Reps. Stivers, Cohen, and Sessions Seek to Derail Growing Bipartisan Support for H.Res.220
WASHINGTON—In a highly offensive political move aimed at derailing H.Res.220, a bipartisan genocide prevention measure drawing upon the lessons of the Armenian Genocide, three of the U.S. House’s remaining enemies of Armenian Genocide remembrance have introduced “fake” legislation on Turkish-Armenian relations, controversially stripped of any mention of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
“A sick and cynical ploy: historically inaccurate and morally offensive. All the world knows that any improvement in Armenian-Turkish relations will need to start with Ankara openly acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and accepting its modern-day responsibility for the vast moral and material consequences of this still unpunished crime,” said Aram Hamparian, executive director of the ANCA.
“Reps. Stivers, Cohen, and Sessions—in stripping out language about the Armenian Genocide from a bill about Turkish-Armenian relations—are, effectively, carrying Turkish President Erdogan’s water in Washington, advancing his shameful denial campaign even as he’s doubling down on his government’s anti-American actions and attitudes.”
H.Res.573 was introduced by Ohio Congressman Steve Stivers (R-Ohio) with the support of Congressional Turkey Caucus Co-Chairs Pete Sessions (R-Tex.) and Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). Rep. Sessions spearheaded a similar resolution in the previous Congress, by all accounts at the urging of former Congressman Connie Mack, who, upon retiring, was retained by the Turkish Institute for Peace. That resolution secured a total of two cosponsors.
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I hope that some day America will do right and recognize the Armenian genocide but at this time in our history we are taking giant steps backwards.
I’m afraid that will not happen anytime soon. Near East Relief and the Treaty of Sevres was as close as they got. They have coddled Turkey for so long…Even if they recognized our genocide, it would not be genuine, it would be geopolitics.
My grandfather was fortunate enough to escape Armania to America during the genocide. He unfortunately was never able to return, 17 of his family members were slaughtered. I’ll never forget the stories of his hardships.
Mr. Cohen a day will come when people like yourself will deny Holocaust, but you won’t be alive to hear that. Shame on you!
The TURKISH OTTOMAN EMPIRE HAS made the WORD GENOCIDE a LOST SECRET WORD. The ARCHITECT of the universe has another WORD to tell the truth.
SANGUINARY. Hypocrisy CANNOT DENY BLOODSHED. IT IS ALL OVER THE WORLD TO THE PRESENT DAY. I ASK YOU. CAN YOU DENY THAT?
Steve Cohen is a Turkish joke. Let his office know you don’t get the punchline at Phone: (202) 225-3265
This is shameful! My grandpa lost 14 of his family members in the genocide in 1915! What can we do here?
Maybe now that the turks are anti-American and burning the dollar supporting terrorism. American government was that forward and do the right thing. Mr. President we ask you humbly please recognize this atrocity as a genocide against the Armenian people by the Turks to try to wipe out the whole race of people please Mr. President do the right thing
My father was a victim of the Turkish geocide. His mother, father and one of his 3 sisters were rounded up late one night and forced to leave everything and martch toward Damascus. On this trail he watched as hundreds of men, women and children were slaughtered. They were told if they converted to the Muslim Religion they could live.
My grandparents declined and we’re beheaded. My Aunt was raped for days, then they cut her breasts off and left to die.
My father was sold twice and escaped both times until he was able to reach his older sister in Constantople.
After a year he was to board a ship with his little sister for America, he arrived in America in October of 1920.
My family lost many members during 1915, they also lost everything they owned, stores, property, factories, etc.
But you will never defeat us, for we are Armenians, we are strong, we are one.
The planned genocide of Armenians was excited by the Turks, that gentleman is a fact, of which you can not change.
These men are despicable, especially rep.Cohen who should know better.
