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ANCA-WR URGES COMMUNITY TO PROTEST OTTOMAN MILITARY MARCHING BAND PARADE
asbarez
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
LOS ANGELES-The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
issued a statement Tuesday condemning the forthcoming visit to the
City of Los Angeles by the Ottoman Military Marching Band on October 3.
"The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region strongly
condemns the arrival of the offensively-named Ottoman Military Marching
Band and its October 3 visit to Los Angeles. The ANCA-WR likewise
questions the irresponsible decision by the City of Los Angeles to
grant a permit to a group who claims descent from the notoriously
murderous corps of the Ottoman Army known as the janissaries. The
nature and planned performance of the band are not only insulting
but wholly unacceptable to the Armenian American community," said
the statement from the ANCA-WR Board of Directors.
In the early part of the 20th century, the Ottoman Military Marching
Band arose from the corps of janissaries in the Ottoman Army, which
marched in time to music. Janissaries were soldiers who, in their
day, were among the most egregious murderers of Armenians and other
Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire. They were an elite corps
composed of children forcefully taken from their families as part of
the "devshirme" tax - where Armenian families sacrificed their sons
to the Ottoman army. These children were raised as extremist Muslims.
In 1911, as the Ottoman Empire was beginning to collapse, cultural
and military elements successfully revived the tradition of Ottoman
Military Marching Bands. By 1953, the tradition had been fully restored
as a band of the Turkish Armed Forces. Today, the corps-comprising
the Mehter Band and the troops that accompany it-continues to play
at state, military and tourist functions in modern Turkey.
The sound of the Ottoman Military Band is characterized by a largely
shrill combination of bass drums, horns, and cymbals. Among the lyrics
to their anthem is, "Overwhelm the enemies of your motherland, and
thus shall those cursed ones suffer abjection."
And as such, on October 3, the streets of Hollywood will be the
stage for the celebration of mass murder, as the Ottoman Military
Marching Band proceeds through with its raucous demonstration of
its blood-stained history. The Ottoman Military Marching Band will
be performing just several blocks away from Little Armenia, which
has the highest population density of Armenian American residents
living in Southern California. Among these residents are a significant
number of elderly, for whom this reenactment will cause a great deal
of psychological trauma as they recall the horrors of the Genocide
that took place under the banner of this same marching band and their
fellow janissaries.
To place this parade in its true historical context, one would need
to envision the band marching alongside the hundreds of thousands of
Armenian women and children who perished in the Anatolian deserts at
the hands of those Ottoman soldiers.
Indeed, this loud and pernicious display of Ottoman-era tradition
is an appalling affront to the Armenian American, Greek, Assyrian,
and Pontian communities - and to all people of good conscience who
stand on the side of justice. It is no different than allowing the Ku
Klux Klan to march in the middle of Watts; or having a Nazi military
reenactment in the Fairfax district in the vicinity of dozens of
synagogues and temples. It is tantamount to hate speech and harassment.
"Despite this flagrant attempt at incitement, we call upon the Armenian
American community of Los Angeles to oppose this painful and egregious
provocation peacefully," said the ANCA-WR in its statement.
The ANCA-WR has a long-standing record of fighting for the rights
of Armenian Genocide victims and their descendants, and is prepared
to challenge this outrageous demonstration of disregard to the
rights and concerns of the Armenian American community. The ANCA-WR
stands with all individuals and groups ready to civilly oppose this
vulgar reenactment of an unforgotten and torturous past. Further,
the ANCA-WR remains committed to pursuing justice for the Armenian
Genocide, including recognition by the U.S. and Turkish governments,
and to the belief that no entity is allowed to inhumanely terrorize
victims of genocide and their descendants.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
asbarez
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
LOS ANGELES-The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
issued a statement Tuesday condemning the forthcoming visit to the
City of Los Angeles by the Ottoman Military Marching Band on October 3.
"The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region strongly
condemns the arrival of the offensively-named Ottoman Military Marching
Band and its October 3 visit to Los Angeles. The ANCA-WR likewise
questions the irresponsible decision by the City of Los Angeles to
grant a permit to a group who claims descent from the notoriously
murderous corps of the Ottoman Army known as the janissaries. The
nature and planned performance of the band are not only insulting
but wholly unacceptable to the Armenian American community," said
the statement from the ANCA-WR Board of Directors.
In the early part of the 20th century, the Ottoman Military Marching
Band arose from the corps of janissaries in the Ottoman Army, which
marched in time to music. Janissaries were soldiers who, in their
day, were among the most egregious murderers of Armenians and other
Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire. They were an elite corps
composed of children forcefully taken from their families as part of
the "devshirme" tax - where Armenian families sacrificed their sons
to the Ottoman army. These children were raised as extremist Muslims.
In 1911, as the Ottoman Empire was beginning to collapse, cultural
and military elements successfully revived the tradition of Ottoman
Military Marching Bands. By 1953, the tradition had been fully restored
as a band of the Turkish Armed Forces. Today, the corps-comprising
the Mehter Band and the troops that accompany it-continues to play
at state, military and tourist functions in modern Turkey.
The sound of the Ottoman Military Band is characterized by a largely
shrill combination of bass drums, horns, and cymbals. Among the lyrics
to their anthem is, "Overwhelm the enemies of your motherland, and
thus shall those cursed ones suffer abjection."
And as such, on October 3, the streets of Hollywood will be the
stage for the celebration of mass murder, as the Ottoman Military
Marching Band proceeds through with its raucous demonstration of
its blood-stained history. The Ottoman Military Marching Band will
be performing just several blocks away from Little Armenia, which
has the highest population density of Armenian American residents
living in Southern California. Among these residents are a significant
number of elderly, for whom this reenactment will cause a great deal
of psychological trauma as they recall the horrors of the Genocide
that took place under the banner of this same marching band and their
fellow janissaries.
To place this parade in its true historical context, one would need
to envision the band marching alongside the hundreds of thousands of
Armenian women and children who perished in the Anatolian deserts at
the hands of those Ottoman soldiers.
Indeed, this loud and pernicious display of Ottoman-era tradition
is an appalling affront to the Armenian American, Greek, Assyrian,
and Pontian communities - and to all people of good conscience who
stand on the side of justice. It is no different than allowing the Ku
Klux Klan to march in the middle of Watts; or having a Nazi military
reenactment in the Fairfax district in the vicinity of dozens of
synagogues and temples. It is tantamount to hate speech and harassment.
"Despite this flagrant attempt at incitement, we call upon the Armenian
American community of Los Angeles to oppose this painful and egregious
provocation peacefully," said the ANCA-WR in its statement.
The ANCA-WR has a long-standing record of fighting for the rights
of Armenian Genocide victims and their descendants, and is prepared
to challenge this outrageous demonstration of disregard to the
rights and concerns of the Armenian American community. The ANCA-WR
stands with all individuals and groups ready to civilly oppose this
vulgar reenactment of an unforgotten and torturous past. Further,
the ANCA-WR remains committed to pursuing justice for the Armenian
Genocide, including recognition by the U.S. and Turkish governments,
and to the belief that no entity is allowed to inhumanely terrorize
victims of genocide and their descendants.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.