UCLA Armenian Students’ Association Demonstrates Against the Young Turks’ Ana Kasparian

 LOS ANGELES, Calif.—On May 22, the UCLA Armenian Students’ Association held a demonstration  against the Young Turks’ Ana Kasparian, who was invited to speak at an event called POLITIFEST organized by the Bruin Political Union and Campus Events Commission.

The Young Turks’ Ana Kasparian

The event featured several groups including Bruin Democrats, Bruins Elect, Bruin Libertarians, Bruin Republicans, CALPIRG, Young Progressives Demanding Action, and the USAC External Vice President’s Office.

“As one of the largest ethnic student groups on campus, we are outraged that no consideration was taken into account when bringing a member of The Young Turks to campus,” read a part of the statement released by the student group.
The Young Turks, an online commentary outlet, holds the name of the Turkish political movement that perpetrated the Armenian Genocide. Although The Young Turks deny any linkage to the names historical significance, it should go unsaid that keeping such a name is nothing but offensive to members of the Armenian community.

In 1908, the Young Turks came to power in the Ottoman Empire after overthrowing Sultan Abdul Hamid. Armenians living in the region were hopeful because the Young Turks stood on a progressive platform. However, this was not the case as the Young Turks began a nationalistic Turkification campaign leading up to the events of the Armenian Genocide.

The Young Turks organized killing squads, which began the liquidation of the Armenian people. The Young Turks initiated a process that left Armenians drowned in rivers, crucified, and burnt alive. The main figures of the Young Turk movement, Mehmed Talaat Pasha, Ismail Enver Pasha, and Ahmed Djemal Pasha spearheaded a Genocide that resulted in the deaths of over 1.5 million Armenians.

“It should go unsaid that any name affiliation with the “Young Turks” is highly offensive. In allowing Ana Kasparian, a member of The Young Turks, the Bruin Political Union and Campus Events Commission have shown that they are either not familiar with the offensive nature of the name of the organization Mrs. Kasparian represents or that they just do not care,” read a part of the statement.

“UCLA Armenian Students’ Association is outraged by the deliberate censorship of this event. Many of the members, Armenians, submitted questions but were deliberately not chosen. For an event whose sole purpose is to discuss censorship, free speech, and the political climate on college campuses we feel that our questions were deliberately rejected,” the statement continued.

A freshmen Armenian Students’ Association member Ara Mandjikian asked the following question during the event: “In the U.S., there have been many instances of censorship. But, in the past as well there have also been incidents where a minority voice was silenced due to popular appeal such as the Young Turks in the Ottoman Empire. Don’t you think naming a news organization after fascists who committed genocide compromises your ability to comment on censorship and social justice in general?”

Kasparian had a generic response that would please audience members that were not familiar with the nuance of naming an organization The Young Turks. ”Our members were eager to approach her during the meet and greet after she preached about the necessity for open dialogue but Mrs. Kasparian left right when the event ended. How can someone speak so sincerely about progressivism and the need for freedom of speech but not be able to confront issues such as these?” the statement continued.

The Young Turks is a media outlet that has had a cloudy history of refraining to touch upon the issue of the Armenian Genocide. Although the company’s founders have denied any linkage to the name’s historical significance, Cenk Uygur had published a college article denying the Armenian genocide. As a co-founder of The Young Turks, Uygur created the company during a time when he publicly denied the Armenian Genocide. “How can an organization such as The Young Turks be committed to social justice and progressive issues but not understand the highly offensive nature of their name? The answer is simple, The Young Turks do not care about offending Armenians,” the student group said.

The Armenian Students’ Association at UCLA said that it is disappointed that organizations on campus do not consider all details when hosting events such as these on campus. The Armenian Students’ Association at UCLA is one of the most active cultural organizations on campus and they have a long history as an organization. The organization hosts several educational workshops each and every year on the Armenian Genocide. These events are always open to the public and serve to educate all members of the community.

“The organization will continue to fight discrimination and genocide denial as members of the Armenian Diaspora,” said the statement.

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37 Comments

  1. [Keep the pressure on] – If Atheist & Northridge native Anahit Misak Kasparian Lopez wants to defend her decision to make public appearances and perform her glorified podcast…as YOUNG TURK for the next 50 years…opponents of the “n” word and the Alt-Reich and the YOUNG TURKS…must [keep the pressure on].

  2. I remember when Ana Gasparian made overtly disparaging comments about the Armenian community in Glendale, CA. After much backlash, she apologized for offending and promised that every message sent to here at TYT regarding the incident would be answered. Although my message to her was reasonably civil, I am still awaiting her promised reply after many years. Clearly, for such a self-serving individual, one can guess who the right of “free speech” applies to, and in what circumstances. Well, I suppose every oppressed ethnic group has members who will prostitute themselves at the expense of an entire people for a little money or fame. Even so, I stand amazed at how she can have no shame.

