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PRESIDENT OBAMA ISSUES STATEMENT ON ARMENIAN REMEMBRANCE DAY
Weekly Staff
April 24, 2012
Below is the statement issued by President Obama today, in which he
continues to avoid referring to the destruction of the Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey in 1915 as "genocide," employing the Armenian term
Medz Yeghern instead.
President 300x200 President Obama Issues Statement on Armenian
Remembrance Day
Barack Obama
Today, we commemorate the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst atrocities
of the 20th century. In doing so, we honor the memory of the 1.5
million Armenians who were brutally massacred or marched to their
deaths in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. As we reflect on the
unspeakable suffering that took place 97 years ago, we join millions
who do the same across the globe and here in America, where it is
solemnly commemorated by our states, institutions, communities, and
families. Through our words and our deeds, it is our obligation to
keep the flame of memory of those who perished burning bright and to
ensure that such dark chapters of history are never repeated.
I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915.
My view of that history has not changed. A full, frank, and just
acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests. Moving forward
with the future cannot be done without reckoning with the facts of the
past. The United States has done so many times in our own history,
and I believe we are stronger for it. Some individuals have already
taken this courageous step forward. We applaud those Armenians and
Turks who have taken this path, and we hope that many more will choose
it, with the support of their governments, as well as mine.
Although the lives that were taken can never be returned, the legacy
of the Armenian people is one of triumph. Your faith, courage,
and strength have enabled you to survive and prosper, establishing
vibrant communities around the world. Undaunted, you have preserved
your patrimony, passing it from generation to generation.
Armenian-Americans have made manifold contributions to the vibrancy of
the United States, as well as critical investments in a democratic,
peaceful, and prosperous future for Armenia. The United States is
proud of your heritage, and your contributions honor the memory of
those who senselessly suffered and died nearly a century ago.
On this solemn day of remembrance, we stand alongside all Armenians
in recalling the darkness of the Meds Yeghern and in committing to
bringing a brighter future to the people of Armenia.
Weekly Staff
April 24, 2012
Below is the statement issued by President Obama today, in which he
continues to avoid referring to the destruction of the Armenians in
Ottoman Turkey in 1915 as "genocide," employing the Armenian term
Medz Yeghern instead.
President 300x200 President Obama Issues Statement on Armenian
Remembrance Day
Barack Obama
Today, we commemorate the Meds Yeghern, one of the worst atrocities
of the 20th century. In doing so, we honor the memory of the 1.5
million Armenians who were brutally massacred or marched to their
deaths in the waning days of the Ottoman Empire. As we reflect on the
unspeakable suffering that took place 97 years ago, we join millions
who do the same across the globe and here in America, where it is
solemnly commemorated by our states, institutions, communities, and
families. Through our words and our deeds, it is our obligation to
keep the flame of memory of those who perished burning bright and to
ensure that such dark chapters of history are never repeated.
I have consistently stated my own view of what occurred in 1915.
My view of that history has not changed. A full, frank, and just
acknowledgement of the facts is in all of our interests. Moving forward
with the future cannot be done without reckoning with the facts of the
past. The United States has done so many times in our own history,
and I believe we are stronger for it. Some individuals have already
taken this courageous step forward. We applaud those Armenians and
Turks who have taken this path, and we hope that many more will choose
it, with the support of their governments, as well as mine.
Although the lives that were taken can never be returned, the legacy
of the Armenian people is one of triumph. Your faith, courage,
and strength have enabled you to survive and prosper, establishing
vibrant communities around the world. Undaunted, you have preserved
your patrimony, passing it from generation to generation.
Armenian-Americans have made manifold contributions to the vibrancy of
the United States, as well as critical investments in a democratic,
peaceful, and prosperous future for Armenia. The United States is
proud of your heritage, and your contributions honor the memory of
those who senselessly suffered and died nearly a century ago.
On this solemn day of remembrance, we stand alongside all Armenians
in recalling the darkness of the Meds Yeghern and in committing to
bringing a brighter future to the people of Armenia.