Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 14, 2006
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA JOINS ARMENIAN BAR ASSOCIATION-LED COALITION IN
FIGHTING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL IN MASSACHUSETTS
— Broad-based Coalition Files Amicus Curiae Brief
Supporting the State of Massachusetts’ Motion
to Dismiss Turkish Lobby Lawsuit
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) has joined with a broad coalition of civil rights organizations
in filing an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief in
Massachusetts Federal District Court to oppose attempts by the
Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) to mandate the
inclusion of Armenian Genocide denial material in Massachusetts’
genocide curriculum guide.
The coalition led by the Armenian Bar Association, in addition to
the ANCA, includes the Irish Immigration Center, the Jewish
Alliance for Law & Social Action, and the National Association for
the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
In support of the State of Massachusetts, the coalition filed its
brief on March 8th urging the dismissal of the complaint filed by
the ATAA, a lobbying group that actively denies the Armenian
Genocide and that calls for the inclusion of the ATAA website in a
list of educational sources provided as part of a teacher’s guide
on genocide education. The complaint also calls for the addition
of other websites, including that of the Embassy of the Republic of
Turkey, which the ATAA had lobbied to include in the guide, but
were disqualified because they denied the Armenian Genocide, in
direct contravention of the Massachusetts statute requiring the
teaching of the Armenian Genocide.
In filing the brief, coalition members expressed their opposition
to the mandating of genocide denial in Massachusetts’ curriculum
guide and refuted allegations that plaintiffs’ free speech rights
were violated. The brief argues, “This case is not about
Plaintiffs’ ability to express themselves, to receive ideas, or to
access information. Nothing in the Massachusetts Guide to Choosing
and Using Curricular Materials on Genocide and Human Rights has
altered those rights. Rather, this case involves [Massachusetts’]
right as a government to express its own official views on matters
of historical importance and their place in education and to choose
the specific content of its own message.” Citing judicial
precedent, the brief noted that courts cannot compel state
governments to speak as plaintiffs demand: “The government is
entitled to full control over its own speech, whether it speaks
with its own voice or enlists private parties to convey its
message, and the remedy for dissatisfaction with its choices is
political rather than judicial.”
To read the entire brief, visit:
iciCuriae.pdf
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