Getting Critical: How to effectively combat denial

[Hovik]

Dear Friends,

I have started this thread hoping that we can discuss examples of, and ways in which we can combat, the denial of the Armenian Genocide on different levels. Action is taken from time to time (usually in Europe) against deniers of the Armenian Genocide where prosecution is possible. But what about where it isn't possible or practical? What do you do when a news item appears in a U.S. state (one that has recognized the Armenian Genocide as such) that doesn't characterize the Genocide as such, and one which makes the issue into a subject of debate? How can such arrogance and ignorance be addressed properly?

In the past when such issues came up I have personally attempted to contact the ANCA (Armenian National Committee of America) or the AAA (Armenian Assembly of America) as well as community leaders. I have NEVER gotten so much as a response about these issues! We should be asking ourselves in this thread, WHY NOT? Why aren't our organizations acting responsibly to speak out against Genocide denial? Why aren't they sending the message loud and clear that denial will NOT be tolerated?

I will start the thread off by posting the following NBC 17 article from North Carolina. I will follow by posting North Carolina's own Armenian Genocide Recognition. Lets ask ourselves how we can demand our organizations to WAKE UP! and listen to our requests!

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NBC17, North Carolina
July 12 2005


Duke Student Detained For Three Weeks In Armenia

POSTED: 2:15 pm EDT July 12, 2005

DURHAM, N.C. -- A Duke University doctoral student and historian from Turkey
with a reputation for writing impartially about Armenia has been detained
for more than three weeks in the country.

Yektan Turkyilmaz has the distinction of being the only Turk known to
conduct research in Armenia's national archives, a privilege he earned
despite the uneasy relations between the two countries.

Turkyilmaz has not been charged with anything, but he reportedly broke an
Armenian law forbidding anyone from taking a book that is more than 50 years
old out of the country without permission.

During his time in Armenia, Turkyilmaz bought some second-hand books from
street vendors, said his adviser, Duke professor Orin Starn.

Turkyilmaz was departing June 17 from Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia,
when he was pulled from the plane and held by Armenia's National Security
Service.

Turkyilmaz's Duke associates, friends and family have asked for his release
and are surprised he remains in custody. He is not allowed to contact his
family, nor anyone at Duke. His lawyer says Turkyilmaz has not been
mistreated.

Most of the books Turkyilmaz bought were from the 20th century, excepting
one from the 17th century. If the 33-year-old student had declared the
books, he would have been allowed to keep them and leave the country, Starn
said.

"None of these books, according to the lawyer, are rare books, ancient
manuscripts, national treasures or anything like that," Starn said. "I'm
certain that Yektan didn't know of the existence of that law. Who would?"

Turk-Armenian relations are still rocky over what Armenians define as the
Turkish attempts at genocide against them in the early 20th century. In
Turkey, the number of Armenian civilian deaths is highly disputed.

Turkyilmaz appeared to overcome the barrier by speaking the Armenian
language and for receiving credit from the head of the country's national
archives as an impartial writer.

A student in Duke's department of cultural anthropology and a John Hope
Franklin fellow, Turkyilmaz is due back in Durham this month.

-----


April 23, 1999


A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE of the ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
1999
BY THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
A PROCLAMATION


WHEREAS, the death of at least 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Turks and the forced deportation of countless others, is remembered every year on April 24, since 1915, as Armenian Martyrs Day; and

WHEREAS, eighty-four years ago, Armenians were forced to witness the slaughter of their relatives and the loss of their ancestral homeland; and

WHEREAS, the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the present-day Turkish Government continues to antagonize the Armenian people concerning their own rightful place in history; and

WHEREAS, the Armenian People have not received reparations for their losses; and

WHEREAS, Armenians have valiantly pursued the improvement and self-determination of their homelands; and

WHEREAS, notwithstanding such atrocities in the past, people of Armenian descent have been strong, productive, contributing citizens in the many communities in which they reside in the State of North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, on April 25, 1999, Armenian families from across North Carolina will gather in Charlotte to honor the 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred under the Ottoman Turkish Government between 1915 and 1923;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JAMES B. HUNT JR., Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim April 24, 1999, as “A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE of the ARMENIAN GENOCIDE” in North Carolina, and encourage all citizens to commend its observance.

[Hovik]

Also,
Anyone wanting to contact that NBC station to express their disgust can do so by following this link:

http://www.nbc17.com/contact/index.html

Hovik

[imported_Hellektor]

Weak propaganda tactics is our scourge

"None of these books, according to the lawyer, are rare books, ancient
manuscripts, national treasures or anything like that," Starn said. "I'm
certain that Yektan didn't know of the existence of that law. Who would?"

The Armenian TV channel (ARM 1, via satellite) reported this and showed some of these books. They said some of them were rare and it was illegal to take the books out of the country. The claim that "who would know this?" is so lame! Which country would allow someone take out old books without declaring them? The article mentions a book from 17th century!!! Yeah, they are all around, books surviving four hundred years are more readily available than toilet paper. Give me a break!
There is an ambiguous reference to this Orin Starn. In one place he is the adviser professor in another place he is the lawyer. And dear Hovik, how can we confront these friends of ours who own America and world media?
The problem is mostly financial, although:
I. There is this defeatist nature of Armenians that is the root cause of many of our problems. Armenians won the war and could also liberate Gandzak, but the treacherous, bogus nation who started it begged for cease-fire, which they also got. Alas and alack... Now they have shaped a distorted view of events, presenting Armenia as the aggressor and we are sitting, talking about returning the small piece of our historic homeland TO THE LOSERS OF THE WAR in return for NOTHING, in order not to give the goddamned, oil-greedy, "Christian" Westerners the impression we are not civilized. What a tragedy!
II. The fact that we don't howl, whine, cry and snivel like the "Azeris" do. Just think of the destruction of the Jugha Khachkars, the slaughter of Gurgen Markarian, Sumgait, Baku Gandzak massacres, etc. Who has heard of all these atrocities? Whereas the fabricated claims of Khojallu "Genocide", that was perpetrated by the "Azeris" themselves, is so much publicized that even some Armenians think it was done by the Armenians in revenge for the Sumgait massacres.
III. Since for example, we know the truth about the Genocide, we take it for granted that the whole world knows this as well, so we rest on our laurels and let the Turks spread their revised version of events, by just copying our history accordingly:
Change the words Armenian with Turk (in case of the bogus Mini Ottoman “nation” they change it with Albanian).
Change the names of butchers like Talat, Enver, Jemal, etc. with heroes like Dro, Andranik, Njdeh, etc.
Change Ittihad ve Teraki into Dashnak, etc.
We have to master the art of "whimper and snivel in propaganda" to inform the world of our problems. Whether their interests will allow us to win their ears is another question.