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WHITE HOUSE REFUSES TO DISPLAY 88-YEAR-OLD RUG MADE BY ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ORPHANS, PROBABLY BECAUSE TURKEY MIGHT GET MAD
Matt Welch|Nov. 21, 2013 4:33 pm
Whether in refusing to call a coup a "coup," or declining to call a
genocide a "genocide" (despite multiple promises to the contrary) the
willingness of the American government to torture the English language
and evade basic truths in order to lessen some short-term diplomatic
hassle is indicative of a deeper and more consequential moral rot,
one that enables questionable foreign policy while invariably screwing
over the little guy.
Or, if the White House's largely Democratic critics are to be believed,
the little orphan. Or more accurately still, the great-grandchildren
of genocide-orphans. I wish I was kidding. Here's Foreign Policy:
In 1926, Vartoohi Galezian -- a 15-year-old refugee from the genocide
in Armenia -- arrived at the White House to pay a visit to President
Calvin Coolidge. She had come to view the rug she and 1,400 other
orphans living in Ghazir -- then part of mandate Syria, now in
Lebanon -- had woven as a gift to the United States in thanks for
the humanitarian assistance provided to the refugees of the ethnic
cleansing of Armenians during World War I. In June 1995, the Ghazir
rug, a huge, beautiful work exemplary of the Middle East's legendary
weaving traditions, was shown once more to Galezian and her family,
but it's now been more than 17 years since the White House has
displayed what has come to be known as the Armenian orphan rug. Now
it is unclear when the rug will ever be shown again.
The rug is now caught in a tug-of-war with historians and Armenian
advocates on one side pulling for the rug to be displayed and the
White House on the other, which seems reticent to release the rug
for an exhibit. [...]
"We regret that it was not possible to loan it out for this event,"
Laura Lucas Magnuson, assistant press secretary for the National
Security Council, told Foreign Policy. "Displaying the rug for
only half a day in connection with a private book launch event,
as proposed, would have been an inappropriate use of U.S. government
property, would have required the White House to undertake the risk of
transporting the rug for limited public exposure, and was not viewed
as commensurate with the rug's historical significance."
Huh. So what was this not-appropriate-enough exhibit? A Dec. 16 event
at the nearby Smithsonian to mark the release of A BOOK ABOUT THE RUG
IN THE QUESTION. Swear to God. It is called President Calvin Coolidge
and the Armenian Orphan Rug, by Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian, who the
L.A. Times describes as "a 91-year-old Massachusetts dentist." And
yes, the same administration that is blocking this utterly sensical
request is one that originally came to power by making pious promises
like this:
Samantha Power on Obama and Armenian American Issues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yNt7XsV-Dg
More from the L.A. Times after the jump:
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), who helped gather the signatures of 30
other lawmakers on a letter to the White House, called the White House
decision "as inexplicable as it is hurtful to the Armenian community."
"It is difficult to express in words how deeply troubling it is that
a historical and cultural treasure accepted by President Coolidge on
behalf of the people of the United States may be being kept behind
closed doors because of Turkish desire to keep discussion of certain
historical facts out of the public discussion," Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.
(D-N.J), co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
wrote the White House in a separate letter.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) also wrote the White House urging
that the rug be put on permanent display at the Smithsonian: "We
must acknowledge and learn from the tragic crimes against humanity
that orphaned the weavers of this rug to ensure that they are never
repeated."
The White House's first public statement in response to this criticism
was as dismissive as it was terse:
The Ghazir rug is a reminder of the close relationship between the
peoples of Armenia and the United States. We regret that it is not
possible to loan it out at this time.
I am sure the historically significant artifact is safely being
studied by Top Men.
http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/21/white-house-refuses-to-display-88-year-o
Matt Welch|Nov. 21, 2013 4:33 pm
Whether in refusing to call a coup a "coup," or declining to call a
genocide a "genocide" (despite multiple promises to the contrary) the
willingness of the American government to torture the English language
and evade basic truths in order to lessen some short-term diplomatic
hassle is indicative of a deeper and more consequential moral rot,
one that enables questionable foreign policy while invariably screwing
over the little guy.
Or, if the White House's largely Democratic critics are to be believed,
the little orphan. Or more accurately still, the great-grandchildren
of genocide-orphans. I wish I was kidding. Here's Foreign Policy:
In 1926, Vartoohi Galezian -- a 15-year-old refugee from the genocide
in Armenia -- arrived at the White House to pay a visit to President
Calvin Coolidge. She had come to view the rug she and 1,400 other
orphans living in Ghazir -- then part of mandate Syria, now in
Lebanon -- had woven as a gift to the United States in thanks for
the humanitarian assistance provided to the refugees of the ethnic
cleansing of Armenians during World War I. In June 1995, the Ghazir
rug, a huge, beautiful work exemplary of the Middle East's legendary
weaving traditions, was shown once more to Galezian and her family,
but it's now been more than 17 years since the White House has
displayed what has come to be known as the Armenian orphan rug. Now
it is unclear when the rug will ever be shown again.
The rug is now caught in a tug-of-war with historians and Armenian
advocates on one side pulling for the rug to be displayed and the
White House on the other, which seems reticent to release the rug
for an exhibit. [...]
"We regret that it was not possible to loan it out for this event,"
Laura Lucas Magnuson, assistant press secretary for the National
Security Council, told Foreign Policy. "Displaying the rug for
only half a day in connection with a private book launch event,
as proposed, would have been an inappropriate use of U.S. government
property, would have required the White House to undertake the risk of
transporting the rug for limited public exposure, and was not viewed
as commensurate with the rug's historical significance."
Huh. So what was this not-appropriate-enough exhibit? A Dec. 16 event
at the nearby Smithsonian to mark the release of A BOOK ABOUT THE RUG
IN THE QUESTION. Swear to God. It is called President Calvin Coolidge
and the Armenian Orphan Rug, by Dr. Hagop Martin Deranian, who the
L.A. Times describes as "a 91-year-old Massachusetts dentist." And
yes, the same administration that is blocking this utterly sensical
request is one that originally came to power by making pious promises
like this:
Samantha Power on Obama and Armenian American Issues
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yNt7XsV-Dg
More from the L.A. Times after the jump:
Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank), who helped gather the signatures of 30
other lawmakers on a letter to the White House, called the White House
decision "as inexplicable as it is hurtful to the Armenian community."
"It is difficult to express in words how deeply troubling it is that
a historical and cultural treasure accepted by President Coolidge on
behalf of the people of the United States may be being kept behind
closed doors because of Turkish desire to keep discussion of certain
historical facts out of the public discussion," Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.
(D-N.J), co-chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues,
wrote the White House in a separate letter.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) also wrote the White House urging
that the rug be put on permanent display at the Smithsonian: "We
must acknowledge and learn from the tragic crimes against humanity
that orphaned the weavers of this rug to ensure that they are never
repeated."
The White House's first public statement in response to this criticism
was as dismissive as it was terse:
The Ghazir rug is a reminder of the close relationship between the
peoples of Armenia and the United States. We regret that it is not
possible to loan it out at this time.
I am sure the historically significant artifact is safely being
studied by Top Men.
http://reason.com/blog/2013/11/21/white-house-refuses-to-display-88-year-o