  3. Isn’t Ana Kasparian Armenian? She has an Armenian surname and looks it.
    Last year I sent an e-mail to the CEO of Sirius XM Radio, Inc., James E. Meyer, regarding his company’s broadcast of “The Young Turks” program. I received no response, so here it is:
    Dear Mr. Meyer:
    Is Sirius satellite Radio encouraging another genocide in this country by airing a program called, “The Young Turks?”
    In 1915, the Young Turks were the ruling political party in the Ottoman Empire that masterminded the Armenian Genocide. As a grandchild of survivors of that ethnic cleansing, I am deeply offended by the implications of such a title, and its subliminal messages.

  4. Also, Cenk’s claim is that he named it TYT because TYT means “radical, rebel group determined to overthrow the Establishment” – which is exactly what Cenk and TYT do for a living. Not including this side of the argument is disingenuous on the article authors behalf especially when you’re arguing against censorship.

  5. How can you people be so sure it wasn’t a massacre & that it 100% was a genocide when there are so many non-Armenian & non-Turkish experts who believe it was a massacre. Meaning, denying the label & not the events of course.

    • Are you taking the p155 or are you just stupid? The only people who openly deny this are the Turks, the only reason that America hasn’t officially recognised it (they do acknowledge it, Obama lied twice that he would recognise it) is because Turkey is a buffer state to Russia for NATO in addition to new members in Baltic states. There’s also plenty of photographic evidence actually memorialised by the young Turks in a huge amount considering the time. Can you imagine the number of victims not pictured? Well if you did research you don’t need to do that either as the Turks also wrote extensively about it and that’s in diaries still available, the majority were destroyed by members of modern Turkey. Unfortunately Erdogan is gearing up for another genocide this time against the Kurds….

    • Although Kurds were involved in the genocide, they have since apologized and have (mostly) great terms with Armenians. If I’m not wrong, didn’t the Turks dupe them into the massacre?

  6. First time I heard the name of this group “Young Turks” , I was surprised and dismayed that such a progressive group should have such a unacceptable name that especially Armenians are so disgusted with.
    It is true that for a certain period in early twentieth century some progressive movements around the world were publicized as “young Turks” because they had raised against the despot Ottoman Sultan. But it was dropped after many realized the truth about The Genocide perpetuated by this same “young Turks” .
    Why do this group at the present time choose such a savage and fascist name is beyond my understanding. They should either change the name of the group or they will face protests by esprcially Young Armenians everywhere. And how is it that Ana Kasparian does not feel embarrassed puzzles me.

    • So what’s next? You’re going to boycott\protest Websters,Oxford,Random House,etc. next right?It’s,after all,these clearly racist reference material publishers who’ve defined the phrase Young Turks as follows: Insugent or member of an insurgent group especially in a political party: Radical ;broadly; one advocating changes in an established group.What racists! No mention of the Armenian genocide at all ! I’m sure you’ll all join me in boycotting these racist publishers,right? Or,maybe,just maybe you’ll all grow-up a bit and realize the population of the US hasn’t a clue about the Armenian genocide and certainly in no way associates the term Young Turks with it.Like the vast majority of English speakers they know the dictionary definition,if that,and nothing else.BTW I’m Jewish and having a show called The Young Turks is nothing at all like calling a show Nazis.There’s no definition of Nazi other than racist murdering bastards.I’m sorry a terrible thing happened 100+years ago to some of your ancestors,but this is the hill you want to die on?We’ve got Nazis marching in our streets,an administration that’s trying to rob the US and give the 1% what little they don’t already own,a pedarast running for senator in Alabama,a mass shooting everyday,and so on and you’re complaining over the name of an organisation that opposes and exposes all of this crap?Why don’t you take that energy and use it against actual threats to Americans?I’m sorry but the only people who take this seriously are right-wing idiots who’ll use anything to attack left-wing news outlets.Are those the people you really want as allies?Guys who use the term white genocide seriously or how being a Nazi is protected under the 1st amendment.Ok whatever,just realize how you’re perceived:as useful idiots for right-wing demagogues.

  7. Crusade. Inquisition. Witch-hunt.

    These terms have all evolved in meaning compared to their origins.

    “Young Turks” has evolved as well.

    Anahit is Armenian and a warrior in the battle for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Those who attack her hurt this cause.

    When you whitewash the article by eliminating any mention of the slurs and curses thrown by Armenians in the audience, you are complicit.

    • A terrible thing happened?
      Israel of all nations had a moral obligation to humanity to recognize the terrible thing that happened…..what happened was GENOCIDE and the precursor for the other terrible thing that happened …..you know that thing called The Holocaust.

  8. Interesting hit piece with numerous inaccuracies. I agree the name is poor and should be changed, but it’s about the money. I’m glad their leader Uygur has since said that the genocide happened. It seems counter-productive to go against an organization like The Young Turks for their name compared to their policies, when it’s undoubtedly a nationalistic thing for Uygur about the general pride of the Turkish nation. Is it easier to go after some internet show than work against the real violence occurring against Armenians now?

