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SENATORS CALL ON OBAMA TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Asbarez
Apr 20th, 2010
Boxer Letter Urges President to "Stand on the Right Side of History"
WASHINGTON-California Senator Barbara Boxer (D) was joined this week
by more than a dozen of her Senate colleagues in calling on President
Obama "to stand on the right side of history and unequivocally affirm
the Armenian Genocide," reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
"We would like to thank Senator Boxer and her Senate colleagues
for their effort to end Turkey's gag rule on U.S. affirmation of
the Armenian Genocide - a morally bankrupt policy that continues to
undermine our nation's credibility in the fight to end the cycle of
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "President
Obama has a clear choice to make on April 24th - to emerge as the
torchbearer of truth regarding the Armenian Genocide or to remain
the Turkish government's accomplice in the denial of this crime
against humanity."
The letter, circulated by Senator Boxer and sent to the White House
earlier today with the signatures of 14 Senators from 10 different
states, underscored that, "despite an irrefutable body of evidence, the
United States Government has yet to recognize the events of 1915-1923
by their rightful name." The signatories urged the President, this
April 24 "to correct this injustice and finally acknowledge one of the
greatest atrocities of the 20th century for what it was - genocide."
In comments to the ANCA, Senator John Ensign (R-NV), a co-signer of
the letter, noted that, "This month will mark the 95th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. The atrocities that occurred 95 years ago have
yet to be recognized by our government as a genocide. Inthis letter, my
colleagues and I urge President Obama to once and for all declare that
the lives lost during this dark period were a result of a deliberate
and intentional massacre of innocent men, women, and children."
During his campaign for the White House, President Obama repeatedly
promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but, since, taking
office, has broken his pledge, even going so far as pressuring the
U.S. Congress against adopting legislation commemorating this crime
against humanity.
The full list of Senators co-signing the letter is as follows: Barbara
Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee;
Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Banking Committee's Subcommittee
on Economic Policy; John Ensign (D-OH), Ranking Member of the Commerce
Committee's Subcommittee on Communications; Russ Feingold (D-WI),
Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Africa;
Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), Chairwoman of the Select Intelligence
Committee; Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chairman of the Commerce
Committee's Subcommittee on Surface Transportation; Carl Levin (D-MI),
Chairman of the Armed Services Committee; Robert Menendez (D-NJ),
Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; Jack Reed
(D-RI), Chairman of the Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on
Emerging Threats; Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Chairman of the Homeland
Security Committee; Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chairwoman of the
Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce; Charles Schumer
(D-NY), Vice Chairman of the Democratic Caucus; Debbie Stabenow (D-MI),
Chairwoman of the Energy Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Power,
and; Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Environment Committee's
Subcommittee on Oversight.
The full text of the Boxer Letter is provided below.
****
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As you know, April 24 marks Armenian Remembrance Day 2010, the
ninety-fifth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Despite an
irrefutable body of evidence, the United States Government has yet
to recognize the events of 1915-1923 by their rightful name. We
urge you-on this April 24-to correct this injustice and finally
acknowledge one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century for
what it was-genocide.
Over the years, this deliberate massacre of the Armenians has been
well-documented through eye-witness accounts and confirmed by numerous
scholars. Simply put-between 1915 and 1923, more than 1.5 million
Armenians were marched to their deaths in the deserts of the Middle
East, murdered in concentration camps, drowned at sea, and forced to
endure horrific acts of brutality at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.
In his memoirs, Henry Morgenthau, the American Ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire between 1913 and 1916, wrote: "When the Turkish
authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely
giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well,
and in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt
to conceal the fact." And even as it was just beginning, the New
York Times reported the mass killing of Armenians as "systematic,"
"authorized," and "organized by the government."
Tragically, Adolf Hitler even used the Ottoman Empire's action against
the Armenians to justify the extermination of the Jews, saying in 1939,
"Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"
The fact is that many have affirmed the Armenian Genocide, and it
is long past time that the United States do the same, joining with
Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy,
Lebanon, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Uruguay, Venezuela, the Vatican and over 40 U.S. states.
While we fully acknowledge the importance of the U.S.-Turkey
relationship, we should never, for any reason, fail to call a tragedy
of this magnitude by its rightful name. As such - on this April 24 -
we urge you to stand on the right side of history and unequivocally
affirm the Armenian Genocide.
Thank you for your consideration of this important request.
Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer United States Senator cc. The Honorable Hillary Rodham
Clinton, Secretary of State
Asbarez
Apr 20th, 2010
Boxer Letter Urges President to "Stand on the Right Side of History"
WASHINGTON-California Senator Barbara Boxer (D) was joined this week
by more than a dozen of her Senate colleagues in calling on President
Obama "to stand on the right side of history and unequivocally affirm
the Armenian Genocide," reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
"We would like to thank Senator Boxer and her Senate colleagues
for their effort to end Turkey's gag rule on U.S. affirmation of
the Armenian Genocide - a morally bankrupt policy that continues to
undermine our nation's credibility in the fight to end the cycle of
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "President
Obama has a clear choice to make on April 24th - to emerge as the
torchbearer of truth regarding the Armenian Genocide or to remain
the Turkish government's accomplice in the denial of this crime
against humanity."
The letter, circulated by Senator Boxer and sent to the White House
earlier today with the signatures of 14 Senators from 10 different
states, underscored that, "despite an irrefutable body of evidence, the
United States Government has yet to recognize the events of 1915-1923
by their rightful name." The signatories urged the President, this
April 24 "to correct this injustice and finally acknowledge one of the
greatest atrocities of the 20th century for what it was - genocide."
In comments to the ANCA, Senator John Ensign (R-NV), a co-signer of
the letter, noted that, "This month will mark the 95th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide. The atrocities that occurred 95 years ago have
yet to be recognized by our government as a genocide. Inthis letter, my
colleagues and I urge President Obama to once and for all declare that
the lives lost during this dark period were a result of a deliberate
and intentional massacre of innocent men, women, and children."
During his campaign for the White House, President Obama repeatedly
promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide, but, since, taking
office, has broken his pledge, even going so far as pressuring the
U.S. Congress against adopting legislation commemorating this crime
against humanity.
The full list of Senators co-signing the letter is as follows: Barbara
Boxer (D-CA), Chairwoman of the Environment and Public Works Committee;
Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Chairman of the Banking Committee's Subcommittee
on Economic Policy; John Ensign (D-OH), Ranking Member of the Commerce
Committee's Subcommittee on Communications; Russ Feingold (D-WI),
Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee's Subcommittee on Africa;
Dianne Feinstein (D- CA), Chairwoman of the Select Intelligence
Committee; Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Chairman of the Commerce
Committee's Subcommittee on Surface Transportation; Carl Levin (D-MI),
Chairman of the Armed Services Committee; Robert Menendez (D-NJ),
Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee; Jack Reed
(D-RI), Chairman of the Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on
Emerging Threats; Joe Lieberman (ID-CT), Chairman of the Homeland
Security Committee; Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chairwoman of the
Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Commerce; Charles Schumer
(D-NY), Vice Chairman of the Democratic Caucus; Debbie Stabenow (D-MI),
Chairwoman of the Energy Committee's Subcommittee on Water and Power,
and; Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Environment Committee's
Subcommittee on Oversight.
The full text of the Boxer Letter is provided below.
****
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
As you know, April 24 marks Armenian Remembrance Day 2010, the
ninety-fifth anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Despite an
irrefutable body of evidence, the United States Government has yet
to recognize the events of 1915-1923 by their rightful name. We
urge you-on this April 24-to correct this injustice and finally
acknowledge one of the greatest atrocities of the 20th century for
what it was-genocide.
Over the years, this deliberate massacre of the Armenians has been
well-documented through eye-witness accounts and confirmed by numerous
scholars. Simply put-between 1915 and 1923, more than 1.5 million
Armenians were marched to their deaths in the deserts of the Middle
East, murdered in concentration camps, drowned at sea, and forced to
endure horrific acts of brutality at the hands of the Ottoman Empire.
In his memoirs, Henry Morgenthau, the American Ambassador to the
Ottoman Empire between 1913 and 1916, wrote: "When the Turkish
authorities gave the orders for these deportations, they were merely
giving the death warrant to a whole race; they understood this well,
and in their conversations with me, they made no particular attempt
to conceal the fact." And even as it was just beginning, the New
York Times reported the mass killing of Armenians as "systematic,"
"authorized," and "organized by the government."
Tragically, Adolf Hitler even used the Ottoman Empire's action against
the Armenians to justify the extermination of the Jews, saying in 1939,
"Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?"
The fact is that many have affirmed the Armenian Genocide, and it
is long past time that the United States do the same, joining with
Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy,
Lebanon, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden,
Switzerland, Uruguay, Venezuela, the Vatican and over 40 U.S. states.
While we fully acknowledge the importance of the U.S.-Turkey
relationship, we should never, for any reason, fail to call a tragedy
of this magnitude by its rightful name. As such - on this April 24 -
we urge you to stand on the right side of history and unequivocally
affirm the Armenian Genocide.
Thank you for your consideration of this important request.
Sincerely,
Barbara Boxer United States Senator cc. The Honorable Hillary Rodham
Clinton, Secretary of State