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Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

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  • #11
    Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

    You can help bring light to this story and support Boston area Armenians contest ADL's hypocriscy by writing a short letter to

    watertown tab [email protected]

    Boston Globe [email protected]
    Between childhood, boyhood,
    adolescence
    & manhood (maturity) there
    should be sharp lines drawn w/
    Tests, deaths, feats, rites
    stories, songs & judgements

    - Morrison, Jim. Wilderness, vol. 1, p. 22

    Comment


    • #12
      Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

      Milford Daily News, MA
      Daily News Tribune, MA
      MetroWest Daily News, MA
      Aug 5 2007

      Mazzaglia: Rethink the Armenian genocide


      By Frank Mazzaglia/Local columnist
      GHS
      Sun Aug 05, 2007, 12:21 AM EDT


      An unlikely squabble broke out last week between Watertown's Armenian
      community and the Anti-Defamation League. This is what happened.

      Along with scores of other cities and towns, Watertown proclaimed
      itself a "No Place for Hate" community back in 2005. The idea, of
      course, was to promote public policy against discrimination. Indeed,
      Watertown is one of the most densely populated communities in the
      Commonwealth. It is also home to the state's largest Armenian
      concentration. Closely built houses encourage neighborliness. Still,
      there is genuine anger out there.

      It turns out that the Anti-Defamation League, which sponsors "No
      Place for Hate," refuses to acknowledge a dark period from 1915 to
      1923. That's when the Turkish army implemented a policy of ethnic
      cleansing and mercilessly murdered an estimated 1.5 million helpless
      Armenian civilians. Turkey's subsequent denial of having anything to
      do with the Armenian genocide caused Hitler himself to believe he
      could get away with the ruthless slaughter of xxxs which we now know
      as the Holocaust.

      Leaders of Watertown's Armenian community want to maintain the "No
      Place for Hate" program but are lobblying to separate its connection
      with the ADL.

      Mark me down as one who believes that there is real danger in looking
      the other way when any nation attempts to cover up shameful episodes
      of its past. Japan attempted to do that by changing school textbooks
      and omitting its unspeakable attrocities in China and Korea.

      Modern China, too, gets more than a bit touchy when the subject of
      Tibet comes up.

      Turkey's refusal to accept any responsibility for its past history
      against the Armenian people, however, gets a bit more problematic
      because of its political and strategic importance. Even the United
      States drags its feet when it comes to Turkey. It's more in our
      interest to be concerned about the present and the future than to
      dwell on the past.

      Still, there are some of us who get very angry with anyone who denies
      the Holocaust. That's why the ADL's position, or rather lack of
      position, about the Armenian genocide just doesn't make sense.

      Founded in 1913 to fight anti-Semitism, the ADL has taken risky
      positions which have done us all proud. The ADL condemned the
      senseless killings in Darfur and the genocide in the Balkans. That's
      part of the problem. There's nothing 'selective' about genocide. It's
      wrong to condemn one genocide and turn a blind eye to another.

      Following World War II, a huge wave of anger was directed against
      Pope Pius XII for his 'silence' during the Holocaust. Some still seem
      to think the Swiss Guard could have been a real match against the SS.
      Dan Kurzman's new book "A Special Mission," however, reveals evidence
      concerning a secret Nazi plot in which Hitler planned to kidnap and
      then kill Pope Pius XII precisely because he was aiding and abetting
      xxxs whenever and wherever he could. Notwithstanding Kurzman's
      evidence, there has been no apology for the defamation.

      The real problem comes right down to money. To acknowledge its past
      would mean that Turkey would have to pay compensation to Armenians
      who suffered under the genocide in the same way the German government
      was required to compensate the victims of its Nazi past.

      The sad fact remains that no amount of compensation could ever be
      enough for what xxxs and Armenians have suffered at the hands of
      morally sick tyrants.

      Sadder yet is the growing conflict between two groups that have both
      experienced the terrible result of senseless hatred and intolerance.
      In the end, the ADL's refusal to support the truth about the Armenian
      genocide places a serious dent in its own integrity. That's why it
      makes sense for the ADL to re-think its position. It's too important
      an organization to risk losing its moral authority.

      The faster wise minds come to that conclusion, the better it will be
      for us all.

      Frank Mazzaglia can be reached at [email protected]

      What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

      Comment


      • #13
        Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

        Regional ANCA chapter finally speaks out about ADL hypocrisy in Watertown. But, where is national?? Where is AAA?? Where is Armenpac???



        Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts
        47 Nichols Avenue
        Watertown, MA 02472
        [email protected]

        PRESS RELEASE
        August 7, 2007
        Contact: Sevag Arzoumanian
        Tel: 617-233-3174

        ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL FUELS BOSTON AREA CONCERNS SURROUNDING
        LOCAL TOLERANCE PROGRAM

        -- Watertown "No Place for Hate" Program Urged to Sever Ties with
        ADL, Following Genocide Denial Remarks by National Director Abe
        Foxman

        WATERTOWN, MA - Boston area civil rights advocates have teamed with
        Armenian and xxxish American community activists in expressing
        disappointment and outrage at recent statements by Anti-Defamation
        League (ADL) National Director Abraham Foxman denying the Armenian
        Genocide and opposing Congressional legislation affirming that
        crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of
        Eastern Massachusetts (ANCEM). Foxman's statements have seriously
        jeopardized the credibility of the Watertown "No Place For Hate"
        (NPFH) anti-racism and tolerance promotion program, with pressure
        mounting on its leadership to sever ties with its parent
        organization, the ADL.

        The controversy first came to light on July 6th when the Watertown
        Tab published a letter by an Armenian American citizen that
        spotlighted Foxman's recent statements opposing Congressional
        Armenian Genocide legislation. The letter asked the local "No Place
        For Hate" chapter to disassociate itself from the ADL.

        Foxman's statements were from an April 21st Los Angeles Times
        article titled "Genocide Resolution Still Far from Certain" in
        which Foxman argued that "The Turks and Armenians need to revisit
        their past. The xxxish community shouldn't be the arbiter of that
        history. And I don't think the U.S. Congress should be the arbiter
        either." The July 6th letter spurred a flurry of responses from
        Armenian Americans and others that were printed in the Watertown
        Tab. One letter, from New England ADL Regional Director Andrew
        Tarsy, defended Foxman, but was subsequently countered by a series
        of articles by local columnists Frank Mazzaglia, John DiMascio and
        community citizens expressing concerns about a loss of credibility
        by NPFH if it continued its association with genocide deniers.

        In a letter to the Watertown Tab, ANCEM chairperson Sharistan
        Melkonian wrote, "Foxman's use of euphemistic language to deny the
        Armenian Genocide runs counter to the fundamental tenets of No
        Place for Hate... and also runs counter to the ADL's own charter,
        which, according to the ADL's Website, states that the ADL's
        `ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all
        citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair
        discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of
        citizens.'"

        "For the parent organization of No Place of Hate, or rather the
        national director of that organization, to deny genocide, goes
        against the basic concepts of tolerance and respect for diversity
        the organization is working so hard to promote in our communities,"
        continued Melkonian.

        -------------------------------------------------------------------
        Boston Globe Documents Genocide Denial Concerns
        -------------------------------------------------------------------

        The situation intensified after an August 1st article in the Boston
        Globe, titled "Anti-Bias Effort Stirs Anger in Watertown," where
        Foxman, again, in reference to Armenian Genocide recognition
        efforts, stated "We're not party to this, and I don't understand
        why we need to be made party." In response to a direct question by
        reporter Keith O'Brien whether "what happened to Armenians under
        the Ottoman Empire was genocide, he [Foxman] replied, 'I don't
        know.'" He went on to note that "'I'm not going to be the arbiter
        of someone else's history,'" . . . adding that he does not believe
        that Congress should either."

        In her interview with the Globe's O'Brien, Melkonian condemned
        Foxman's genocide denial and stated that the ANC EM would "call for
        the Watertown 'No Place for Hate' program to sever its ties with
        the ADL unless it denounces Foxman's position and acknowledges the
        genocide."

        Watertown's NPFH Co-Chairman Will Twombly, in response to O'Brien's
        inquiries, stated that "Not to condemn the genocide and fully
        recognize it for what it was, I personally find inconsistent with
        the mission of No Place for Hate." He noted that his group would be
        asking "tough questions" of the New England ADL's Tarsy. "At that
        point, Twombly said, the committee will decide on the best course
        of action, including the option of severing ties with the ADL
        altogether, effectively ending the program."

        In a subsequent August 3rd editorial, the Boston Globe called on
        the ADL to "acknowledge the genocide against the Armenian people
        during World War I, and criticize Turkish attempts to repress the
        memory of this historical reality." Citing Israel's close ties with
        Turkey, the editorial countered that "the ADL is not an arm of
        Israel, and whatever it does will not affect Turkish foreign
        policy." The editorial concluded, noting "failure to acknowledge
        past atrocities will encourage would-be perpetrators to believe
        they can get away with them, just as the Ottoman Empire did."

        -------------------------------------------------------------------
        xxxish American Leaders / Activists Speak Out Against Genocide
        Denial
        -------------------------------------------------------------------

        Amongst key community leaders joining the Armenian American
        community in expressing concern about Foxman's genocide denial and
        its repercussions on the "No Place for Hate" program are xxxish
        American academics and organization leaders. In a letter to the
        Boston Globe, xxxish Voice for Peace - Boston Co-Chair Martin
        Federman noted that "Abraham Foxman's contention that his Anti-
        Defamation League (ADL) should not be the 'arbiter of history' by
        acknowledging the historicity of the Armenian Genocide is at best
        disingenuous, at worst craven self-interest." Federman argued that
        "if anyone were to sidestep the issue of whether the Holocaust
        really happened, by refusing to be the 'arbiter of history', Foxman
        and the ADL would (appropriately) be apoplectic."