  9. WHO WROTE THIS!!! It’s obviously a FAKE NEWS piece!!! Are we going to throw basic Ottoman history out the window? LOL
    Trust me, if you were Arminian in 1908, you supported the Liberal Young Turks uprising!!!!! It was only much later that CONSERVATIVE muslims allowed the genocide to ramp up in 1915. This ‘hit-piece’ is an embarrassment.

  10. Ed, if you believe that Cenk was ignorant of who the Young Turks were and how it relates to his worldview, I have a nice bridge in Brooklyn that you might be interested in purchasing. Cenk wrote articles aggressively denying the Armenian genocide years before he started his show. So if what you are implying is true, an Armenian Genocide denier who was born in Turkey had no clue the young turks signified the political party that was in power during the Genocide. If the subject wasn’t so serious we could all laugh about it.

    While Cenk is truly vile, Ana is significantly worse. She is despicable in every way possible. I wasn’t there to hear what insults were levied to her, but whatever was said she truly earned. To think she leveraged her Armenian identity to legitimize this ‘program’ makes me ill. I hope she enjoys whatever blood money she has earned because she’ll never be welcome in the Armenian community. She is an atheist and married a non Armenian so maybe it’s not such a big deal for her. Good riddance Ana Kasparoglu.

  11. Cenk had his Armenian genocide denial on his The Young Turks website for four yrs (1999-2003). Cenk knew the name The Young Turks is offensive to the Armenians, since day one. He said he chose the name due to it’s rebel and progressive definition, yet he had the name The Young Turk in the mid 90s on his public cable access show in Virginia near D.C I believe and he was not a progressive and I doubt he was a rebel, because he was a conservative Republican back then(I’m sure many people called into his public cable access show to complain about the name).

    Cenk didn’t put up the rebel and progressive definition of his show til a yr or so after he started his Sirius Radio show. which was in 2003. ? Cenk got countless complaints about the name of the show, since it started in 2002 on Sirius Radio. He and his staff just laughed it off behind peoples’backs and still do now (Ana said on Twitter that she and everyone at TYT laugh at people who are offended by the name and she called them morons). Cenk just had to choose this deplorable name for his network also.

    He went onto support Turkish American organizations ATAA and TCA before he started his network or after and these organizations make sure the Armenian genocide isn’t taught anywhere and they put pressure on the U.S government to not officially recognize the Armenian genocide. Ana was told this on Twitter in April of 2015 and again on November of 2015 and she had no response. She’s apparently okay with her boss supporting these organizations. I imagine that these organizations fund The Young Turks.

    Cenk did do a Rescinding Statement about his public Armenian genocide denial, which was an article in his University newspaper and a letter to Salon, yet Cenk said in his Statement that this history was an issue and he just doesn’t know enough about this history to talk about the topic of the Armenian genocide. He did not admit that the Armenian genocide happened. Cenk was trying to trick people with his Rescinding Statement and it has worked on many.

    I have heard people say that TYT have talked on their post game/private show about why the Armenian genocide is a hush hush topic for Turks and the Turkish govt and that Cenk is still a citizen of Turkey and he has to be careful. They said he can’t upset the Turkish govt and Turkish nationalists. They said his family would be harassed in Turkey if he said the Armenian genocide happened and they said he wouldn’t be allowed into Turkey if he said it or if he was allowed in he’d be arrested. Journalists and others have been arrested for saying the Armenian genocide happened after the coup attempt in Turkey last yr. If all of that is true then I can see why Cenk is so quiet about this subject. I guess Ana Kasparian understands this. Yet I dont know if this stuff was discussed on The Young Turks post game/private show. People could have made it up. I talked to a man who seemed to be one of Cenk’s friends, cause he seemed to know him so well (he just knew so many things about him) and he said it would take Cenk another 10 yrs to believe the Armenian genocide happened due to how he was raised. ?

    The least Cenk can do is just change the name of his show and network and stop supporting organizations, which deny the Armenian genocide. If he really feels in his heart/behind closed doors that the Armenian genocide happened then he wouldn’t support ATAA and TCA/The Turkish American organizations, which deny the Armenian genocide. Cenk has never had respect for the Armenian community though and he will not change the name even though Ana asked him to. Someone talked to Ana privately and she said he wont change the name, because he feels it has nothing to do with that historical situation. Cenk and Ana and the rest of The Young Turks don’t care about the Armenians.