I’m shocked and saddened that this has happened. It’s almost the same as inflicting the pain on a new generation of Armenians that consumed their forebears. It is shameful of these protectionist senators to act in self-interest alone, preserving what appears to be a deal with the devil. Tho I’m not Armenian, I’ve studied in great depth the period of time between 1815 and 1923 in the Anatolian/Armenian region; enough to know that anything less than a full public acknowledgement as well as reparations in the form of land and property effectively denies the Armenian people their rightful heritage and position in the story of humanity.
An end must be put to this form of revisionist political gesturing!
Sad & sickening My Great Grandfather fled this horrendous crime against humanity! I can tell you it was horrifying & REAL! The stories he shared are being passed to the next (3rd) generation (I am 2nd gen) How the hell can you dispute all of the history & first hand experiences that have been documented!?! #IamArmenian
Sadly azeri oil/money talks.All these people supporting such fake resolutions have no principles or morality.
The highest court in Europe, ECHR, ruled twice, inanely in 2013 and 2015, that genocide was an opinion, not a court-proven fact and that rejecting claims of genocide is an exercise in freedom of speech.
It is not in doubt and its not an “opinion”.. 2005 International Center for Transitional Justice deemed it a Genocide. The Turks ignored that completely. 28 country’s including Germany and 46 US states officially recognize it as genocide, as well as ALL genocide historians including IAGS. It seems to not matter who acknowledges it as Turks deny and ignore it as State policy. Turks pretending their planned mass raping, murders and eventual theft of wealth and property’s of Armenians, Greeks and Assyrians didn’t happen. The main purpose of the Armenian Genocide was theft of wealth and property….
Well stated Richard. We are taking giant steps backwards. Hopefully with the increased knowledge these days through different information portals (social media, independent reporting etc) people will start moving away from the politics and focus more on facts. We don’t have to rely on a handful of politicians pushing their agendas forward and incorrectly influencing the population. It’ll take a while but hopefully we’re moving in the right direction.
As a first generation Armenian, who’s father was rescued by the Lord Mayors organ., sent to Corfu Greece, lived as an orphan there for two yrs given a Greek visa then shipped to Canada with other Armenian orphans in 1924. These events are documented, they are not fake news events! Fortunately France and Germany have passed a law recognizing the Armenian situation, much to turkeys chagrin. Unfortunately the US foreign policies leave much to be desired, they make deals with the devil for various political reasons which tends to bite them in the ass on occasions. I guess people and governments sell their souls all the time for various mercenary reasons. They have no honour!
My respects and thanks to those honest politicians who support resolutions pertaining to the facts that Armenian Genocide occurred in the hands of Ottoman Empire. And to those who argue against it claiming its “fake “ I recommend that they read Raphael Lemkin, the great Polish Jew who termed the word genocide after what happened to the Armenians by Ottoman Turks during the 1915 world war. It’s time to put politics aside for whatever reasons and have the courage to stand up against those denialist influenced by Turkish government. It takes courage, honesty and respect to million and half Armenians who lost their lives under most brutal , horrific and inhuman circumstances. Talk to any Armenian in any corner of the world and they all will tell you of multiple horrific stories their forefathers sustained. That is real history by those who suffered and not those who try denying it due to ignorance or other reasons.
boy! do we ever need the jews on our side.
We don’t need jews “on our side”. We need them to mind their own business and stop harming our own interests and Genocide recognition, which they have been doing for decades.
Americans, real Americans, no matter their origin, would have no problem recognizing the Armenian Genocide. It is only foreign interests that have a problem with its recognition, and that is unfortunately influencing American Politics.
They will NEVER be on our side. Many official documents written by Sir Gerard Lowther, the British Ambassador who witnessed the Sultan overthrow in 1908 and CUP taking control of the Ottoman Empire, stated that basic fact that the CUP were Zionist Jews and that this was a “Jewish movement”.. These are the same actors who planned the Armenian Genocide and have been actively thwarting any justice since. How can they be on our side? They are the core actors.