their own destiny and are ready to fight for human dignity. We have to accept our place in the latter because we definitely don’t have a place in the former. And as such, we need to pull together as a people —not wait for governments to declare what we know to be true.

    VTiger is right. We have to go out and get justice for our ancestors. We have lots of resources available to us.

  20. You armenians still dont learn. The West has used and will use you guys as pawns. you will continue to get disappointed. You just are not important.

  21. VTiger: I agree with you. Rely on ourselves only. Spread the word. Pass it on, not only to our children, but to the children of the deniers, the wafflers, the political ladder climbers. Here’s how.

    Every single Armenian can and should contact their Public Library and their University Library every time a book is issued on the Armenian Genocide and ask that it be purchased. Library shelves are filled with the books by the deniers. We need to be more active in seeing that our tax dollars fill public shelves with our truth. In particular, demand that universities purchase books with primary eyewitness evidence. Why? Those books are cited in student research papers. All libraries have budgets that they must spend. They are very receptive to what students ask for. And, Public libraries are interested in buying work that reflects the interest of the community. Tell them what your interests are. Support an Armenian Genocide author. Support the Cause. Donate books to libraries in memory of your murdered family. Have them place a donation sticker inside. If you are a student, write your next human rights paper on it. Write your next Women’s Study paper on it – cite the women who were raped on the death caravan route. Write your next Criminal Justice paper on it, your military history, your WW1 history paper. Write letters to newspapers.Demand reviews of Armenian author’s books on the Genocide. Don’t sit around waiting for politicians to push your cause. They push their own cause. And after the library buys your requested book, don’t stop; ask for another one. Point out to them that you, as a tax payer, are not properly represented in a tax funded institution. Then take out the book. Keep it in circulation.

    • Perouz,your suggestions are great.Everybody nowadays is on Facebook,Twitter & other from supporters to opponents.I usually write to bribed opponents…

    • Type in Armenian Genocide at most public libraries and get a message hat says “We refer to it as the Armenian massacres”. The Library of Congress is what sets search criteria in public libraries. I contacted them and their response was that they follow the official governments views. Imagine that politics has intruded on truth in our education and created a misinformation system.

      I believe that the answer lies not in political avenues, even though ultimately that’s what needs to happen, but in the power of mass public opinion. We need to educated every American on the facts of the Armenian Genocide just as the Jews have done for the Holocaust. Particularly the American response such as the NY Times articles, Morganthau cables, US archival material. Lemkin using the Armenian Case to create the word Genocide. Also the official US response with the fund raising for the Starving Armenians and especially the treaty’s that were signed that were illegally ignored by Kemalists..

      These truths need to put forth at every turn to the American People.

      Politicians know the truth but ignore it when needed…When the American people collectively know the truth and their role in history regarding the Armenian Genocide, then the political denial will be considered absurd for good.

  22. Armenians just don’t get it. Kerry has not been in office a week and you already are denigrating him for “not taking a stand on the Armenian Genocide.” “He’s a flip-flopper on the issue.” Do you really know that? As Avery stated, it is no surprise – Kerry as SecState does not take views independent of the President, at least, not without getting the okay of the President first. So he can’t speak publicly in favor of recognizing the “events of 1915” as genocide. That does not mean that he cannot advocate behind closed doors to move toward recognizing the genocide. So instead of attacking him – a good way to cause him to back away from supporting recognition – you should be praising his past stances and encouraging him to work with the Administration to achieve that end. Also, regarding “denial of the genocide”: note that no one in the US Government says that genocide did not happen – which is denial – but simply, for political reasons, simply do not call it by the name of genocide. Perhaps the subtlety escapes many of you due to your understandable passion, but the difference is important.

  23. Why does it matter to us what self-serving politicians say about what we know to be true? Wouldn’t our time and money be better spent strengthening the Republic of Armenia?

    And let’s not conflate the text of the protocols with Turkish preconditions to the protocols’ ratification. The text is more or less fine. It is the Turkish preconditions regarding Nagorno-Karabakh that are unacceptable. When we carelessly write that it is “fortunate” that Turkey has not ratified the protocols, we are making it seem like we prefer the current blockade, rather than an end to the blockade on fair terms.