    Ana admitted over 2 yrs ago that she doesn’t consider herself culturally Armenian or Armenian American. I think she’s considered herself culturally Mexican American, since she was in Middle School if not earlier. Ana has called Armenians uncultured and extremely dumb to be offended by the name The Young Turks. Yet Ana has wanted the Armenian community to essentially love her and worship her, because she worked so hard and has a great job on TYT and for being a social justice warrior (Wow….). ??? Ana is an odd one for sure. She’s shown herself to only care about herself/her career and she hasn’t and doesn’t mind throwing her own people under the bus.
    https://thegenocidalturks.wordpress.com/cenk-denied-the-genocide/
    https://someinconvenientfacts.wordpress.com/2015/08/05/ana-kasparian-is-a-piece-of-work-and-has-a-big-ego/

    • The border needs to be sealed, with no amnesty according to guy that invested 4 million dollars in the Young Turks. lol

      You cant make this stuff up. Anyone else the Young Turks would be calling a serial Racist.

      ================================================================

      Q: What is your position on border security? And how would you handle the illegal immigrant issue?

      A: The border needs to be sealed. We are a nation of immigrants, but it must be LEGAL. You start with a sealed border–sealed, no holes. Second, you hav a green card program which allows workers to come for jobs when no Americans are available. Under law, you hold the card-holder AND the hiring company responsible for the conduct and presence of the worker with fines for violations and non-acceptance in the program for repeat violations. Offer a 6-month period in which companies would not be fined if they turnover illegals. After that period, there will be fines for discovery of illegals working at a US company. No amnesty, but I would allow a parole- citizen committee from the region to interview any illegal that authorities think might have a case for not being shipped back to the mother-country, i.e., military service, special jobs skills, etc. This would be rare, but could be good for America.

      Buddy Roemer on Immigration (The guy that invested 4 million dollars in the Young Turls lol)
      here is the link http://www.ontheissues.org/2012/Buddy_Roemer_Immigration.htm

      =====================================================================

      Buddy Roemer firm invests $4 million in Young Turks Network

      By HADAS GOLD

      04/16/2014 09:09 AM EDT

      A firm led by former Republican governor and congressman Buddy Roemer is investing millions into The Young Turks Network to significantly increase its content, sales, and platform presence.

      The investment of $4 million, with an option to go up to $8 million, came out of a conversation Roemer and The Young Turks Network founder Cenk Uygur had backstage before speaking at a conference about money in politics last year. The relationship between the conservative Louisiana politician and the founder of the progressive media outlet stemmed from both making the removal of money’s influence on politics their signature issues.

      “One thing led to another, and it turns out we’re terrific partners for one another and that’s how it came about,” Uygur, who also has a PAC devoted to campaign finance reform, said in an interview.

      In a statement, Roemer said his firm, Roemer, Robinson, Melville & Co., LLC, has been looking for two years to find the best new media platform in which to invest.

      “We believe TYT will be one of the critical players moving forward in a new media world — edgy, unfiltered news commentary at its best,” Roemer said. “They are a lot like me, sometimes wrong but never in doubt. We expect their news to continue to push the envelope and their business to grow exponentially.”

      Uygur said Roemer’s group will sit on The Young Turks Network’s advisory board but will not have influence over content. The network, which has a popular online news show that once broadcast on Current TV, has just announced that Hulu will carry a 30-minute version of “The Young Turks” and the network’s entertainment show “PopTrigger.”

      “People are seeing that online media is a powerhouse and it’s a very logical investment; if you’re at all savvy you can see the handwriting on the wall which is that the audience is obviously going online for video content, and more so even in younger audiences,” Uygur said. “I think whether in media or out of the media business, if you’d like to make money, online video and digital media is a great way to do and I think people are just wising up to that.”

      Uygur said the money will mostly be spent on hiring a larger sales team, creating more content, and expanding the number of platforms they currently broadcast on.

      Hadas Gold is a reporter at Politico.

      Authors:
      Hadas Gold hgold@politico.com @hadas_gold

  12. Cenk also has his Wolf-Pac which sounds a lot like The Grey Wolves. I’m sure you know what the Grey Wolves are. They’re an ultra Turkish nationalist group. I think Cenk likes to wave his Turkish pride flags around by choosing such names. In my mind there is no way that Cenk Uygur believes the Armenian genocide happened despite the risks. He also only believes the Turkish version when it comes to Cyprus. And I think the president of Erdogan loves the name Wolf-Pac and loves the name The Young Turks.

  13. Sorry for my mistakes. I meant to write “Erdogan the president of Turkey” on my last comment. And I meant to write “the progressive definition of the show’s name” on my first comment.

    I talked to someone at TCA(Turkish Coalition of America) a few months ago, maybe back in March of this year and he said Turks everywhere can say the Armenian genocide happened without consequences. I was very upset with Cenk after reading that. Yet I found evidence of prominent Turks being harassed for saying the Armenian genocide happened about a month later. Here’s an excerpt from this publication that talks about what a Turkish scholar has gone through for saying the Armenian genocide happened: http://asbarez.com/154471/after-coup-attempt-turkish-scholar-boldly-speaks-on-armenian-genocide/ ” Berktay, a liberal Turkish scholar, told El Pais that he has repeatedly recognized the Armenian Genocide ever since 2002. He described the genocide as “the near-complete extermination and annihilation of Ottoman Armenians.” acknowledged that for his honest views on the Armenian Genocide, “especially before 2002, and even afterwards (though no longer by the government), there has been a huge amount of informal, extra-legal pressure, blackmail, threats or other forms of psychological terror brought to bear on people like me, which I and others have all had to face.”http://asbarez.com/154471/after-coup-attempt-turkish-scholar-boldly-speaks-on-armenian-genocide/ No one should go through psychological terror and black mail etc for saying the Armenian genocide happened.