        In a press release issued on August 5th, Boston University
        Professor Michael Siegel condemned the ADL's genocide denial and
        urged Watertown 'No Place for Hate' to "sever its ties with the ADL
        unless the organization acknowledges that this genocide occurred."
        A public letter from Siegel to New England ADL Regional Director
        Andrew Tarsy stated "As a long-time ADL supporter, it is with great
        disappointment that I write you today to express my disgust with
        your organization's refusal to publicly acknowledge the Armenian
        genocide, and in particular, your July 26 response to the recent
        controversy in Watertown, in which you refused to acknowledge the
        genocide, and instead, stated that the question of whether a
        genocide occurred: " was one to be resolved between the two
        countries -- Armenia and Turkey."

        Similar statements of outrage have been spotlighted on a number of
        blogs, including articles by the Huffington Post's Mark Oppenheimer
        and xxxcy's Joey Kurtzman. Oppenheimer, in a July 10th post, argued
        that "for a non-profit like the ADL, which in fact has done
        important work to combat not just anti-Semitism but other forms of
        ethnocentrism and racism, to shill for Holocaust-deniers (yes, the
        Armenian genocide can fairly be called a Holocaust) is inexcusable.
        He should be fired." Kurtzman stated that "It is a scandal of
        unprecedented proportion when one of the most prominent figures in
        our community, a man who claims to speak on our behalf, publicly
        challenges the historicity of another community's genocide.
        Foxman's ADL no longer represents the interests of the xxxish
        community."

        -------------------------------------------------------------------
        ANCEM APPEALS TO NPFH
        -------------------------------------------------------------------

        In an August 3rd letter to No Place for Hate Watertown, the ANCEM
        noted that "affiliation or acquiescence with Mr. Foxman's
        unconscionable position on the Armenian Genocide seriously
        undermines the efforts of the NPFH - a leader in the fight against
        bigotry and intolerance in Watertown.' The letter went on to urge
        the NPFH to call on Foxman to `publicly and unequivocally renounce
        its [ADL's] denialist agenda.'

        An ANCEM sponsored community petition called on No Place for Hate
        "in keeping with its principles" to " issue a public statement
        opposing Turkey's state-sponsored campaign to deny the Armenian
        Genocide and call on NPFH sponsor, the Anti-Defamation League
        (ADL), through its National Director Abraham Foxman, to openly and
        unequivocally acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and support
        Congressional affirmation of this crime against humanity."

        Within days, the petition gathered over 300 hundred signatures. To
        learn more about the Foxman/ADL genocide denial controversy visit:


        "No Place for Hate" is a community-based campaign established by
        the Anti-Defamation League geared to bring awareness to and fights
        against anti-Semitism, racism and all other forms of bigotry. Some
        50 cities throughout Massachusetts are termed "No Place for Hate"
        zones, and participation is growing throughout the United States,
        including: Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Los
        Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; and Santa
        Barbara, CA, among other cities.

        The Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts is part of
        the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots
        political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
        offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and
        affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
        advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad
        range of issues.

        --------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Between childhood, boyhood,
        adolescence
        & manhood (maturity) there
        should be sharp lines drawn w/
        Tests, deaths, feats, rites
        stories, songs & judgements

        - Morrison, Jim. Wilderness, vol. 1, p. 22

        Comment


        • #14
          Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

          [I thought that this may be of interest. Siamanto]


          JOEY KURTZMAN, J.E.WCY - Abdullah Gul needed a favor. It was February 5 of this year, and the Turkish foreign minister was fighting a push in the U.S. House of Representatives to recognize the Turkish murder of one million Armenians during World War I. In past years the House had placated Turkey by dropping similar resolutions. But now, with the American-Turkish alliance weakened by the Iraq war, the resolution had found renewed support. Gul summoned representatives from the Anti-Defamation League and several other J.e.wish-American organizations to his room at the Willard Hotel in Washington. There he asked them, in essence, to perpetuate Turkey's denial of genocide. . .

          Foxman's statement is in every way that matters equivalent to Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's claim that he takes no position on the historicity of the J.e.wish Holocaust, but only hopes to see the matter resolved by dispassionate study. Throughout the congressional saga surrounding the resolutions, virtually no one other than Turkish lobbyists had explained their opposition by challenging the nearly undisputed consensus among historians that a genocide did indeed take place. . .

          Foxman's ADL no longer represents the interests of the J.e.wish community. In fact, it seems the only interests it represents are its own.

          What's surprising is how unabashedly forthright Abraham Foxman has become about what motivates him and his institution. In October of 2005, Foxman addressed a classroom of J.e.wish students at New York University. Young heads nodded and brows furrowed as Foxman riled them with his customary rhetoric: Isn't it anti-semitic for pro-Palestinian groups to seek divestment only from Israel, ignoring the far greater crimes of regimes like Sudan or North Korea? How do we describe this sort of selective flagellation of the world's only J.e.wish state, if not as antisemitism?

