ARMENIAN MARTYRS DAY 2012: ARMENIAN-AMERICANS INSULTED BY TEPID OBAMA STATEMENT
Exmainer.com
April 24 2012
Philadelphia Jewish-Armenian Relations Examiner
Barack Obama, in a “Statement by the President on Armenian
Remembrance Day” earlier today referred to the murder (by the Muslim
Turkish-controlled Ottoman Enpire) of up to 1.5 million Armenian
Christian citizens [this writer’s phrasing; not Obama’s of course]
between 1915 and 1923 as “one of the worst atrocities of the 20th
century.”
However, Obama did not at any point in the statement use the term
“genocide.”
That did not, to put it mildly, go over well with the Armenian-American
community.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) took Obama
particularly to task because of promises he had made while running
for President in 2008.
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According to an ANCA statement released earlier today: “President
Obama, once again, used euphemistic language and verbal gymnastics to
characterize the murder of 1.5 million Armenians in his annual April
24th Remembrance Day statement, breaking his pledge as Senator and
Presidential candidate to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide
as President.”
The statement continued:
“President Obama today completed his surrender to Turkey, shamefully
outsourcing U.S. human rights policy to a foreign state, and tightening
Ankara’s gag on American recognition of the Armenian Genocide,”
said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. “The President’s capitulation to
Turkey – on this, the last April 24th of his term – represents the
very opposite of the principled and honest change he promised to
Armenian Americans and to all the citizens of our nation.
President Obama’s pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide stands
today as a stark lie, a painful promise etched on the hearts of
all who had hoped and worked for change, but who, today, have been
betrayed by a politician who failed to live up to his own words.”
Local Armenian-Americans had harsh words for Obama.
According to Philadelphia attorney Antranig Garibian, “It is
extremely disappointing to all Armenians that President Obama has so
blatantly broken his campaign promise to put truth ahead of political
conveniences. He stands in direct contrast to the co-chair of his
campaign, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick, who has been a
courageous and steadfast supporter of Armenian Genocide recognition.”
“The finessed statement issued today by President Obama on the occasion
of Armenian Martyr’s Day is nothing but a dissapointment and a far cry
from his campaign promises,” said Kim Yacoubian, Co-Chair of the 2012
Philadelphia Armenian Genocide Walk (which takes place from noon-3
PM this Sunday in Center City).
Yacoubian added: “On the solemn occasion of the 97th anniversary
of the start of the Armenian Genocide, when 1.5 million Armenian
souls perished, we expect more from the United States Government. The
Armenian-American community regrettably, though, has become accustomed
to American politicians kowtowing to the Turkish government, and this
is more of the same.”
It should be noted that, notwithstanding the insult of failing to use
the term “genocide,” Obama did offer hopeychangeysunshiney language
that might, for readers who are familiar with The Godfather Part II,
bring to mind the character Senator Pat Geary.
According to Obama: “… the legacy of the Armenian people is one
of triumph. Your faith, courage, and strength have enabled you to
survive and prosper, establishing vibrant communities around the world.
Undaunted, you have preserved your patrimony, passing it from
generation to generation. Armenian-Americans have made manifold
contributions to the vibrancy of the United States …”