ANCA: Nebraska, Tennessee & Louisiana Acknowledge Armenian Genocide

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW, Suite 904,
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: (202) 775-1918 Fax: (202) 775-5648
[email protected]

PRESS RELEASE
April 29, 2004

Contact: Elizabeth Chouldjian
Telephone: (202) 775-1918

NEBRASKA, TENNESSEE AND LOUISIANA BECOME NEWEST STATES TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Total Number of States That Have Acknowledged the Genocide Reaches
36

WASHINGTON, DC – Tennessee, Nebraska and Louisiana have joined the
fast growing number of states who have acknowledged the Armenian
Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA). Democratic Governor Phil Bredesen of Tennessee, Republican
Governor Mike Johanns of Nebraska and Democratic Governor Kathleen
Babineaux Blanco issued proclamations citing a “Day of Remembrance
of the Armenian Genocide,” referring to the Ottoman Turkish
campaign of eliminate the Armenian population from 1915-1923. The
total number of states in the U.S. reaffirming he Armenian Genocide
has now reached 36.

“The Nebraska, Tennessee and Louisiana proclamations emphasize the
ultimate futility of Turkish efforts to distort the facts about the
Genocide,” commented ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“Governors Johanns, Bredesen, and Blanco should be commended for
taking a stand against denial and Turkish revisionism,” he added.

In the course of the last month, five new states have issued
proclamations for the Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide. All of
the proclamations mark April 23rd or 24th as an official Day of
Remembrance. The ANCA website () provides a diagram
that displays all of the states that have issued proclamations or
passed legislations recognizing the April 24th as a day of
remembrance.

The proclamations follow a concerted grassroots education campaign
by the ANC Chapters across the country to increase awareness of the
Armenian Genocide on the state and local level. ANC Tennessee
Chairman, Dr. Shant Garabedian, worked actively with the Tennessee
Armenian community, circulating a petition to Gov. Bredesen in
support of the proclamation. Garabedian discussed the initiative
following Easter Church services in Nashville this month.
Massachusetts State Republican Committee man Bob Semonian spoke
extensively to Governors Bredesen, Johanns and Blanco during the
National Governors Association conference held in Washington DC,
last month. He has since worked with local ANC activists in the
effort to secure Armenian Genocide proclamations from a series of
states across the country.

Semonian, who resides in Watertown, MA, is running for delegate for
the Republican National Convention. Registered Republicans in the
towns and cities of Arlington, Belmont, Everett, Framingham,
Lexington, Lincoln, Malden, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Revere,
Stoneham, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Weston, Winchester,
Winthrop, and Woburn can support his candidacy at the Republican
Caucus vote his Saturday, May 1st, to be held beginning at 9:00am
at
295 Arsenal St., in Watertown, MA.

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State of Nebraska
Proclamation

Whereas, One and a half million Christian Armenian men, women and
children were the victims of the brutal genocide perpetuated by the
Ottoman Turkish Government from 1915 – 1923; and

Whereas, The Armenian genocide and massacres of Armenian people
have been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a
thriving and noble civilization over 3000 years old; and

Whereas, Recognition of the eighty-ninth anniversary of this
genocide is crucial to guarding against the repetition of future
genocides and educating people about the atrocities connected to
these horrific events; and

Whereas, Armenian-Americans living in Nebraska have greatly
enriched our state through their leadership in business,
agriculture, academia, government and the arts;

Now, therefore, I, Mike Johanns, Governor of the State of Nebraska
DO HEREBY PROCLAIM the 24th day of April 2004, as

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE OF 1915-1923

in Nebraska, and I do hereby urge all citizens to take due note of
the observance.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand, and cause the
Great Seal of the Stae of Nebraska to be affixed this Twenty-Third
Day of April, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand Four.

/State seal/ – Attest: John A. Gale, Secretary of State
Mike Johanns, Governor

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TENNESSEE PROCLAMATION

State Capitol

By Phil Bredesen, Governor, on behalf of the people of Tennessee
By virtue of the authority vested in me, I herby confer upon
Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide
A Day of Recognition
Given under my hand and the Seal of the State of Tennessee
In Nashville, this 23rd day of April 2004

/State Seal/ Phil Bredesen, Governor

===============================================

United States of America
State of Louisiana
Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco

Proclamation

Whereas, One and one half million Christian Armenian men, women and
children were victims of brutal genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman
Turkish Government from 1915-1923; and

Whereas, the Armenian Genocide and massacres of Armenian people
have been recognized as an attempt to eliminate all traces of a
thriving and noble civilization over 3,000 years old; and

Whereas, recognition of the eighty-ninth anniversary of this
genocide is crucial to guarding against the repetition of future
genocides and educating people about the atrocities connected to
these horrific events; and

Whereas, Armenian-Americans living in Louisiana have greatly
enriched our state through leadership in business, agriculture,
academia, government, and the arts.

Now, therefore, I, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Governor of the state
of Louisiana do hereby proclaim April 24, 2004 as

DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

In the state of Louisiana

Kathleen Babineaux Blanco

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