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SOUTH DAKOTA REJECTS ANTI-ARMENIAN MEASURE
http://asbarez.com/119960/south-dakota-rejects-anti-armenian-measure/
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014
State Legislators Defeat Anti-Armenian Measure Backed by Azerbaijani
Government
PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA--The South Dakota House of Representatives
on Tuesday tabled action on an anti-Armenian resolution initiated
by Azerbaijan, effectively dealing a serious setback to a biased
and historically inaccurate measure pressed aggressively by Baku's
U.S.-based lobbyists, reported Armenian National Committee of America -
Western Region.
Sources from the State Capitol reported that following an extensive
discussion in the House Republican Caucus on Monday morning, the
sponsor of the resolution, Rep. Lance Russell, agreed to defer and
ultimately officially withdrew the measure.
"It's unfortunate this resolution made it this far in our process but
the positive side of that is there are now 105 legislators in South
Dakota who got a real earful on the plight of persecuted Armenian
Christians," explained Rep. Steve Hickey (R-09), Pastor of the Church
at the Gate in Sioux Falls, who was among the vocal opponents to
the resolution.
"We are deeply gratified that the elected leaders of yet another U.S.
state have stood up to the oil-rich and corrupt President of
Azerbaijan's efforts to export his hateful anti-Armenian campaign
to the American heartland," said Elen Asatryan, ANCA-WR Executive
Director. "We share our profound thanks with the proud people and
principled leaders of South Dakota, a state that has shown remarkable
care and compassion for the Christian nation of Armenia since the
Armenian Genocide era."
A two-page flyer used by local opponents of the Azerbaijani-backed
measure is available via the following link:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/No_on_HCR1020.pdf
In the days leading up toTuesday's vote on HCR 1020, the ANCA-WR
worked with local community leaders and activists to alert state
legislators about Azerbaijan's efforts to use the Khojaly issue to
somehow enlist South Dakota in its increasingly virulent campaign
against the landlocked and blockaded Armenian homeland. The ANCA action
alert to South Dakota legislators can be viewed via the following link:
http://www.anca.org/action_alerts/action_disp.php?aaid=63108851
"Having found safety and the blessing of freedom here in South Dakota -
after having been driven from my home by the Azerbaijani government's
brutality - I am deeply thankful that my state legislators, today,
took a principled stand against intolerance, lies and hatred," said
Vazgen Mikhayelyan of Sioux Falls, who was among those actively
opposing the measure, including Igor Avetisov and Bella Musayelyan.
The Hawaii State legislature, on February 12, also rejected a pair of
Azerbaijan-initiated anti-Armenian measures, dealing a high-profile
setback to Baku's well-funded effort to enlist U.S. state legislatures
in its increasingly aggressive campaign against Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh.
Earlier this month, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued an
open letter to all U.S. state legislatures earlier this week urging
them to take as stand against foreign interference in American civic
life by corrupt Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev. "It is truly a
tribute to our great American democratic tradition that even a regime
as flagrantly corrupt as Ilham Aliyev's is allowed to operate freely
within our open society, " explained Hamparian. "But that does not mean
that American citizens need to remain silent in the face of meddling
by foreign leaders who neither respect our rights nor share our values
-especially when they try to export their intolerance to our shores."
http://asbarez.com/119960/south-dakota-rejects-anti-armenian-measure/
Tuesday, February 25th, 2014
State Legislators Defeat Anti-Armenian Measure Backed by Azerbaijani
Government
PIERRE, SOUTH DAKOTA--The South Dakota House of Representatives
on Tuesday tabled action on an anti-Armenian resolution initiated
by Azerbaijan, effectively dealing a serious setback to a biased
and historically inaccurate measure pressed aggressively by Baku's
U.S.-based lobbyists, reported Armenian National Committee of America -
Western Region.
Sources from the State Capitol reported that following an extensive
discussion in the House Republican Caucus on Monday morning, the
sponsor of the resolution, Rep. Lance Russell, agreed to defer and
ultimately officially withdrew the measure.
"It's unfortunate this resolution made it this far in our process but
the positive side of that is there are now 105 legislators in South
Dakota who got a real earful on the plight of persecuted Armenian
Christians," explained Rep. Steve Hickey (R-09), Pastor of the Church
at the Gate in Sioux Falls, who was among the vocal opponents to
the resolution.
"We are deeply gratified that the elected leaders of yet another U.S.
state have stood up to the oil-rich and corrupt President of
Azerbaijan's efforts to export his hateful anti-Armenian campaign
to the American heartland," said Elen Asatryan, ANCA-WR Executive
Director. "We share our profound thanks with the proud people and
principled leaders of South Dakota, a state that has shown remarkable
care and compassion for the Christian nation of Armenia since the
Armenian Genocide era."
A two-page flyer used by local opponents of the Azerbaijani-backed
measure is available via the following link:
http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/No_on_HCR1020.pdf
In the days leading up toTuesday's vote on HCR 1020, the ANCA-WR
worked with local community leaders and activists to alert state
legislators about Azerbaijan's efforts to use the Khojaly issue to
somehow enlist South Dakota in its increasingly virulent campaign
against the landlocked and blockaded Armenian homeland. The ANCA action
alert to South Dakota legislators can be viewed via the following link:
http://www.anca.org/action_alerts/action_disp.php?aaid=63108851
"Having found safety and the blessing of freedom here in South Dakota -
after having been driven from my home by the Azerbaijani government's
brutality - I am deeply thankful that my state legislators, today,
took a principled stand against intolerance, lies and hatred," said
Vazgen Mikhayelyan of Sioux Falls, who was among those actively
opposing the measure, including Igor Avetisov and Bella Musayelyan.
The Hawaii State legislature, on February 12, also rejected a pair of
Azerbaijan-initiated anti-Armenian measures, dealing a high-profile
setback to Baku's well-funded effort to enlist U.S. state legislatures
in its increasingly aggressive campaign against Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh.
Earlier this month, ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued an
open letter to all U.S. state legislatures earlier this week urging
them to take as stand against foreign interference in American civic
life by corrupt Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev. "It is truly a
tribute to our great American democratic tradition that even a regime
as flagrantly corrupt as Ilham Aliyev's is allowed to operate freely
within our open society, " explained Hamparian. "But that does not mean
that American citizens need to remain silent in the face of meddling
by foreign leaders who neither respect our rights nor share our values
-especially when they try to export their intolerance to our shores."