2010_05 Hye Sharzhoom Newspaper May 2010

              8
Hye Sharzhoom
May 2010
April 24, From Page 1
families, reading a translation
of the song Dele Yaman. while
students he Id photographs of those
who had survived the Genocide.
Dr.      Sergio      La     Porta
and    Professor   Barlow    Der
Mugrdechian of the Armenian
Studies Program concluded the
Program   with   their   remarks. *j*
Stucfents  and members of the J
audience were asked to place «
carnations at the base of  the -s
model of the Martyr's Monument. ^
to honoring those who had been .§
killed.      " Q"
Keyan Armenian Community School students.
Armen     Melidonian,     left,
and      Tamar      Karkazian.
Although this concluded the
week long activities for Genocicfe
remembrance at Fresno State,
a frag raising at City Hall and a
community commemoration were
planned for Saturday. April 24.
During the week of April
19. the students had an table
in the Free Speech area on
campus, distributing candy with
informational messages about
the Genocicfe. The A93 had also
set up poster-boards and also
distributed brochures. "We hoped
that by passing out candy and
brochures, that we could spread
the message of the Genocide to
other students who may not have
had any previous knowledge of
it." said student Heidi Lea.
One poster in particular
emphasized all the genocides
around the world. "We wanted
to put the issue of international
recognition of genocide into
perspective." said ASO treasurer
Armen Melidonian. 'If the
international community took
the effort to recognize at least
the Armenian Genocide then we
Fresno City Councilman     Andreas     Borgeas.
will have made an important step
toward the prevention of other
genocides in the future."
Tb further enhance awareness
the ASO designed and ordered
t-shirts that emphasized the 95th
anniversary of the Genocide.
"We wanted the t-shirts so that
aso Vice President var-
tush Mesropyan expressed her feelings to
the crowd in Armenian,
people could wear them and feel
a sense of pride, "stated President
Faten Kassabian-Myaznih. The
community responded as the
A9D sold more than 80 shirts, to
students and also to Armenians
all over California, ranging from
SanFrancisco to Turlock.
Keynote speaker Fresno City Councilman Andreas
Borgeas, right, presenting a letter of recognition to
the Armenian Students Organization President, Faten   Kassabian,   and   Prof.   Barlow   Der   Mugrdechian
Photos: Erica Magarian
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Opinion-April 24 Resolution:
A Matter of Conscience
Armen Melidonian
Staff Writer
A resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide recently
narrowly passed the United States Foreign Affairs Committee,
just as in 2005 and 2007. but its fate in reaching a floor vote in
Congress is uncertain. An American President, in an effort to
please Turkish officials, has once again avoided using the word
"Genocide" to describe the events that befell the Armenians in
1915: a campaign of race extermination.
Putting recognition of a historical event to a vote
in government does not determine history so much as it
determines a nation's consistency with understanding and
acknowledging it. Each time Armenian Genocide resolutions
have been brought before Congress, we see the character
of politicians. Today, practically all House Representatives
who have voiced their stance acknowledge thatthe Genocide
occurred, but a sizeable amount will not vote for a resolution
acknowledging it. The possibility of Turkey cutting off
American access to a Turkish air base that the United States
has been using in its wars in the Middle East and the progress
of Turkey's recent protocols for normalization with Armenia,
that includes a "historical commission" between Turkey
and Armenia, have been cited by numerous Congressmen
as reasons enough not to pass resolutions condemning the
Genocide, but these are excuses, not reasons. As the war in
the Middle East winds down and wdien Turkey's insistence of
establishing unfavorable pre conditions for Armenia with the
protocols fails, passing the resolutions is fair game.
Additionally. Turkish lobbying to keep American
presidents from using the wsrd "genocide" is short-sighted.
They know it's said behind their backs, but only wdien it's
said in front of their face do they react. With the Committee
resolution passing on March 4 and Sweden's Parliament
passing their resolution a week later. Turkey promptly recalled
its ambassadors to the tws countries. Turkish Prime Minister
Erdogan said he could have 100.000 migrant Armenians
deported, and Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu threatened
that "all options are on the table." They were returned to
the United States and Swsden after one month and one week
respectively, once there were "signs" thatthe countries'
governments respect Turkish interests. Incredible! When a
similar resolution passed in 2007. the Turkish ambassador to
the United States was gone for a week.
All that happened to please Turkey was the administrative
arms ofthe American and Swedish governments soon
condemned the passing of the respective resolutions, and
when Obama avoided using the word "Genocide" this past
April 24. Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan stated that the
President respected Turkey's "sensitivities." It's apparently
no matter to them that American citizens are being more and
more accurately informed of the Genocide or that Turkey's
officially sanctioned academic defense ofthe events of 1915
are repeatedly shown to be false.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan may have succeeded
in winning the respect of these administrations, but not in
winning the hearts of their nations' populaces. The political
battleground is a losing war for denial of the Armenian
Genocide.
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