The Need to address the Armenian Genocide in the U.S.

The Armenian Genocide was an event that cannot be denied in history. It is acknowledged as one of the first modern genocides. An event that occurred during the Ottoman Empire as a form of systematic extermination during and after World War l. The estimated number of victims is said to be 1.5 million. It was studied by scholars and pointed to the organized manner in which killings were carried out in order to eliminate the Armenians, and is the second most-studied case of genocide after the Holocaust. The known start date recorded of the Armenian Genocide was April 24 1915

Raphael Lemkin, a lawyer of Polinized-jewish descent was best known for coining the word genocide and initiating the Genocide Convention. The word genocide was coined in 1944 from the rooted words genos (Greek for family, tribe, or race) and -cide (Latin for Killing).

Today, the Republic of Turkey, present-day successor state of the Ottoman Empire, denies the historical event including the word Genocide as an accurate word used to depict the mass killings of Armenians in 1915.

To date, 29 countries have officially recognized the mass killings as genocide which include Russia, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada, as well as 44 states in the United States.

The governments of Turkey and Azerbaijan are the only ones that directly deny the historical factuality of the Armenian Genocide.

On April 24, 2015 marked the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. It was an opportunity for the United States under Democrat Administration of Barack Obama to recognize the Armenian Genocide. A promise made during the 2008 campaign trail promising to use the word genocide to describe the 1915 massacre by Turks of Armenians. -Source CNN

In 2006, the U.S Ambassador to Armenia was asked to resign from his position after using the term Armenian genocide during the Republican Administration of George W. Bush. At that time, Senator Obama hammered the Bush Administration for taking a stand.

“The Armenian genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence.”

-Barack Obama

For more than a decade under two administrations, the U.S regards Turkey--the only muslim majority country in NATO--as a more crucial ally than Armenia. Turkey today has the second-largest military in NATO, behind the U.S, and is a crucial ally when it comes to Syria, ISIS, Iran, and other Middle Eastern issues.

Current U.S Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, hammered U.S policy makers for not acknowledging or acting to stop such atrocities. She wrote a Pulitzer prize winning book about the U.S. and its continuous denial of the Armenian genocide.

“No U.S. President has ever made genocide a priority, and no U.S president has ever suffered politically for his indifference to its occurrence. It is thus, no coincidence that genocide rages on.”

-U.S Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power

The world communities have joined hands with the Armenian community to continue the efforts to recognize the Armenian genocide and bring justice and peace to the people of Armenia. 101 years later, the Armenian community is still strong and united more than ever. However 101 years later, there is still no peace, no justice, and a continuous cry out for recognition.

Through members of U.S Congress, U.S Senate, State officials, NGO’s, student initiatives, civic engagement in the form of marches, and protests, etc,  the Armenian Genocide has captured the attention of world media, celebrities, and world leaders.

Current Affairs | Testimonies | Community Initiatives

Photos Copyrights and Originally from LA Times & Getty Images (For Educational Use Only)

The United States cannot continue to deny the Armenian genocide. The Armenian American  community in America is currently the most politically influential community of the Armenian Diaspora. They form the second largest community of Armenians of the Armenian Diaspora after Russia.

The question now is how long do the victims and families have to wait until the U.S recognizes the Armenian genocide for what is? How long will the U.S wait to confront Turkey and hold it accountable for the actions committed by its predecessor the Ottoman Empire? Will the U.S ever be accountable to its citizens and not its special interest groups?

Wall Street Journal’s Front Page is a message against Armenian Genocide

Photo Copyrights and Originally from Wall Street Journal (For Education Use Only) 

The time has come for the U.S to listen to the victims, the families, and the next generation of Armenians around the world and stop humiliating them by promising to justice and peace while at the same time being cordial and celebrating with the enemy. That is not Democracy nor Diplomacy. That is not befitting of a leader and certainly not befitting of a world leader like the United States. The time is up. The people of Armenia will not wait another 101 years. The need to recognize the Armenian genocide in the United States is now.  

Reference Material

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