Apr 22 2009
Will Obama Recognize the Armenian Genocide?
This Friday April 24th is the day of commemoration for the Armenian Genocide and this year much attention will fall on President Barack Obama. The United States has continually failed to officially recognize the atrocities committed by the Ottoman Turkish government from 1915 – 1923 as ‘genocide.’ But Obama during his presidential campaign was unequivocal stating, “An official policy that calls on diplomats to distort historical facts is an untenable policy.” During his recent visit to Turkey this year, many involved in the cause for Armenian genocide recognition felt Obama missed an opportunity to hold true to his campaign promise when he avoided using the word “genocide,” in his address to the parliament. Considered to be the first genocide of the 20th century, the Ottoman Turkish government began a systematic campaign of arrests, deportation, and annihilation against Armenians that by 1923 had claimed the lives of an estimated 1.5 million people. Ahead of what Obama may or may not say this Friday, a House Resolution was reintroduced in Congress in March by Democratic Representative Adam Schiff calling for formal recognition by the U.S.
The issue is dear to the heart of Serj Tankian, lead singer for the acclaimed rock band System of a Down, and co-host of the Axis of Justice Radio Network which airs each month on KPFK. Serj and his co-host Tom Morello spoke recently with Representative Adam Schiff at the studios of KPFK.
One Response to “Will Obama Recognize the Armenian Genocide?”
It was really unbelievable that a program like this which claims to be the supporter of the democracy, open discussions, equal rights, etc. could only support only one side and treat the issue as an absolute fact which even doesn`t need to be questioned at all even though some claim that it happened almost 100 years ago.
I wonder what kinda of scientific investigations have these people or the host of the program done other than reading a couple of articles before talking to thousands people on the radio that most of them had no idea about it at all.
What I can see though 99.9% of the people who talk about this issue have neither the comprehensive knowledge nor the substantial information to give us a full picture of what really happened but since we have the democracy everyone has the right to speak out without consideration if the talk is really based on something solid or not.