          "What if the campus Free Tibet club campaigned for divestment from China? Would that be anti-Chinese bigotry?" asked Asaf Shtull-Trauring, a 20-year-old student and conscientious objector from the Israeli army.

          Of course not, answered Foxman, but it was preposterous to compare the two conflicts, what with the J.e.ws' experience of two millennia of murderous persecution. Shtull-Trauring responded with two questions: Did Foxman mean that selective treatment is okay so long as it's not directed at J.e.ws? And where did the Anti-Defamation League get off telling J.e.wish university students which opinions about Israel were acceptable and which verboten?

          The dialogue spiraled into a confrontation. Shtull-Trauring says Foxman, frustrated and under attack, placed his cards on the table, angrily retorting: "I don't represent you nor the J.e.wish community! I represent the donors."

          Foxman's outburst was surprising not because of its content, but because of its candor. Foxman needn't bother himself with the trifling concerns of American J.e.ws who happen not to be multimillionaire philanthropists. If he makes the J.e.wish community less appealing to young J.e.ws, if his theatrics turn us off and turn us away, that's all beside the point. Foxman's job is to keep the millionaire benefactors happy: the rest of us can go jump in the Kinneret.

          Without a meaningful mission to pursue, the ADL has resorted to scaremongering to fill its coffers and justify its existence. These efforts have grown increasingly bizarre and damaging. For example, the ADL website surveys the vast changes in J.e.wish-American life over the past century and offers the grandiose judgment that they "are due, in large measure, to the efforts of the League and its allies." Yet Foxman also claims that today the J.e.wish people face as great a threat to their safety and security as they did in the 1930s. In other words, the ADL takes credit for the vast improvements in the circumstances of American J.e.wry, and then denies that those changes have taken place. It is still 1939. It will always be 1939. . .

          The ADL can libel American Christians in general without fear of legal consequence, but when it goes on to identify specific "anti-semites" it leaves itself more vulnerable. Time after time, Americans who resented being named-and-shamed as anti-semites have sued the ADL for libel. . .

          Foxman's ADL justifies its existence by beckoning us backward, encouraging us to hide from the ever-present Cossacks in a psychological shtetl. It's a dark vision that serves the ADL's interests, but not ours. . .



          What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

          Comment


          • #15
            Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

            Finally, almost a week after xxxish media sources picked up the story, Asbarez - an Armenian paper - runs a story on ADL, No Place for Hate and the stir in Watertown, Mass.



            Genocide Denial Fuels Boston Area Concerns Surrounding Local Tolerance Program



            WATERTOWN, Mass.--Boston area civil rights advocates have teamed with Armenian and xxxish American community activists in expressing disappointment and outrage at recent statements by Anti-Defamation League National Director Abraham Foxman denying the Armenian Genocide and opposing Congressional legislation affirming that crime against humanity, reported the Armenian National Committee of Eastern Massachusetts. Foxman's statements have seriously jeopardized the credibility of the Watertown "No Place For Hate" (NPFH) anti-racism and tolerance promotion program, with pressure mounting on its leadership to sever ties with its parent organization, the ADL.
            The controversy first came to light on July 6th when the Watertown Tab published a letter by an Armenian American citizen that spotlighted Foxman's recent statements opposing Congressional Armenian Genocide legislation. The letter asked the local "No Place For Hate" chapter to disassociate itself from the ADL.
            Foxman's statements were from an April 21st Los Angeles Times article titled "Genocide Resolution Still Far from Certain" in which Foxman argued that "The Turks and Armenians need to revisit their past. The xxxish community shouldn't be the arbiter of that history. And I don't think the U.S. Congress should be the arbiter either." The July 6th letter spurred a flurry of responses from Armenian Americans and others that were printed in the Watertown Tab. One letter, from New England ADL Regional Director Andrew Tarsy, defended Foxman, but was subsequently countered by a series of articles by local columnists Frank Mazzaglia, John DiMascio and community citizens expressing concerns about a loss of credibility by NPFH if it continued its association with genocide deniers.
            In a letter to the Watertown Tab, ANCEM chairperson Sharistan Melkonian wrote, "Foxman's use of euphemistic language to deny the Armenian Genocide runs counter to the fundamental tenets of No Place for Hate; and also runs counter to the ADL's own charter, which, according to the ADL's Website, states that the ADL's
            `ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizens.'"
            "For the parent organization of No Place of Hate, or rather the national director of that organization, to deny genocide, goes against the basic concepts of tolerance and respect for diversity the organization is working so hard to promote in our communities," continued Melkonian.

