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Letter to the Speaker of the House

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  • Letter to the Speaker of the House

    Madam Speaker of the House,

    This is the first time I have written you, though I have been pleased to see you rise to the position, and pleased by your leadership to date. I write you now regarding the resolution to declare that the hostilities of 1915 against the Armenian people were an attempted genocide by the Turkish government.

    Of course, I am in favor of this resolution. Some have said that it is an empty, meaningless gesture, just words about something which happened almost a century ago and that, as such, it should not be considered as important as the potential loss of Turkish support in Iraq. Some members of the house who supported this resolution are now turning tail because the Turkish government finds it offensive, calls it a slap in the face. I find that logic to be perverse. If it's a slap in the face to declare the truth about their actions, how much more of an injury is it to help them sweep their actions under the carpet, to erase even the memory of their atrocities? The Turkish government has systematically and intentionally attempted to remove all trace of our thousands of years of existence. To withdraw from this resolution now, to allow the Turkish government to dictate the policies and resolutions of the United States of America, would be beyond a slap in the face. It would be tantamount to a second successful assault by the Turks - this time against both the Armenians, and the USA. Since when does the U.S. government capitulate and concede control of its policy to the demands of a foreign government?

    When Hitler first suggested annihilation of the Jews, his board said he couldn't do it, that the world wouldn't let him get away with it. Hitler cited the world's inaction at the Turks killing the Armenians, and his board was encouraged enough to go through with the plan. We all know the result. Hitler very nearly got away with the holocaust. It seems he was right. The world did not act to save the Jews, any more than they had risen up to protect the Armenians (and Turkey was Hitler's ally back then as well.) Only when the bombs were falling on Paris did the world begin to care about the tyrant's plans. Only when it affected them did they begin to fight back.

    In that world war, the United States was the cavalry, the hero riding in to save the day and put a stop to a mad dictator who would have killed or enslaved most of the free world. How is it, then, that we are now considering caving in to concerns that Turkey may be offended that we acknowledge their barbaric actions? For the sake of greed, the Turks of 1915 tried to wipe a 6,000 year old nation off the face of the earth. They killed my paternal great-grandparents, orphaned my grandparents, and stole the entire eastern half of what is now called Turkey.

    One hundred years is not so long ago. The actions still affect me today. Though the United States is a melting pot, almost all of us have roots, and a homeland to visit. But the true Armenia, the place that hosts Mount Ararat, Noah's Ark, and the meeting of the Tigris and Euphrates river, that venerable nation is no more. The deed was done by deceit and betrayal against good neighbors. The horrors inflicted on my family are far from gone and forgotten. I will not sit back and allow the Turks to dictate that history be rewritten in this country, the land of my birth, as well.
    I strongly urge you to share these sentiments, to rekindle support for the resolution. This is more than mere words. It is that lone candle burning in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians whose lives were extinguished. It burns as the means by which we remember the genocide, remember that such things can and do occur... and it IS the bane of mankind that he forgets.

    Today, Turkey calls the Kurds "terrorists" and uses that label to justify their attacks on them, to enter northern Iraq (a sovereign nation) in pursuit of the Kurds. Are these not the same Kurds that were considered Saddam Hussein's people, when he was hung for atrocities committed against them? Now the U.S. will consider standing back and allowing Turkey to do the same thing that Hussein was hung for?

    Madam Speaker, I urge you... I implore you. Guide our representatives. Do not allow Turkey to frighten the United States into marching to the goose-step Turkey would impose upon us. Instead, inform the Turkish Prime Minister (and our President) that it is Turkey, not the U.S., who should fear the loss of friendly relations. Remind them that the United States is a sovereign nation, that it does not allow allies to dictate terms or courses of action. And inform them that while we may move forward to an alliance with Turkey, we neither forgive nor forget their actions against the Armenian people. It is indeed the bane of mankind that he forgets.

    Thank you, Madam Speaker, for your time, attention, devotion and service.

    Highest regards,

    John "Taylor" Yezeguielian

  • #2
    Originally posted by Falc View Post
    Madam Speaker of the House,

    This is the first time I have written you, though I have been pleased to see you rise to the position, and pleased by your leadership to date. I write you now regarding the resolution to declare that the hostilities of 1915 against the Armenian people were an attempted genocide by the Turkish government.

    Of course, I am in favor of this resolution. Some have said that it is an empty, meaningless gesture, just words about something which happened almost a century ago and that, as such, it should not be considered as important as the potential loss of Turkish support in Iraq. Some members of the house who supported this resolution are now turning tail because the Turkish government finds it offensive, calls it a slap in the face. I find that logic to be perverse. If it's a slap in the face to declare the truth about their actions, how much more of an injury is it to help them sweep their actions under the carpet, to erase even the memory of their atrocities? The Turkish government has systematically and intentionally attempted to remove all trace of our thousands of years of existence. To withdraw from this resolution now, to allow the Turkish government to dictate the policies and resolutions of the United States of America, would be beyond a slap in the face. It would be tantamount to a second successful assault by the Turks - this time against both the Armenians, and the USA. Since when does the U.S. government capitulate and concede control of its policy to the demands of a foreign government?