    Rep Tulsi Gabbard tweeted maybe in May or June that Turks in the media in Turkey who said the Armenian genocide happened have been arrested, since after the coup attempt in Turkey, I think. Before the coup attempt no one was arrested for saying the Armenian genocide happened, yet it is on the books that it is a crime to be arrested for. Erdogan has gone crazy with his power.

    I think Cenk has many good reasons to have to publicly deny the Armenian genocide and Ana Kasparian understands his predicament. Cenk is in the media on the world stage and Erdogan I think has harassed U.S publications for criticizing his government like he’s the emperor of the planet. God knows what Erdogan would do to Cenk on the world stage if Cenk said the Armenian genocide happened or what he’d do behind the scenes. Most Turks don’t believe the Armenian genocide happened and I’m sure Cenk doesn’t want to be harassed by them if he said the Armenian genocide happened. Cenk is probably very wary of Turkish nationalists and I’m sure he doesn’t want to upset them. Again Cenk has many good reasons unfortunately to deny the Armenian genocide especially if it’s true that Turkish family members get harassed just because a family member said the Armenian genocide happened. It is also very possible that ATAA and TCA have funded the Young Turks and still do (getting paid to deny the Armenian genocide).

    I know that Cenk truly/genuinely and strongly didn’t believe the Armenian genocide happened and he was basically shouting that denial from the roof tops. His Armenian genocide denial isn’t strong like it once was. His denial since very recently is very weak and he pleads ignorance on that history of that time. Ana said somewhere online i think back in 2011 that she’d never work for an Armenian genocide denier. ?

    I just think all of this is complex. It’s possible that Ana has convinced Cenk years ago that there was an Armenian genocide and Cenk finally saw that the Armenian genocide happened. If Cenk didn’t have so many worrisome and fearful reasons to publicly deny the Armenian genocide then I’d be furious at him, yet the reasons looks like he has no choice. Is it worth his family members getting harassed and himself being harassed and to never go to see his family in Turkey again or to be arrested in Turkey? i just don’t think Cenk can be strong on this one if he really thinks the Armenian genocide happened and be public about it. I understand that it’s still possible that Cenk just doesn’t believe this genocide happened and he has tricked Ana behind the scenes to keep her on his show. I’ll never know for sure, yet all of the reasons for Cenk having to be a public Armenian genocide denier does weigh out a lot.

    I don’t mean to be an Armenian genocide denier apologist. I just don’t know if it’s worth the risks for prominent Turkish people to publicly say it happened. ? Cenk is on the world media stage. I don’t think Cenk is a true freedom fighter. I’m sure he wants to protect his family especially now when Erdogan is so powerful and crazy. It is possible that Ana was being honest when she said she’d never work for an Armenian genocide denier. ?

    The closest Cenk hinted at the Armenian genocide happening was in this TYT post game video from April of 2013 (that I know of): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptFiiQk5k1Y&t=2s Ana and Cenk both said, “what happened” and they both at the same time didn’t dare say the Armenian genocide happened. I think they both called it an issue too. Cenk said how he was raised to believe that the Armenian genocide didn’t happen. Ana said that she and Cenk would get into a lot of trouble if they went into specifics. ?? I have no idea how she’d get into trouble. ? In this video Cenk forgot to say that the Armenian at his university who didn’t want to talk to him was because Cenk tried to take money away the Armenian group for saying the Armenian genocide happened (this happened on the date of the Armenian genocide anniversary, I think). Cenk didn’t get his way and he got his revenge by writing that the Armenian genocide didn’t happen in his university newspaper in November of 1991.

    Also I think the only way the name of his show and network can be changed is if enough people pressure Cenk to change it. I know he loves the name and the progressive and rebel definition, yet he should show some respect to Armenians and just change it (especially due to his long history of showing disdain and disrespect for the Armenians for so long). I don’t think Erdogan, Turkisih nationalists, TCA and ATAA will be upset with him if he just changes the name due to so many people pressuring him to do so.

    I get that Cenk is a blowhard who is very stubborn and he certainly has rubbed far too many people the wrong way for probably his whole life. I get that Ana has come across as an absolute traitor to her own people and that she only cares about her precious career at The Young Turks. I think she’s the only Armenian to work on a show called The Young Turks for a public Armenian genocide denier who supported and must till support organizations, which deny the Armenian genocide. Ana has treated her own people with such disrespect,disdain and disregard, which has been very jolting. These are not likable people for the most part in my opinion.

