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Think Again: The French turn the leadership tables
By Zanku Armenian
http://www.burbankleader.com/news/opinion/tn-gnp-0212-think-again,0,7064398.story
February 11, 2012 | 10:00 a.m.
The French often are the butt of jokes here, but last month they
turned the tables and are teaching our elected officials about
leadership. With the support of President Nicolas Sarkozy, the lower
house of the French parliament and the French Senate recently passed a
bill that makes it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide.
On a daily basis, the Turkish government and their agents conduct a
systematic campaign of denial of the Armenian Genocide in the U.S. and
around the world, trying to erase history. It is a history in which
1.5 million innocent people lost their lives in 1915 at the hands of
Ottoman Turkish troops simply because of their race.
Los Angeles Times It is a crime against humanity that has been
perpetrated by many governments since then.
Once the French president signs this bill, whoever publicly denies the
Armenian Genocide in France will be subject to prosecution and will
face monetary penalties or jail. While it doesn't address the larger
issue of Turkey coming to terms with its past and paying reparations
to the affected Armenian families, it does take a stand on the side of
truth and justice.
Many countries, especially in Europe, have similar laws with regard to
denying genocides, including the Jewish Holocaust. France passed a
Holocaust denial law in 1990. Like others, the Los Angeles Times
editorialized against France's proposed Armenian Genocide denial law
based on the principle of freedom of speech, even at the price of
protecting hate speech - a topic worth its own column.
However, if making that argument, then one also must oppose the
Holocaust denial law to be consistent. Curiously, the Holocaust denial
law was not mentioned in the editorial.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton advocated for congressional
recognition of the Armenian Genocide while she was a senator and as a
presidential candidate - similar to then-candidate President Obama,
and similar to Vice President Joseph Biden throughout his tenure as a
senator. Their position statements could not have been more clear in
calling it what it is, a genocide. However, once elected, all three
abandoned positions of principle and sold out our national interest
and values by supporting and enabling Turkey's denial campaign.
This administration's hypocrisy became even more shameful on Jan. 26.
During a town hall meeting with State Department employees, Clinton
was asked about the French bill. Clinton replied: `I think it's fair
to say that this has always been viewed, and I think properly so, as a
matter of historical debate and conclusions rather than political. And
I think that is the right posture for the United States government to
be in, because whatever the terrible event might be, or the high
emotions that it represents, to try to use government power to resolve
historical issues, I think, opens a door that is a very dangerous one
to go through.'
She continued: `We need to encourage anyone on any side of any
contentious historical debate to get out into the marketplace of
ideas....'
In 2008, Clinton said the opposite: `I believe the horrible events
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians constitute a clear
case of genocide ... as president, I will recognize the Armenian
Genocide. Our common morality and our nation's credibility as a voice
for human rights challenges us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be
recognized and remembered by the Congress and the President of the
United States.'
Putting questions of Clinton's `common morality' to one side, one
thing is clear: She is a hypocrite and has successfully undermined our
nation's credibility.
This is not a partisan issue. It's about our country's leaders
reflecting American values, instead of supporting regimes, like
Turkey's, that demonstrate they are capable of committing the next
genocide if it serves their political interests.
France's leaders aligned themselves with an important national value,
differentiating themselves from Turkey on this issue. We must do the
same.
ZANKU ARMENIAN is a resident of Glendale and a corporate
communications and public affairs professional. He can be reached at
[email protected].
From: Baghdasarian
By Zanku Armenian
http://www.burbankleader.com/news/opinion/tn-gnp-0212-think-again,0,7064398.story
February 11, 2012 | 10:00 a.m.
The French often are the butt of jokes here, but last month they
turned the tables and are teaching our elected officials about
leadership. With the support of President Nicolas Sarkozy, the lower
house of the French parliament and the French Senate recently passed a
bill that makes it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide.
On a daily basis, the Turkish government and their agents conduct a
systematic campaign of denial of the Armenian Genocide in the U.S. and
around the world, trying to erase history. It is a history in which
1.5 million innocent people lost their lives in 1915 at the hands of
Ottoman Turkish troops simply because of their race.
Los Angeles Times It is a crime against humanity that has been
perpetrated by many governments since then.
Once the French president signs this bill, whoever publicly denies the
Armenian Genocide in France will be subject to prosecution and will
face monetary penalties or jail. While it doesn't address the larger
issue of Turkey coming to terms with its past and paying reparations
to the affected Armenian families, it does take a stand on the side of
truth and justice.
Many countries, especially in Europe, have similar laws with regard to
denying genocides, including the Jewish Holocaust. France passed a
Holocaust denial law in 1990. Like others, the Los Angeles Times
editorialized against France's proposed Armenian Genocide denial law
based on the principle of freedom of speech, even at the price of
protecting hate speech - a topic worth its own column.
However, if making that argument, then one also must oppose the
Holocaust denial law to be consistent. Curiously, the Holocaust denial
law was not mentioned in the editorial.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton advocated for congressional
recognition of the Armenian Genocide while she was a senator and as a
presidential candidate - similar to then-candidate President Obama,
and similar to Vice President Joseph Biden throughout his tenure as a
senator. Their position statements could not have been more clear in
calling it what it is, a genocide. However, once elected, all three
abandoned positions of principle and sold out our national interest
and values by supporting and enabling Turkey's denial campaign.
This administration's hypocrisy became even more shameful on Jan. 26.
During a town hall meeting with State Department employees, Clinton
was asked about the French bill. Clinton replied: `I think it's fair
to say that this has always been viewed, and I think properly so, as a
matter of historical debate and conclusions rather than political. And
I think that is the right posture for the United States government to
be in, because whatever the terrible event might be, or the high
emotions that it represents, to try to use government power to resolve
historical issues, I think, opens a door that is a very dangerous one
to go through.'
She continued: `We need to encourage anyone on any side of any
contentious historical debate to get out into the marketplace of
ideas....'
In 2008, Clinton said the opposite: `I believe the horrible events
perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians constitute a clear
case of genocide ... as president, I will recognize the Armenian
Genocide. Our common morality and our nation's credibility as a voice
for human rights challenges us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be
recognized and remembered by the Congress and the President of the
United States.'
Putting questions of Clinton's `common morality' to one side, one
thing is clear: She is a hypocrite and has successfully undermined our
nation's credibility.
This is not a partisan issue. It's about our country's leaders
reflecting American values, instead of supporting regimes, like
Turkey's, that demonstrate they are capable of committing the next
genocide if it serves their political interests.
France's leaders aligned themselves with an important national value,
differentiating themselves from Turkey on this issue. We must do the
same.
ZANKU ARMENIAN is a resident of Glendale and a corporate
communications and public affairs professional. He can be reached at
[email protected].
From: Baghdasarian