  24. Back to Kerry. Lying is immoral. Kerry lied before or is lying now. Either way he is a immoral person. People like him make me sick.

  25. One other thing on the same topic – I noticed that my library had several different Turk language courses available. I complained that they did not have an Armenian language books or discs. I pointed out to them that Western Armenian is an endangered language and all public libraries in North America are mandated to encourage the preservation of endangered languages. I also pointed out that I was a tax-payer and not properly represented in a public institution. They immediately ordered books and CDs in both Eastern and Western. I then asked for Armenian dictionaries. They were immediately ordered. They will also buy books printed in Armenian. The Genocide deniers are quick to demand representation in public institutions. Stop waiting for political action. You have more clout than you think. You are a tax payer in a multi cultural country. You are entitled to representation in public institutions. You may not find the words Armenian Genocide falling from the lips of politicians – after all, there is only one Hero John Evans – but you can ensure that the words Armenian Genocide are in public libraries.

    • excellent track record of accomplishments Perouz: you are an inspiration.

      it is amazing how much can be accomplished by simply asking.
      most of us immigrants are too shy or uncomfortable asserting our rights.
      a legacy from centuries of being subjugated, or coming from totalitarian states.

      younger gens born in US don’t have that handicap: they know their rights and are not shy about asserting them.

    • Perouz, thanks for these concrete suggestions of what the average ‘Hovsep’ can do to promote awareness of the Armenian cause. Great ideas.

    • I don’t think “Turk language courses” have anything to do with the “Genocide deniers”.

  26. Totally agree with the suggestions of Perouz. Additionally we need to really get going on feature length movies about the Armenian Genocide. I’m talking narrative here, beyond the really outstanding documentaries on the subject. The reason is simple. Go ask some random person on the street if they know about the Armenian Genocide, or for that matter even Armenia. Chances are, at least from my experience, they will say something like… “Huh… Armenia… uh yeah.” We are just not very well known amongst the average Joe and if the choice needs to be made of who should know about and affirm the Armenian Genocide, one flip-floppy politician, or a thousand average Joe’s, I vote for the average Joe’s any day of the week. So how do you get to the average Joe’s, through popular media, e.g. TV and movies. We Armenians have so many impactful stories to tell, not only about the Armenian Genocide, but also about other parts of our history and our culture in general. This is the way to get through to the average Joe.

  27. you will educate every single american and turk so you must have an enormous task then

    • not so enormous, really.

      not every American can be educated, or need to be educated: just the ones that have influence. how do you think the Jewish American community of about 6 million has such a disproportionate influence in a nation of 310 million ?
      Smart, educated people, who know where the levers are and know how to use them. Something for Armenian Americans to learn from and emulate.

      educate denialist Turks ? surely you jest. the words ‘educate’ and ‘denialist Turk’ in the same sentence would be an oxymoron. like matter and anti-matter occupying the same time-space continuum. can’t happen.
      Those few Turks who do not exist in the Denialverse – e.g. Dr. Akçam, Ms. Gunaysu – have self educated themselves to very high degree already.

  28. How ironic that the interests of Azerbaijan and the Armenian Diaspora actually overlap regarding the Turkey-Armenian border normalization. We are both against it … perhaps we should work together on this, what do you say? 

    But no worries … Turkey will never open the border. Turks have been asking of Armenia of at least a minor cosmetic concession on the Karabak front (a village returned to Azeris) to give them a cover to open the border, but Armenia cannot do even that.

    And no, Turkey is not keeping the border closed because they love us. It is just that we have made it clear to them that it is either Armenia or us (and our oil). And, as a business, we are worth to them more than Armenia is.

