Tweet
OPEN LETTER TO "FACING HISTORY AND OURSELVES"
by David Boyajian
http://www.atour.com/~aahgn/news/20111026b.html
October 26, 2011 at 05:06 PM CT
Editors' Note
Human rights activist, Mr. David Boyajian, of Massachusetts sent the
following letter addressed to Facing History and Ourselves Executive
Director Margot Strom, Associate Executive Director Martin Sleeper
and Board Chairwoman Tracy Palandjian.
I am deeply offended and disappointed to learn that one of our
nation's foremost genocide education organizations - Facing History and
Ourselves (FHAO) - has elected to "partner" with the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) to sponsor a panel discussion on "The New Anti-Semitism:
A Contemporary Discussion in Historic Faneuil Hall" in Boston on
November 7, 2011.
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, will be one of the
panelists. I respectfully urge you to withdraw FHAO from its
partnership with the ADL for this event. Mr. Foxman and the national
ADL have denied the factuality of the Armenian genocide of 1915-1923
committed by Turkey. And they have used their considerable influence to
actively assist the government of Turkey to defeat Armenian genocide
resolutions in the U.S. Congress. A political agreement two decades
ago among Turkey, certain organizations such as the ADL, and Israel
brought this about.
Since the summer of 2007, due specifically to their disapproval
of the ADL's genocide denial and lobbying efforts against the
Armenian-American resolution, more than a dozen major Massachusetts
cities and towns have ceased their affiliation with the ADL's so-called
"No Place for Hate" program.
In April of 2008, for precisely the same reasons, the Massachusetts
Municipal Association (MMA), which represents every city and town in
the state, also severed ties with "No Place for Hate." The national
ADL drew widespread condemnation from principled Jews, human rights
advocates, editorialists, and others. These events made national and
international news.
To deflect growing criticism, on August 21, 2007 Mr. Foxman issued
a statement which masqueraded as an acknowledgment of the Armenian
genocide. The statement not only used deceptive and dishonest
language, such as "tantamount to genocide," but also implied that
the Armenian killings were not intentional but rather merely the
"consequence" of Turkish "actions." FHAO is aware that Article II of
the United Nations Genocide Convention specifically requires "intent"
for killings to be considered genocide. "Consequences" is, however,
the opposite of "intent." Cities, towns, and the MMA weren't buying
Mr. Foxman's act. They severed ties with the ADL's "No Place for Hate"
even after the ADL statement.
The ADL has yet to unambiguously recognize the Armenian genocide. And
Mr. Foxman continues to oppose passage of the Armenian genocide
resolution, contemptuously calling it a "counterproductive diversion."
Neither Mr. Foxman nor the ADL has ever apologized to the Armenian
people for their actions. The ADL has stated that any diminishment
of the Holocaust is anti-Semitic and constitutes hate speech. Yet
the ADL has diminished the Armenian genocide. By its own definition,
therefore, the ADL is guilty of hate speech. Would FHAO partner with
an organization and man that diminished the Holocaust and opposed
the many Congressional resolutions on the Holocaust? Why, then,
would you partner with the ADL? This is incomprehensible, especially
as FHAO has long had an educational program on the Armenian genocide.
We know that the ADL and similar groups' appeasement of Turkey-for
example, Mr. Foxman presented Prime Minister Erdogan with a "Courage to
Care Award" a few years ago - has failed dismally on an international
level as well.
I am at a loss to understand why or how your partnership with Mr.
Foxman has come about. One hopes that ADL members among FHAO's donors
and its treasurer, Elizabeth Jick, who is an ADL Executive Committee
member, did not unduly influence your decision.
I respectfully call upon you to withdraw FHAO's partnership with the
ADL in the November 7 event. I hope that when FHAO considers the facts
and the long-term credibility of its programs and dedicated staff,
it will do the right thing.
Sincerely,
David Boyajian Belmont, MA
by David Boyajian
http://www.atour.com/~aahgn/news/20111026b.html
October 26, 2011 at 05:06 PM CT
Editors' Note
Human rights activist, Mr. David Boyajian, of Massachusetts sent the
following letter addressed to Facing History and Ourselves Executive
Director Margot Strom, Associate Executive Director Martin Sleeper
and Board Chairwoman Tracy Palandjian.
I am deeply offended and disappointed to learn that one of our
nation's foremost genocide education organizations - Facing History and
Ourselves (FHAO) - has elected to "partner" with the Anti-Defamation
League (ADL) to sponsor a panel discussion on "The New Anti-Semitism:
A Contemporary Discussion in Historic Faneuil Hall" in Boston on
November 7, 2011.
Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, will be one of the
panelists. I respectfully urge you to withdraw FHAO from its
partnership with the ADL for this event. Mr. Foxman and the national
ADL have denied the factuality of the Armenian genocide of 1915-1923
committed by Turkey. And they have used their considerable influence to
actively assist the government of Turkey to defeat Armenian genocide
resolutions in the U.S. Congress. A political agreement two decades
ago among Turkey, certain organizations such as the ADL, and Israel
brought this about.
Since the summer of 2007, due specifically to their disapproval
of the ADL's genocide denial and lobbying efforts against the
Armenian-American resolution, more than a dozen major Massachusetts
cities and towns have ceased their affiliation with the ADL's so-called
"No Place for Hate" program.
In April of 2008, for precisely the same reasons, the Massachusetts
Municipal Association (MMA), which represents every city and town in
the state, also severed ties with "No Place for Hate." The national
ADL drew widespread condemnation from principled Jews, human rights
advocates, editorialists, and others. These events made national and
international news.
To deflect growing criticism, on August 21, 2007 Mr. Foxman issued
a statement which masqueraded as an acknowledgment of the Armenian
genocide. The statement not only used deceptive and dishonest
language, such as "tantamount to genocide," but also implied that
the Armenian killings were not intentional but rather merely the
"consequence" of Turkish "actions." FHAO is aware that Article II of
the United Nations Genocide Convention specifically requires "intent"
for killings to be considered genocide. "Consequences" is, however,
the opposite of "intent." Cities, towns, and the MMA weren't buying
Mr. Foxman's act. They severed ties with the ADL's "No Place for Hate"
even after the ADL statement.
The ADL has yet to unambiguously recognize the Armenian genocide. And
Mr. Foxman continues to oppose passage of the Armenian genocide
resolution, contemptuously calling it a "counterproductive diversion."
Neither Mr. Foxman nor the ADL has ever apologized to the Armenian
people for their actions. The ADL has stated that any diminishment
of the Holocaust is anti-Semitic and constitutes hate speech. Yet
the ADL has diminished the Armenian genocide. By its own definition,
therefore, the ADL is guilty of hate speech. Would FHAO partner with
an organization and man that diminished the Holocaust and opposed
the many Congressional resolutions on the Holocaust? Why, then,
would you partner with the ADL? This is incomprehensible, especially
as FHAO has long had an educational program on the Armenian genocide.
We know that the ADL and similar groups' appeasement of Turkey-for
example, Mr. Foxman presented Prime Minister Erdogan with a "Courage to
Care Award" a few years ago - has failed dismally on an international
level as well.
I am at a loss to understand why or how your partnership with Mr.
Foxman has come about. One hopes that ADL members among FHAO's donors
and its treasurer, Elizabeth Jick, who is an ADL Executive Committee
member, did not unduly influence your decision.
I respectfully call upon you to withdraw FHAO's partnership with the
ADL in the November 7 event. I hope that when FHAO considers the facts
and the long-term credibility of its programs and dedicated staff,
it will do the right thing.
Sincerely,
David Boyajian Belmont, MA