            Boston Globe Documents Genocide Denial Concerns
            The situation intensified after an August 1st article in the Boston Globe, titled "Anti-Bias Effort Stirs Anger in Watertown," where Foxman, again, in reference to Armenian Genocide recognition efforts, stated "We're not party to this, and I don't understand why we need to be made party." In response to a direct question by reporter Keith O'Brien whether "what happened to Armenians under the Ottoman Empire was genocide, he [Foxman] replied, 'I don't know.'" He went on to note that "'I'm not going to be the arbiter of someone else's history,'" . . . adding that he does not believe that Congress should either."
            In her interview with the Globe's O'Brien, Melkonian condemned Foxman's genocide denial and stated that the ANC EM would "call for the Watertown 'No Place for Hate' program to sever its ties with the ADL unless it denounces Foxman's position and acknowledges the genocide."
            Watertown's NPFH Co-Chairman Will Twombly, in response to O'Brien's inquiries, stated that "Not to condemn the genocide and fully recognize it for what it was, I personally find inconsistent with the mission of No Place for Hate." He noted that his group would be asking "tough questions" of the New England ADL's Tarsy. "At that point, Twombly said, the committee will decide on the best course of action, including the option of severing ties with the ADL altogether, effectively ending the program."
            In a subsequent August 3 editorial, the Boston Globe called on the ADL to "acknowledge the genocide against the Armenian people during World War I, and criticize Turkish attempts to repress the memory of this historical reality." Citing Israel's close ties with Turkey, the editorial countered that "the ADL is not an arm of Israel, and whatever it does will not affect Turkish foreign policy." The editorial concluded, noting "failure to acknowledge past atrocities will encourage would-be perpetrators to believe they can get away with them, just as the Ottoman Empire did."

            xxxish American Leaders / Activists Speak Out Against Genocide Denial
            Among key community leaders joining the Armenian American community in expressing concern about Foxman's genocide denial and its repercussions on the "No Place for Hate" program are xxxish American academics and organization leaders. In a letter to the Boston Globe, xxxish Voice for Peace 's Boston Co-Chair Martin Federman noted that "Abraham Foxman's contention that his Anti-Defamation League (ADL) should not be the 'arbiter of history' by acknowledging the historicity of the Armenian Genocide is at best disingenuous, at worst craven self-interest." Federman argued that "if anyone were to sidestep the issue of whether the Holocaust really happened, by refusing to be the 'arbiter of history', Foxman and the ADL would (appropriately) be apoplectic."
            In a press release issued on August 5th, Boston University Professor Michael Siegel condemned the ADL's genocide denial and urged Watertown 'No Place for Hate' to "sever its ties with the ADL unless the organization acknowledges that this genocide occurred." A public letter from Siegel to New England ADL Regional Director Andrew Tarsy stated "As a long-time ADL supporter, it is with great disappointment that I write you today to express my disgust with your organization's refusal to publicly acknowledge the Armenian genocide, and in particular, your July 26 response to the recent controversy in Watertown, in which you refused to acknowledge the genocide, and instead, stated that the question of whether a genocide occurred: " was one to be resolved between the two countries -- Armenia and Turkey."
            Similar statements of outrage have been spotlighted on a number of blogs, including articles by the Huffington Post's Mark Oppenheimer and xxxcy's Joey Kurtzman. Oppenheimer, in a July 10th post, argued that "for a non-profit like the ADL, which in fact has done important work to combat not just anti-Semitism but other forms of ethnocentrism and racism, to shill for Holocaust-deniers (yes, the Armenian genocide can fairly be called a Holocaust) is inexcusable. He should be fired." Kurtzman stated that "It is a scandal of unprecedented proportion when one of the most prominent figures in our community, a man who claims to speak on our behalf, publicly challenges the historicity of another community's genocide. Foxman's ADL no longer represents the interests of the xxxish community."

            ANCEM Appeals to NPFH
            In an August 3 letter to No Place for Hate Watertown, the ANCEM noted that "affiliation or acquiescence with Mr. Foxman's unconscionable position on the Armenian Genocide seriously undermines the efforts of the NPFHxa leader in the fight against bigotry and intolerance in Watertown.” The letter went on to urge the NPFH to call on Foxman to “publicly and unequivocally renounce its [ADL's] denialist agenda.”
            An ANCEM sponsored community petition called on No Place for Hate "in keeping with its principles" to " issue a public statement opposing Turkey's state-sponsored campaign to deny the Armenian Genocide and call on NPFH sponsor, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), through its National Director Abraham Foxman, to openly and unequivocally acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and support Congressional affirmation of this crime against humanity."
            Within days, the petition gathered over 300 hundred signatures. To learn more about the Foxman/ADL genocide denial controversy visit: www.noplacefordenial.com
            "No Place for Hate" is a community-based campaign established by the Anti-Defamation League geared to bring awareness to and fights against anti-Semitism, racism and all other forms of bigotry. Some 50 cities throughout Massachusetts are termed "No Place for Hate" zones, and participation is growing throughout the United States, including: Austin, TX; Denver, CO; Houston, TX; Las Vegas, NV; Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Omaha, NE; Philadelphia, PA; and Santa Barbara, CA, among other cities.