    Speaking of which, how stupid of the US government to push for the normalization. The official reason is that it will help regional security, by bringing Armenia out of Russia’s orbit into the West via Turkey, and the oil pipeline CAN flow through Armenia, and everyone will be happy and merry. I don’t know what these CIA or State Department analysts think with such silly theories (such a total lack of understanding of the region … Azeris would never let the oil pipeline to go through Armenia or even Turkey itself if the border opened, and Armenia would never exchange Russia for Turkey!!!). No wonder it took them 10 years to find Bin Ladin. But of course, perhaps it is not the analysts who push for this normalization, but Obama and Congressmen to save face before the Armenian diaspora, which they have been lying to as a business model of theirs for some time.

    My main thing here is though with the competence of US foreign policy apparatus. If they so dramatically misread this particular situation (with which I am relatively familiar and which is pretty straight word), what kind of stupidities do they engage in with more complicated international matters. If they push Turkey too hard to normalize the relations without regards to Azeri concerns, then will they not only never gain Armenia, they are actually going to lose Azerbaijan altogether, together with the oil routes to Europe, etc. It is a lose-lose situation all the way around. The only winner though is Turkey in all of this: they get a cover from the US in terms of Genocide regognition, and they extract better prices from Azerbaijan for the oil.

    • Kerim, your line ‘Azeris would never let the oil pipeline to go through Armenia or even Turkey itself if the border opened,’
      Do you know where from in Georgia this pipeline runs through?Make a research & you’ll see that it passes through Akhalkalak,which is a largely Armenian populated area,similar to previous Artsakh under the control of other nation.

  29. to john the turk:

    I’m assuming you are addressing my comments. If not then my apologies. So yes, making feature films is very much about educating people (Americans, Turks, and others) and is indeed an enormous task. With that said, film offers the chance to show people the possibilities. One particular possibility close to my own heart, and I would hope of interest to you and othe Turks (assuming from your username that you are Turkish), is to tell the story of the numerous Turks who saved Armenians during the Genocide. They did this at great risk to themselves and for that are true heroes. What a great story for a movie that peole would love to watch and in the process get educated.

  30. Robert; The purchase of Armenian feature films can also be requested at all Public Libraries. Most libraries have film on DVD that can be borrowed with a library card. Ask for them in both English and Armenian. Remember, you are a tax payer and you are entitled to be represented in all public institutions. Universities that have film departments – and most of them do – will have film libraries. These film libraries have budgets for buying films. They actually want requests and feedback on what should be purchased. Every single Armenian student or professor or alumni should be asking for both Armenian films and books in their university libraries. If the film is in the library, there is always a possibility that it will be studied in class. All film students have to write papers. If Armenian film is in their university library, they can view it in individual cubicles and then write a critique. Professors themselves may learn about the Genocide. Also, small art house theatres will often show requested film. I had Egoyan’s Ararat and Calendar shown like that. Each one was only on for the one night, but it received wide publicity and was a packed theatre – almost all odars – few Armenians where I live. The theatre was so pleased to have a line-up for Ararat that they were willing to show Calendar when I asked for it.

    Avery; being an immigrant can be an advantage when asking for library purchases. All communities are supposed to help immigrants integrate. You need books, films, dictionaries, language tapes. You are entitled.
    VTiger; love the idea of spreading it on Facebook and Twitter etc.
    Each one of us can do something to promote the Cause, no matter how small. Let’s keep each other informed on these pages about Armenian film and books, both fiction and non-fiction.

  31. Thanks Perouz for the information about films at libraries and the general encouragement about getting the word out. This is how it happens!

  32. It is disapointing on Sen. Kerry’s backing off on all the years he supported our Armenian Genocide and now using the excuse as Secretary of State claiming he would represent the policies of the president & the administration faithfully, therefore putting the Armenian Genocide under the table supporting the Turks & Azeri’s whom both want Armenia eliminated from the face of this earth. The Armenian’s in the diaspora cannot move things in our favor until the Armenian Government along with the Armenian Embassy in Washington brings up our key issues before the U.S. President & U.S. Administration on a continuous effort. Also, to work with the United Nations. The Armenian Government has failed after 20 years to not recognize our historical lands & incorporate Independent Artsakh.

