ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
PRESS RELEASE
Date: October 30, 2013
Contact: Taniel Koushakjian
Telephone: (202) 393-3434
Email: [email protected]
Web:
ARMENIAN CAUCUS CO-CHAIR FRANK PALLONE URGES PRESIDENT OBAMA TO DISPLAY
ARMENIAN ORPHAN RUG
Washington, D.C. – Today, Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Representative Frank
Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) sent a letter to President Obama calling upon the White
House `to honor Armenian heritage and allow display of [a] culturally
significant Armenian rug,’ reported the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly).
Congressman Pallone has also joined with his colleagues in signing the
bipartisan letter currently being circulated by Armenian Genocide
resolution sponsors Representatives David Valadao (R-CA) and Adam Schiff
(D-CA) to President Obama calling for the `Armenian Orphan Rug’ to be
exhibited at the Smithsonian Institution as it was originally scheduled for
display in December 2013. Pallone’s letter follows Congressman Brad
Sherman (D-CA), who sent a similar missive to President Obama last week.
The Valadao-Schiff initiative, strongly backed by the Assembly, continues
to garner support. Meanwhile, the Assembly is in close contact with key
Administration officials urging that the rug be prominently displayed, not
only at the Smithsonian, but also at the White House and made available for
display in the U.S. Capitol.
In 1925, Dr. John H. Finley, editor-in-chief of the New York Times and
vice-chairman of the congressionally chartered Near East Relief
organization presented a rug made by orphans of the Armenian Genocide to
then President Calvin Coolidge. The rug was made in appreciation of
America’s generosity in aiding the survivors of the first genocide of the 20
th Century. It was previously displayed at the White House in 1984 and
1995, but not since, an issue which the Assembly has raised with successive
Administrations.
`The Assembly appreciates the efforts of the Armenian Caucus, and will
continue to press the case to ensure that this historical treasure is
appropriately and permanently displayed for all Americans to enjoy,’ stated
Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. `The Assembly also applauds the
timely work of Martin Deranian and his new book documenting the history of
this culturally significant rug and the support of the Armenian Cultural
Foundation for ensuring its publication,’ Ardouny added.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and
awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3)
tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR# 2013-022
Below is the text of Congressman Pallone’s Letter to President Obama:
October 30, 2013
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear President Obama:
I am writing to express deep concern over recent news that the White House
has refused to loan a rug woven by orphans and presented to President
Calvin Coolidge in 1925 to be displayed at an event associated with the
Smithsonian. I understand that Paul Michael Taylor, director of the
Smithsonian’s Asian cultural history program has informed Armenian American
organizations that the White House has refused to lend the rug with no
explanation as to the reason.
Rather than hiding this rug, we should be celebrating its origins and how
it came to be presented to President Coolidge. The rug, known as the
Ghazir rug, was woven by children at the Near East Relief orphanage in
Ghazir, Syria, present day Lebanon. The Near East Relief was established
in 1915 in response to calls from the U.S. Ambassador, Henry Morgenthau and
others to assist in saving refugees from the attempted extermination of the
Armenian people by the Ottoman Empire. The Ghazir rug was presented to the
White House as an expression of gratitude for U.S. assistance during the
mass murder of 1.5 million Armenians resulting in the first genocide of the
20th century.
Considering the White House has refused to give a reasonable explanation
for withholding this unique gift to the American people, the suspicion
exists that the White House is once again capitulating to pressure from the
Turkish government to prevent any discussion of the period in which the
Armenian Genocide occurred. It is difficult to express in words how deeply
troubling it is that a historical and cultural treasure accepted by
President Coolidge on behalf of the people of the United States may be
being kept behind closed doors because of Turkish desire to keep discussion
of certain historical facts out of the public discussion.
The Ghazir rug would be displayed along with a new book entitled,
`President Calvin Coolidge and the Armenian Orphan Rug.’ This would be an
entirely appropriate and meaningful display of the rug. Yet, the refusal
of the White House’s to allow display of the rug without explanation denies
the American people access to a national treasure and suggests that
discussion of the events surrounding the Armenian Genocide is unwelcome.
The Armenian American community continues to make valuable contributions to
the United States and our government should be committed to helping the
community explore their history, including the Armenian Genocide.
Each year on Capitol Hill we observe the anniversary of the Armenian
Genocide and reflect on the need to prevent such atrocities in the future.
While I remain disappointed that, as President, you have refused to refer
to murder of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide, allowing the Ghazir rug to
be displayed serves to facilitate academic discourse and commemoration of
America’s strong role in saving lives during a dark period of history. We
cannot allow the government of Turkey to dictate whether this occurs.
I urge you to allow the Ghazir rug to be loaned out for display. In the
event that there are practical challenges that would endanger preservation
of the rug, I ask that you explain these obstacles to allowing its
display. In the event that failure to loan the rug for display is based on
concerns from the government of Turkey, I strongly urge you to side with
historical honesty and integrity and reverse course so that the rug may be
part of an open and educational dialogue.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
FRANK PALLONE, JR
Member of Congress