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SARBANES CONDEMNS US FAILURE TO RECOGNIZE GENOCIDE
asbarez
Thursday, April 19th, 2012
Rep. John Sarbanes Sarbanes: US refusal to recognize genocide "puts
salt on the wounds of the Armenian people . . . Corrodes the moral
standing of our nation"
WASHINGTON-Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) offered moving
remarks on the floor of the U.S. House this week in support of full
and formal U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America.
In his April 18 speech, Representative Sarbanes stressed that the U.S.
government's failure to stand up to Turkey's denial of this crime
"puts salt on the wounds of the Armenian people. But it does more
than that. It corrodes the moral standing of our Nation as a whole."
He also explained to his House colleagues that: "When faced with the
deeply compelling research and scholarship surrounding the Armenian
Genocide, it is wholly untenable to assert that the genocide did not
occur. Instead, many in Congress offer the protest that recognition
would harm our relationship with Turkey and undermine our broader
geostrategic interests. Others suggest weakly that it is just not
the right time to push the issue of recognition."
Watch the Maryland Congressman's remarks.
"Armenian Americans from Maryland and across America join in thanking
Congressman Sarbanes for his principled call for U.S. condemnation and
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. "We share his view that U.S. complicity in the denial
of this crime not only represents an offense against Armenians, but
also a surrender of our human rights policy to foreign pressure that
undermines America's moral standing."
The complete text of the Congressman's remarks are provided below.
Congressional Record: U.S. House of Representatives
April 18, 2012
The SPEAKER pro tempore: The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) for 5 minutes.
Mr. SARBANES: Mr. Speaker, the genocide of more than 1 1/2 million
Armenians by Ottoman-era Turkish authorities is an undeniable fact of
history. In 1915, the Armenian nation which had resided in Anatolia
for thousands of years was subjected to an organized barbarity that
included death marches, drowning, and executions.
Those who managed to survive these horrors scattered to the four
corners of the Earth. Today, survivors of the Armenian Genocide and
their children and grandchildren bear witness to this massacre. Each
year, Armenian Americans, supported by others who readily accept
the teachings of history, renew their plea that the United States
Government formally recognize the Armenian genocide, and every year
that responsibility of recognition remains unfulfilled.
When faced with the deeply compelling research and scholarship
surrounding the Armenian Genocide, it is wholly untenable to assert
that the genocide did not occur. Instead, many in Congress offer the
protest that recognition would harm our relationship with Turkey and
undermine our broader geostrategic interests. Others suggest weakly
that it is just not the right time to push the issue of recognition.
The result is the same-the continued failure on the part of the United
States to do the right thing. This failure puts salt on the wounds
of the Armenian people. But it does more than that. It corrodes the
moral standing of our Nation as a whole.
I join those who once again, at this time of annual remembrance,
implore my fellow Members of Congress and President Obama to formally
recognize the Armenian genocide.
asbarez
Thursday, April 19th, 2012
Rep. John Sarbanes Sarbanes: US refusal to recognize genocide "puts
salt on the wounds of the Armenian people . . . Corrodes the moral
standing of our nation"
WASHINGTON-Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes (D-MD) offered moving
remarks on the floor of the U.S. House this week in support of full
and formal U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America.
In his April 18 speech, Representative Sarbanes stressed that the U.S.
government's failure to stand up to Turkey's denial of this crime
"puts salt on the wounds of the Armenian people. But it does more
than that. It corrodes the moral standing of our Nation as a whole."
He also explained to his House colleagues that: "When faced with the
deeply compelling research and scholarship surrounding the Armenian
Genocide, it is wholly untenable to assert that the genocide did not
occur. Instead, many in Congress offer the protest that recognition
would harm our relationship with Turkey and undermine our broader
geostrategic interests. Others suggest weakly that it is just not
the right time to push the issue of recognition."
Watch the Maryland Congressman's remarks.
"Armenian Americans from Maryland and across America join in thanking
Congressman Sarbanes for his principled call for U.S. condemnation and
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director
Aram Hamparian. "We share his view that U.S. complicity in the denial
of this crime not only represents an offense against Armenians, but
also a surrender of our human rights policy to foreign pressure that
undermines America's moral standing."
The complete text of the Congressman's remarks are provided below.
Congressional Record: U.S. House of Representatives
April 18, 2012
The SPEAKER pro tempore: The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Maryland (Mr. Sarbanes) for 5 minutes.
Mr. SARBANES: Mr. Speaker, the genocide of more than 1 1/2 million
Armenians by Ottoman-era Turkish authorities is an undeniable fact of
history. In 1915, the Armenian nation which had resided in Anatolia
for thousands of years was subjected to an organized barbarity that
included death marches, drowning, and executions.
Those who managed to survive these horrors scattered to the four
corners of the Earth. Today, survivors of the Armenian Genocide and
their children and grandchildren bear witness to this massacre. Each
year, Armenian Americans, supported by others who readily accept
the teachings of history, renew their plea that the United States
Government formally recognize the Armenian genocide, and every year
that responsibility of recognition remains unfulfilled.
When faced with the deeply compelling research and scholarship
surrounding the Armenian Genocide, it is wholly untenable to assert
that the genocide did not occur. Instead, many in Congress offer the
protest that recognition would harm our relationship with Turkey and
undermine our broader geostrategic interests. Others suggest weakly
that it is just not the right time to push the issue of recognition.
The result is the same-the continued failure on the part of the United
States to do the right thing. This failure puts salt on the wounds
of the Armenian people. But it does more than that. It corrodes the
moral standing of our Nation as a whole.
I join those who once again, at this time of annual remembrance,
implore my fellow Members of Congress and President Obama to formally
recognize the Armenian genocide.