            Wednesday, August 8, 2007
            Between childhood, boyhood,
            adolescence
            & manhood (maturity) there
            should be sharp lines drawn w/
            Tests, deaths, feats, rites
            stories, songs & judgements

            - Morrison, Jim. Wilderness, vol. 1, p. 22

            Comment


            • #16
              Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

              ADL hypocisy in Watertown, Mass. story makes it across the pond in Belgium



              USC'S Shoah Foundaton recently teamed with ADL for visual curriculum re: Holocaust at International University for Holocaust Studies.

              Holocaust Memorial museum, in partnership with ADL and USC Shoah Foundation Institute, hosts 'Echoes and Reflections Summer Institute' for US educators


              How can a genocide denier teach anyone about the Holocaust?? Why would the Shoah Foundation join with genocide deniers to promote an understanding of Holocaust??
              Between childhood, boyhood,
              adolescence
              & manhood (maturity) there
              should be sharp lines drawn w/
              Tests, deaths, feats, rites
              stories, songs & judgements

              - Morrison, Jim. Wilderness, vol. 1, p. 22

              Comment


              • #17
                Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

                ADL can't keep its story straight about Armenian genocide recognition and its words do not match its actions. This advocacy group for anti-semitism, anti-bias, anti-bigotry is a SHAM.

                --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                NO PLACE FOR DENYING GENOCIDE
                Ronald A. Goodman

                Boston Globe
                August 5, 2007

                FOR THE LAST several years, I have served as a docent for the xxxish
                Community Relations Council at the Holocaust Memorial in Boston, and I
                cannot understand how the Anti-Defamation League's national director
                can in good conscience state, regarding recognition of the Armenian
                genocide, that, "We're not party to this, and I don't understand why
                we need to be made party." The purpose of a Holocaust memorial is
                not just to remember the xxxs who were slaughtered, but also to make
                us all serve as witnesses to all past genocides and to work together
                to prevent more genocides. If Watertown is truly to be No Place for
                Hate, then perhaps it is time that the ADL take an official position
                regarding the 1.5 million Armenians who died.

                --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                CONTROVERSY STIRRED OVER GENOCIDE
                Andrew H. Tarsy Regional Director James L. Rudolph Regional Chairman

                Boston Globe
                August 8, 2007

                THE GLOBE is correct that the controversy in Watertown over the
                Anti-Defamation League's No Place for Hate program is not of our making
                ("A genocide not to be denied," Editorial, Aug. 3). This ADL program
                helps reduce prejudice and build respect for differences. We hope
                Watertown will continue to participate irrespective of other issues.

                Breaking News Alerts ADL has never denied what happened at the close
                of the First World War. There were massacres of Armenians and great
                suffering at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. We believe today's
                Turkish government should do more than it has done to come to grips
                with the past and reconcile with Armenians. We have said that to
                Turkish officials and we have said it publicly. ADL continues to
                believe this is the best way to proceed.

                Many groups have experienced horrific atrocities. Sharing our
                unique histories and building mutual respect is at the core of the
                ADL mission.

                xxxs, Armenians, and other groups should continue to develop positive
                relationships out of a genuine desire to better understand one another
                and build a safer world. Attacking the integrity of ADL or No Place
                for Hate does not advance these goals and should be soundly rejected.

                --------------------------------------------------------------------------

                More propaganda from a group of GENOCIDE DENIERS. In the political ring, they call Mr. Tarsy's editorial --- SPIN.

                No more bending the truth. No more clouding the issues. No more controlling the message.

                The ADL cannot deliver the message of Turkish x-x-x-x to U.S. politicians to vote down genocide recognition legislation and, then, immediately state that their position is that they recognize the massacre. Mr. Tarsy is a LIAR. Plain and simple.



                This website is for sale! natallnews.com is your first and best source for all of the information you’re looking for. From general topics to more of what you would expect to find here, natallnews.com has it all. We hope you find what you are searching for!




                The ADL already showed the world their true colors. They are YELLOW. They are COWARDS. They are GENOCIDE DENIERS. And, shame on Steven Spielberg, his SHOAH FOUNDATION, and, its directors, for besmirching the work of an Armenian (Steven Zaillian; Schindler's List) in educating the world on the Holocaust and, then, associating his foundation with GENOCIDE DENIERS.

                The ADL and the SHOAH FOUNDATION, brothers in GENOCIDE DENIAL!!!
                Last edited by freakyfreaky; 08-09-2007, 12:09 PM. Reason: clarification
                Between childhood, boyhood,
                adolescence
                & manhood (maturity) there
                should be sharp lines drawn w/
                Tests, deaths, feats, rites
                stories, songs & judgements

                - Morrison, Jim. Wilderness, vol. 1, p. 22

                Comment


                • #18
                  Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

                  Even members of the J-e-wish media, a few American j-e-wish leaders and genocide and holocaust scholars know that certain American j-e-wish advocacy groups - i.e. ADL, AJC, JINSA, B'NAI B'IRTH, have placed themselves in a precarious position by promoting genocide denial.