    If Cenk is truly some kind of victim in this and he has no choice, but to be a public Armenian genocide denier out of worry and fear than I’d say give Cenk a break if he’s in a bad predicament. I really don’t know exactly what would happen to Cenk and his family if he said the Armenian genocide happened. How on earth would they be harassed? Would he be arrested in Turkey? Would prominent Turks try to his sabotage his career? I just don’t know. ? Plus Cenk loves his Turkish people more than anything and I think he’s very tribal. I just cant get over how complex this is. And yet again it is possible that Cenk has tricked Ana behind the scenes, cause she’s good PR for him and has been since he hired her. Yet Erdogan the president of Turkey is so powerful now and he is crazy and I think any Turk would be afraid to upset him. Cenk went to Turkey recently and he was stunned that he was allowed into Turkey, cause he has criticized the Turkish govt to an extent (just enough to not get into trouble I guess).

    So I don’t know if you’d want to understand Cenk’s predicament or maybe you’d say that’s just an excuse, cause he’s in the United States and not in Turkey. If they really go after innocent family members to make people shut up then that’s like the lowest action I’ve ever heard. There has to be Turkish nationalists in the United States too. I’m sure Cenk would never want to be banned from Turkey or wouldn’t want to be arrested in Turkey. I dont know. Sorry if I offend anyone. I just don’t know how Cenk goes about this publicly if he truly believes the Armenian genocide happened.

    And Ana could have covered for Cenk for saying he changed his mind on the Armenian genocide. She could have made herself and him look better to the masses. I think if Ana was Jewish and not enough people knew about the holocaust then she’d work on a show called The Nazis for a public holocaust denier who supports holocaust denying organization if if meant career advancement. Yet if the holocaust denier then had to be one out of fear and worry well… Again it’s very complex or it certainly grew to be complex.

    Cenk never should have been a public Armenian genocide denier. HE never should have named his show and network The Young Turks and he never should have supported such organizations in the first place. Cenk never cared about the countless complaints about the name of his show and he still doesn’t care now. Cenk and Ana still show such disdain and disregard to the Armenians. Ana never should have worked on a show with that name for an Armenian genocide denier etc. Sigh…

    • So, Chelsea-Rachel, Cenk is just a denialist or a coward. That’s what I get from your post.

      We castigate the “good reasons” Britain has for denying the Genocide. Under your “analysis,” fear of harassment or criticism is also a good reason. Therefore everyone should agree inwardly that the AG happened, but everyone should deny it lest their cousins get bad service at the nearest kebab shop.

      Thank God Vartan and his Asbeds didn’t worry about the good reasons each had to deny Christ and submit. Thank God our Martyrs and families do and did likewise, and raised us to be brave.

  14. jda, you’d risk your innocent family being harassed? You’d risk being banned from your home country or arrested in your country? Do you realize how bad Turkey is right now? So should Cenk take these risks if he truly believes the Armenian genocide happened? I think his family being harassed is far more severe than his family getting bad service at a kebab shop. They may get fired from their jobs and the like. I just wish I knew how severe the harassment would be for his family members. Erdogan really is crazy with power and many are suffering under him in Turkey. This looks to be the worst time in modern history for Turks and everyone else in Turkey.

    TYT staff went nuts on me and said I was stupid to not know that Cenk has not choice, but to be a public Armenian genocide denier. They said everyone was stupid to not go to Google and find out how bad things are right now under the Turkish govt and that Turks and especially prominent Turks cannot say the Armenian genocide happened without severe consequences. They kept telling me to go to Google, yet they gave me no links to all of this information. ? I asked why Cenk has to support such organizations and the answer I got was “Reasons” and that was it. ? They even thought that I was a Corporate right-wing troll. I said corporations do far more business in Turkey than in Armenia.

    TYT absolutely despise people who say any criticism about Cenk’s Armenian genocide denial and the name of his show and network. They act like he’s the true victim in all of this and that we all just have an irrational hatred for Cenk. ? It seems like they want people to realize that Cenk does believe the Armenian genocide happened behind closed doors, yet he cant deal with the risks of saying it publicly.

    Yet Cenk sees nothing wrong with the name of his show and network and he’s acted like Armenians and others are just so dense. ? Supposedly over 6 months ago Ana admitted to someone in private after a public event that she’s tried to get Cenk to change the name and he’s refused to do so, cause he said it has nothing to do with the Armenian genocide or topic of such. Cenk is a dick and there’s no way going around that. Ana knows the name is deplorable and has wanted to and I guess would still love for Cenk to change the name, yet she has said publicly that her own people are uncultured and are extremely dumb to be offended by the name. Her logic is amazing. ?

    I don’t even know if most people know Cenk supported and may still or must still support ATAA and TCA and supporting such organizations makes Cenk look far worse than he ever looked before. That’d be like a holocaust denier supporting holocaust denying organizations. And why would Cenk name his Pac Wolf-Pac? ??? It just looks like Cenk is a very very proud Turk to the extreme.

