Freeway signs in Montebello take note of Armenian genocide
The signs next to the Pomona Freeway direct motorists to the Armenian
Genocide Martyrs Monument, which draws thousands of Armenians each
April 24 to commemorate the 1915 massacre. Armenians say a freeway
marker could lead to wider acknowledgement of the deaths of 1.5
million.
At an emotional ceremony, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian of the
Armenian Apostolic Church blesses a new sign along the 60 Freeway.
(Bob Chamberlin, Los Angeles Times / April 1, 2011)
By Bob Pool, Los Angeles Times
April 2, 2011
It’s only a sign.
But the large green message board unveiled next to the Pomona Freeway
packed an emotional punch for those gathered Friday in Montebello.
“Armenian Genocide Martyrs Monument Next Exit,” it reads.
A pair of the directional signs, authorized by the state Legislature,
point the way to a memorial tower above Garfield Avenue that
commemorates the attempt a century ago to eliminate Armenians from the
Ottoman Empire.
People of Armenian descent from throughout Los Angeles gathered
beneath the tower to thank state officials for recognizing their
history – and for perhaps leading the way to what they hope is wider
acknowledgement of the massacre of 1.5 million people.
Leaders of modern-day Turkey dispute the “genocide” label. The United
States, worried about U.S.-Turkish relations, has not taken a formal
position on the subject.
The directional signs will likely send “shockwaves” through those who
fail to recognize the impact that the killings and deportations still
have on Armenians around the world, said Grigor Hovhannisyan,
Armenia’s consul general.
“This is an international event that will be heard around the world,”
agreed Levon Kirakosian, a Glendale lawyer who helped organize the
ceremony.
“These words are now nailed on the wall for all to see.”
Legislation authorizing the signs was authored by state Assemblyman
Charles Calderon (D-Whittier), who recalled growing up in Montebello
and being influenced by his boyhood best friend’s Armenian
grandmother.
“This is not just another freeway sign,” Calderon told the crowd of about 200.
The six-legged memorial tower, dedicated in 1968, draws thousands of
Armenians each April 24 to commemorate the 1915 massacre. Calderon
described the tower as “a beacon that stands in the night” for human
rights.
Although there are few living survivors of the massacre – ceremony
organizers say one of them, Montebello resident Hrant Zeitounzian, was
100 when he died Wednesday – Los Angeles-area Armenians labor to keep
their history alive among younger generations.
“We’re here today because of the hard work of our grandparents and
great-grandparents,” said Kevork Tutunjian, a 25-year-old writer from
Glendale. “I’ll make sure this monument resonates with my
great-grandkids.”
Garabed Armoudikian, 61, a Pasadena service station operator, held
Armenian and American flags as he watched the ceremony. He predicted
that the display will prompt discussion among those who travel the
Pomona Freeway and who may be unaware of Armenian history.
And that’s a good sign, Armoudikian said.
Copyright © 2011, Los Angeles Times
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From: A. Papazian