                  Certain American j-e-wish Advocacy groups in broadcasting, lobbying the position of Turksh j-e-ws to U.S. politicians have chosen to be on the wrong side of history and align themselves with the intolerant, the biased, the oppressive whom they claim to be either eradicating or educating.

                  http://www.xxxishreview.org/Archives...007-08-01-3569 (republished article that also appeared in JTA on 8/1/07 re: ADL's genocide denial stance)

                  http://www.thexxxishadvocate.com/thi...ontent_id=3476 (8/9/07 article - other j-e-wish organizations, etc. are besides themselves re: ADL's genocide denial position)

                  http://www.adl.org/PresRele/Holocaus...83/4939_83.htm (How does the ADL recocile Foxman's position re: Ahmadenijad's Holocaust Conference with his words that amount to genocide denial? - there can be no doubt that the ADL and Foxman are morally conflicted and lack any integrity whatsoever to judge others as to their position on the Holocaust - genocide denial is not an anti-j-e-wish conspiracy - it is a Zionist strategy)

                  http://www.townonline.com/watertown/homepage/x748941259 (8/9/07 upate from local paper)

                  Bottom line: if you choose to broadcast another group's postion denying the Armenian GENOCIDE, you are a GENOCIDE DENIER.

                  You cannot both spead the lies of others about this tragedy and claim that you take no position on the matter or tiptoe around calling the massacre and cleansing of Armenians as GENOCIDE.

                  The historians have spoken, it was GENOCIDE. Period. Exclamation point.

                  The j-e-wish media has spoken, it was GENOCIDE. Period. Exclamation point.

                  Some American j-e-wish leaders have spoken, it was GENOCIDE. Period. Exclamation point.

                  And, American J-e-wish advocacy groups like the ADL, AJC, B'nai B'irth and JINSA have spoken also. They are GENOCIDE DENIERS.

                  And, foundations, like the SHOAH FOUNDATION, that claim to be promoting the education of the Holocaust to the public that work in conjunction with these bigoted organizations are nothing more than GENOCIDE DENIERS.

                  GENOCIDE DENIERS cloaked in self-righteousness.
                  Last edited by freakyfreaky; 08-09-2007, 10:04 PM.
                  Between childhood, boyhood,
                  adolescence
                  & manhood (maturity) there
                  should be sharp lines drawn w/
                  Tests, deaths, feats, rites
                  stories, songs & judgements

                  - Morrison, Jim. Wilderness, vol. 1, p. 22

                  Comment


                  • #19
                    Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

                    I think that the Armenian Community should intentionally blow the issue out-of-proportions - in a rational manner and without getting emotional - in an open confrontation with the ADL and decry the latter's hideous, immoral and hypocritical policies until a common understanding - that fits better our interests - is reached.
                    What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

                    Comment


                    • #20
                      Re: Watertown Armenians in arow over ADL's anti-genocide stance

                      GENOCIDE STANCE CLOUDS FUTURE OF 'NO PLACE FOR HATE' PROGRAM
                      By Jillian Fennimore, Staff Writer

                      GateHouse News Service
                      Watertown TAB & Press, MA
                      Aug 9 2007

                      Town Council may sever or suspend Watertown's ties to the "No Place
                      for Hate" program amid questions about the stance toward the Armenian
                      Genocide of the program's co-sponsor, the Anti-Defamation League.

                      According to Will Twombly, co-chairperson of Watertown's "No Place
                      for Hate" committee, all options are on the table, including removing
                      its services from the town altogether.

                      Twombly said his committee would be meeting with members of the ADL
                      soon to ask some "very serious questions."

                      "We are certainly very disturbed with what we perceive to be the
                      ADL's stance on the [Armenian] genocide," he said. "We do feel the
                      need to take some decisive action. The question is what."

                      Controversy began last month when the TAB & Press published a
                      letter that highlighted statements from ADL's national director,
                      Abraham Foxman, that Congress should play no role in recognizing the
                      Armenian Genocide. Some have classified his words as "genocide denial"
                      regarding what most historians agree was a campaign waged against
                      ethnic Armenians by the Ottoman government during and after World
                      War I. As many as 1.5 million Armenians died from 1915 to 1923.

                      ADL representatives said the group has never denied the Armenian
                      Genocide.

                      "ADL has never denied what happened at the close of the First World
                      War," read a statement from ADL Regional Director Andrew Tarsy and
                      Regional Board Chairman James Rudolph. "There were massacres of
                      Armenians and great suffering at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. We
                      believe today's Turkish government should do more than it has done
                      to come to grips with the past and reconcile with Armenians. We have
                      said that to Turkish officials and we have said it publicly. ADL
                      continues to believe this is the best way to proceed."