    I think Ana feels that Cenk is in a bad predicament and she gives him passes. Ana said in an interview how she’s changed Cenk’s mind on some things yet wouldn’t dare say what things. ? I think she’s frustrated that Armenians don’t see how bad his predicament/situation is. YEt she cant voice any of this due to her loyalty to Cenk. It’s very possible or likely that Cenk would go through major shit if he ever publicly said the Armenian genocide happened and god knows what his innocent family would go through in the States and Turkey if he ever said the Armenian genocide happened. Turkish nationalists aren’t only in Turkey.

    Now I have been and still am disgusted by Cenk, Ana and all of The Young Turks. I watched a TYT video from the autumn of 2015 and I actually heard them laughing behind the scenes when Ana mentioned that people are morons for being upset by the name The Young Turks. Yeah, these people are dicks/pricks/assholes/cunts. They just don’t care about Armenians. Ana certainly hasn’t. She’s gladly thrown her own people under the bus. Ana thought she could get away with working on a show called The Young Turks, because she thought The Armenians were just a tiny ethnic group that doesn’t matter very much. She has been very irritated that more and more people besides Armenians have cared and do care about all of this. She knows she looks bad and cant deal with that and attacks people or ignores them.

    Supposedly on post game/private/ member paid TYT shows they’ve talked about the Armenian genocide and how bad the Turkish govt is and I doubt Cenk has said anything if he’s so worried and afraid cause I’m sure the Turkish govt and Turks in turkey can watch these shows. Or maybe Cenk has partaken in these conversations and agreed with everyone on these post game shows and that’s okay, cause they’re private shows. ? TYT fans have told me somewhat about these post game shows yet there’s never any proof, because they’re private and these people could have been bullshitting me. They’ve also said to me that I’m an awful person to even bring up the Armenian genocide

    I’ve also seen many Turks go nuts when people say the Armenian genocide happened. They joke that if you said that in Istanbul then you’d be sent to a mental institution. They go crazy saying that genocide is nothing but lies. They really lose it to be honest. Some mention the Azerbaijan genocide that they claim the Armenians caused and the mention other Armenian uprisings and destroying Turkish cities and killing the people there and say over and over that there was no Armenian genocide. Sigh…

    Two years ago Cenk said on his show that it looks like or he may have chosen the wrong name and then everyone and he burst out laughing. ? They all just love that name so much. They just don’t see anything wrong with it and it’s bizarre. Again, they just don’t care about Armenians.

    I’ve tried to drill into peoples’ heads just how bad the name is and it has worked on some and others just don’t get it and they are the truly dense ones. More and more people do see how bad the name is though and they also see how bad Cenk is for being an Armenian genocide denier. They see how bad it was and is for Cenk to be an Armenian genocide denier and chose and have THAT name. Cenk is too proud and stubborn to ever change the name. He’d need so much pressure to change the name. I think more and more people just need to be educated and then one day Cenk will have no choice, but to change the name.

    I have no idea if Cenk will ever admit the Armenian genocide happened publicly. Time will tell on that one. The man at TCA didn’t like the video, which showed Cenk hinting at the Armenian genocide happening. I think Cenk has tried to play both sides to be honest. God knows what Cenk really thinks about the Armenian genocide. Only Cenk knows that.

  15. Cenk owes us nothing. But he owes Turks a lot.

    He should be brave enough to deplore Erdogan. Yes, he may face harassment, and worse, but if brave men do not act to save their country from tyranny for the fear of harassment and violence, they will make themselves and their families slaves of the state. Oh wait: the Ottoman members of the government called themselves just that with pride – “slaves of the state.”
    Cenk needs 1 per cent as much courage as Ayse Gunyasu has.

    As for Ana – time to get out from under Cenk’s shadow and move on, or change your name to Annie Caspar. As in the friendly ghost.

    There are times when you stand up to tyranny and racism. Some brave southern whites and many brave southern African Americans did that here. The Turk Nazis are nowhere near as tough as the Klan was. The Klan lost. Vartan and his 80,000 Asbeds did such in 451.

  16. I read over and over again from The Young Turks fans that the name has a great progressive/rebel definition. I’ve read how great the first Young Turks were and how progressive they were. They say see look at all of this and the name is a great fit/description of Cenk’s show and network! They say people are stupid and biased to not see how great the name is and that it has nothing to do with the Armenian genocide. Well, Ana Kasparian called Armenians uncultured and extremely dumb to be offended by the name The Young Turks. I’ve explained to people how the name got ruined when The Young Turks killed 3 million people, yet it never sinks into these peoples’ heads.