  33. Kerry and Obama are just obeying to the real Masters that they govern them. the same that eliminated the Armenians in the Ottoman Empire, and perpetrated the Genocide, Turkey, for all those who ignore it, is still governed by the Ittihad Ve Terekki, Union and Progress gangs, that changed their names but never abandoned power in Turkey, and Union and Progress, responsible for the Armenian Genocide, obeys to the same Masters of civil servants like Obama, Kerry, and company….

  34. You are so right. Our second cousin of Armenian descent recently passed away.
    We donated many Armenian books to several University libraries. It has come to our attention that they did not have any books on Armenian culture, and political issues. It is so important to educate and inspire.

  35. Monte Melkonian [Avo] said something to the effect that: We armenians have to not care what people say. They won’t help us, what has to be done, we have to do ourselfs.

  36. Agree with Dicran (Tigran).
    You can never ever trust a politican. They have their own agenda. Why bother? Why persist? you know that the eventual response is going to be another uncomitted comment. You put them in a tight corner and probe and you will find how quickly they will change the tune. It is however a great pity that politicans DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE ARMENIAN ISSUE. Pity.
    Sorry Stephen, the UN is a useless body – they bark alot but in the end it is not the UN talking but just a number of influential countries who without any doubt are looking at their own interest. Wait until one glorious day – something of significance is found in Armenia and is needed by those same countries who continually deny and refuse to recognise the Armenian genocide. Shall I say more, no! but just imagine.

  37. Interesting what you say Robert about imagining the day when the influential of this world need something from Armenia. How about the next step of Armenians becoming the very essential influential of this world? Then we are the ones call the shots.

    How do we Armenians call the shots? Not to sound cynical but generally speaking we all know what makes the world go round – MONEY. So lets make lots of it and use it to our advantage. Imagine the day when Turks and others borrow money from Armenians. That’s the day when the Armenian Genocide is universally recognized.

    In the mean time by all means lets keep the pressure on through, as Perouz expresses, education, all the while realizing, as Dicran expresses, that we Armenians do what has to be done.

  38. Is it true that Turks and Kurds’ great grandparents have migrated from unknown Mars to our fatherland – If your answer is yes – you just tell them brow brow, as former President of Iraq (Abdul Salam Araf) said to Barazine and the Turks?

  39. John, I was very surprised by your following comment: “Type in Armenian Genocide at most public libraries and get a message that says “We refer to it as the Armenian massacres”. The Library of Congress is what sets search criteria in public libraries.”

    However, I applaud you for your efforts in contacting them for change. Do not be discouraged. Here is an excerpt from a book titled, “Habit,” by Charles Duhigg, Publisher Doubleday Canada 2012 Page 113.

    “In the early 1970s the American Library Association’s Task Force on Gay Liberation decided to focus on one modest goal: convincing the Library of Congress to reclassify books about the gay liberation movement from “Abnormal Sexual Relations, Including Sexual Crimes, to another, less pejorative category. In 1972, after receiving a letter requesting the reclassification, the Library of Congress agreed to make the shift, reclassifying books into a newly created category, “Homosexuality, Lesbianism – Gay Liberation Movement, Homophile Movement.” It was a minor tweak of an old institutional habit regarding how books were shelved, but the effect was electrifying. News of the policy spread across the nation. Gay rights organizations, citing victory, started fund-raising drives. Within a few years, openly gay politicians were running for political office, many of them citing the Library of Congress’s decision as inspiration.”

    We can be as effective as the Gay Liberation Movement if we get together on important issues. So, what would I do if I was a USA resident and entitled to complain? Well, most certainly, I would contact the Library of Congress with my request for action. They should have changed the wording as soon as Lemkin coined the word Genocide. It should be pointed out to them that the International Association of Genocide Scholars routinely calls what was done do us as being the Armenian Genocide. Levon Avdoyan at the Library of Congress would know proper procedure for complaint. Other reader of this site may also have suggestions. You light a small candle, and you never know what open doors it can lead you to. Let’s stop assuming all the doors are shut.

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