                      But there are many who are taking a stance against the ADL. A Web
                      site - www.noplacefordenial.com - was created by an ad-hoc group of
                      "Armenian-American activists" around town. The site has a petition for
                      both "No Place for Hate" and Foxman to recognize the genocide publicly.

                      The subject 'strikes the heart of every Armenian' Sharistan
                      Melkonian, chairperson of the Armenian National Committee of Eastern
                      Massachusetts, said Foxman's statements on the Armenian Genocide are
                      "disappointing and unconscionable."

                      "For the national director of the ADL, an organization with a
                      94-year history of dedication to eradicating anti-Semitism, bigotry
                      and extremism, to plead ignorance about the Armenian Genocide is
                      unfathomable," she wrote in an e-mail. "....if ADL is unwilling to
                      publicly and unequivocally renounce its agenda, the Watertown Town
                      Council should insist that NPFH sever its ties with ADL in order that
                      NPFH continue the good work that is mandated without the unworthy
                      baggage of Foxman's unfortunate position."

                      State Rep. Rachel Kaprielian, D-Watertown, said she had a different
                      opinion on the matter before hearing Foxman's public statements.

                      "I was deeply disturbed," she said in response to the recent
                      controversy. "I am now taking a position that we should divorce
                      ourselves from [ADL]. [The Armenian Genocide] is a major subject that
                      strikes the heart of every Armenian in the world. It's my lifeline
                      and my heartstrings. This has affected my family."

                      A spokesman for the ADL, who did not wish to be named, said it is
                      "regrettable" that "No Place for Hate" has been caught up in the public
                      uproar. He said that the ADL has been urging the Turkish government
                      to do more to address its Ottoman past.

                      "'No Place for Hate' was a good program a month ago; it's still a
                      good program today," he said. "That has not changed. People have only
                      wanted to listen to part of what our position is."

                      Town Council poised to sever ties to ADL In 1999, the "No Place for
                      Hate" program was created by the ADL New England Region, in partnership
                      with the Massachusetts Municipal Association, to "provide communities
                      with a solid framework for promoting an inclusive environment while
                      fighting all forms of hate and bigotry," according to its Web site.

                      The town welcomed the program more than two years ago, and in 2005,
                      council members unanimously adopted a proclamation supporting the
                      committee and its programs for "zero tolerance" toward bigotry.

                      In May, Town Council renewed its vote display a sign marking
                      recertification as a "No Place for Hate" community. Fifty communities
                      in Massachusetts participate in the program.

                      But the ADL controversy has pushed councilors to second-guess their
                      support.

                      At-Large Councilor Marilyn Devaney said she is personally affected
                      by the ADL's position, or lack thereof, on the Armenian Genocide.

                      "I knew survivors, and it's unbelievable to say that it never
                      happened," she said. "This is a public embarrassment. I think that
                      we could adopt 'No Place for Hate' on our own. There's got to be a
                      better way."

                      Devaney plans to present a proclamation on Aug. 14 to rescind the
                      council's vote to support a "No Place for Hate Committee" under the
                      ADL, but maintain the program's policies in the community.

                      Fellow At-Large Councilor John Donohue said it would be best to pull
                      the committee aside for the time being.

                      "There needs to be a review of No Place for Hate in Watertown,"
                      he said. "I think we should suspend the recognition of it until it
                      can be properly defined. The idea [of the committee] makes a lot of
                      sense. The connections and affiliations don't."

                      Council President Clyde Younger said he has been "baffled" by the
                      entire situation.

                      "We [Town Council] have gone on record as opposing any genocide denial,
                      and wanting the Turkish government to recognize it," he said.

                      "We have to just reinforce our previous position on that, as well as
                      supporting Watertown as being 'No Place for Hate'."

                      District A Councilor Jonathan Hecht agreed.

                      "I think we should be very clear and strong in the community about
                      demanding that the Armenian Genocide should be recognized," he said.

                      "The inconsistency [with what the No Place for Hate committee is all
                      about] is so blatant. This is an opportunity for the community and
                      the committee to look at this more closely."

                      At-Large Councilor Steve Corbett said he would hate to have to drop
                      the program.

                      "It would be an awful shame to have to back out of this," he said.

                      "Our program has nothing to do with any position [on the Armenian
                      Genocide]."

                      As a councilor who represents the East End of town, Angie Kounelis said
                      a majority of her constituents are of ethnic background, and said the
                      concept of a "No Place for Hate" committee is "wonderful" for the town.

                      The controversy has been worrisome, she said.

                      "I do not have time to get into national organizations and their
                      behind-the-scenes agendas," she said. "I'd like to see what the
                      [No Place for Hate] committee is going to do."

                      Twombly said the committee has one goal in mind.

                      "We want to be able to return to serving the people of Watertown free
                      and clear of any negative associations, any positions with Armenian
                      genocide," he said. "We want to be able to proceed knowing that the
                      people in Watertown has confidence in what we are doing."



                      What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

                      Comment

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