  17. If you want to learn more about The Young Turks history then look at this site it has all of it detailed.
    Important points
    – Cenk tried to defund Armenians on Genocide Memorial Day for placing an ad naming The Young Turks as the perpetrators.
    – Cenk wrote an article in his student newspaper denying the Armenian Genocide.
    – Cenk named his show The Young Turk.
    – Cenk wrote another article to Salon after they named The Young Turks as the perpetrators when he was 29 years old.
    – Cenk placed the full longer article denying the Armenian Genocide on his show’s website where it remained for years after the show was founded.
    – Since a successful boycott by Armenians in 2006 Cenk has publicly refused to say it was Genocide but tries to avoid the topic like the plague.
    – A year later the Young Turks hired Ana Kasparian who seems to be paid to obfuscate and misrepresent Cenk’s continuing Armenian Holocaust denial.

    The full history and story of Cenk Uygur’s Genocide denial can be found here why does the media turn a blind eye to this guy’s past when reporting on him??

    https://thegenocidalturks.wordpress.com/cenk-denied-the-genocide/

  18. What I find weird is how Ana hasn’t and doesn’t consider herself culturally Armenian American. She’s a first generation American and its odd that she’s ran away from her heritage, yet I think she had an Armenian wedding or Armenian wedding celebration. She said she’d never have dated an Armenian man. I guess she thinks Armenian American culture is too conservative and patriarchal and restrictive. I don’t think Armenian women have to be that submissive. Ana’s mother sure seems the farthest from submissive. Ana has said she’s been culturally Hispanic for many years. I don’t even know why she keeps her last name. She should really take her husband’s name Lopez. She ditched her Armenian first name so why not the last name if she really doesn’t like being Armenian. I think Ana working on TYT has really made her not embrace Armenians either, since she’s gotten so much criticism from them, but what did she expect? She really thought the Armenian community was going to love her, cause she worked so hard and works on such a great show for social justice. Wow… ??? I still can’t get over how nasty and snotty she’s been to her own people. She’s just wanted to be and still wants to be loved, praised and worshipped and has never wanted to have been criticized and she still doesn’t want to be criticized. Ana couldn’t even answer any questions at the event. When Ana admitted in private that she doesn’t like the name The Young Turks yet said like 2 years earlier that the Armenians are extremely dumb and uncultured and are morons to be offended by the name was so strange. So they’re stupid, yet she isn’t. ??? Plus on another note Ana dealt with Cenk’s sexism, which held her back at The Young Turks. Ana just doesn’t make any sense. I don’t think any job is worth having to throw your own people under the bus. And a woman who works on a progressive network and show should never have to deal with sexism. Ana has complained for years that she doesn’t get paid enough on The Young Turks. She’s had so many reasons to leave that crazy show and she just digs in her heels and stays there. She makes no damn sense.

  19. Ana’s boss Cenk Uygur has been sexist to her, since day one, yet it’s not as bad as it once was. He held her back in her precious career at TYT by not letting her host the first hour on TYT. He used to put her down openly/dismiss her and interrupt her the most, especially so when they were on Current TV: http://emptylighthouse.com/ana-kasparian-jabs-cenk-uygur-sexism-young-turks-tyt-1600999531

    So Ana works for a man who is sexist and denies her peoples genocide. She works on a show where they get countless stories wrong and are so biased and they are so arrogant/smug. Ms. Kasparian has problems/issues.

  20. Cenk is controlled by the Zionist or he would never have gotten a show,because I see him as a jewish tool. My father was in Smyrna in 1922 and the only sectors that didn,t get burned to the ground were the jewish and muslim sectors, 50,000 thousand greeks and Armenians were slaughtered. Our family lost 80 members but my dad and grandparents escaped to France. Jews and turks and Saudis are second cousins. Still here at 76 yrs old . Never forget.

  21. This piece is bullshit , you guys know Ana talked multiple time agains’t the armenian genocide , the fact that Armnenian like her are still going after her because of misguided and uneducated comment Cenk made about the Armenian genocide when he was young and since retracted. Ana had a grand parent that was affected by the genocide and that left Armenia because of it. This is a disgrace. Going after her character , her heritage is bullshit . she as always been clear on her this issue .

  22. Nobody mentioned that Cenk Uygur was a conservative voting for Republicans when he was young. He’s almost far left now and he retracted his statements years ago. As for the charges of sexism, that’s nonsense, he interrupts Ana as he does with every other host on the show, ask John Iadarola. A lot of very strong minded women are often on the panel, never once I saw Cenk disrespecting one of them. Cenk agrees that the name of the show was poorly chosen, but now it’s a brand and nobody associates the network with Turkey or the genocide other than JSWs or Armenian Americans fighting ghosts. If TYT’s progressive fighting doesn’t made up for its name for you, cry me a river.

  23. All of you criticizing tyt are just vile religious wackos, and trust me I grew up with a lot of Armenians most most of you guys are nothing but religious hypocrites that don’t practice what you preach…… spare me your fake outrage, grow up.

  24. But TYT acknowledges Armenian genocide, and their name is a reference to the American term… This just seems like a dishonest disinformation campaign

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