    When Hitler first suggested annihilation of the Jews, his board said he couldn't do it, that the world wouldn't let him get away with it. Hitler cited the world's inaction at the Turks killing the Armenians, and his board was encouraged enough to go through with the plan. We all know the result. Hitler very nearly got away with the holocaust. It seems he was right. The world did not act to save the Jews, any more than they had risen up to protect the Armenians (and Turkey was Hitler's ally back then as well.) Only when the bombs were falling on Paris did the world begin to care about the tyrant's plans. Only when it affected them did they begin to fight back.

    In that world war, the United States was the cavalry, the hero riding in to save the day and put a stop to a mad dictator who would have killed or enslaved most of the free world. How is it, then, that we are now considering caving in to concerns that Turkey may be offended that we acknowledge their barbaric actions? For the sake of greed, the Turks of 1915 tried to wipe a 6,000 year old nation off the face of the earth. They killed my paternal great-grandparents, orphaned my grandparents, and stole the entire eastern half of what is now called Turkey.

    One hundred years is not so long ago. The actions still affect me today. Though the United States is a melting pot, almost all of us have roots, and a homeland to visit. But the true Armenia, the place that hosts Mount Ararat, Noah's Ark, and the meeting of the Tigris and Euphrates river, that venerable nation is no more. The deed was done by deceit and betrayal against good neighbors. The horrors inflicted on my family are far from gone and forgotten. I will not sit back and allow the Turks to dictate that history be rewritten in this country, the land of my birth, as well.
    I strongly urge you to share these sentiments, to rekindle support for the resolution. This is more than mere words. It is that lone candle burning in memory of the 1.5 million Armenians whose lives were extinguished. It burns as the means by which we remember the genocide, remember that such things can and do occur... and it IS the bane of mankind that he forgets.

    Today, Turkey calls the Kurds "terrorists" and uses that label to justify their attacks on them, to enter northern Iraq (a sovereign nation) in pursuit of the Kurds. Are these not the same Kurds that were considered Saddam Hussein's people, when he was hung for atrocities committed against them? Now the U.S. will consider standing back and allowing Turkey to do the same thing that Hussein was hung for?

    Madam Speaker, I urge you... I implore you. Guide our representatives. Do not allow Turkey to frighten the United States into marching to the goose-step Turkey would impose upon us. Instead, inform the Turkish Prime Minister (and our President) that it is Turkey, not the U.S., who should fear the loss of friendly relations. Remind them that the United States is a sovereign nation, that it does not allow allies to dictate terms or courses of action. And inform them that while we may move forward to an alliance with Turkey, we neither forgive nor forget their actions against the Armenian people. It is indeed the bane of mankind that he forgets.

    Thank you, Madam Speaker, for your time, attention, devotion and service.

    Highest regards,

    John "Taylor" Yezeguielian
    Great letter Falc and welcome to the forum!
    General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

    Comment


    • #3
      Welcome

      Thanks, Joseph!

      I'd like to ask something:

      How many of you think that the Turks are labeling the Kurds "terrorists" so they can eradicate them, too? It seems a trend, and the term "Terrorist" is used to dehumanize any who stand against a government, no matter what that government may have done to those people. Your thoughts?

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by Falc View Post
        Thanks, Joseph!

        I'd like to ask something:

        How many of you think that the Turks are labeling the Kurds "terrorists" so they can eradicate them, too? It seems a trend, and the term "Terrorist" is used to dehumanize any who stand against a government, no matter what that government may have done to those people. Your thoughts?
        I agree with that thesis. First they dehumanuze their enemies which in turn incites their army to slaughter. They never question how the situation got to where it is...like it was created in a vacuum.
        General Antranik (1865-1927): “I am not a nationalist. I recognize only one nation, the nation of the oppressed.”

        Comment


        • #5
          Not to mention State operated pseudo-pkk terrorist's that strike when the State orders.
          "All truth passes through three stages:
          First, it is ridiculed;
          Second, it is violently opposed; and
          Third, it is accepted as self-evident."

          Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

          Comment


          • #6
            Great letter John.

            It sends chills down my spine whenever I hear the Turkish rhetoric regarding the Kurds, and the fact that they are now going to invade. There is but one silver lining for the Kurds; they happen to be sitting on a piece of strategic land, and they are viewed as allies by both the U.S. and Israel. Unlike 1915 and the Armenians, it is in the best interest of the U.S. and Israel to protect the Kurds, and I think everyone, including the Turks, understands this. If not for these fortunate circumstances, I believe there would be another Genocide in Kurdistan on the horizon.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Falc View Post
              Thanks, Joseph!

              I'd like to ask something:

              How many of you think that the Turks are labeling the Kurds "terrorists" so they can eradicate them, too? It seems a trend, and the term "Terrorist" is used to dehumanize any who stand against a government, no matter what that government may have done to those people. Your thoughts?
              Yesss.. I was actually thinking that just now when watching this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVOXExsyzFk

              Great letter.. very well said.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Falc View Post
                Thanks, Joseph!

                I'd like to ask something:

                How many of you think that the Turks are labeling the Kurds "terrorists" so they can eradicate them, too? It seems a trend, and the term "Terrorist" is used to dehumanize any who stand against a government, no matter what that government may have done to those people. Your thoughts?
                Turkey is not labelling Kurds in general as terrorists, the specific group is PKK. Even though until recently being a Kurd in Turkey was difficult there still have been Kurdish Primeministers and even Presidents. Today however the Kurdish identity is recognised, they have their own radio-TV channels, their music is sold everywhere etc. I'm not trying to say that all is well but it is better than before at least. Many Kurdish people who cry out for the rights of Kurds in Turkey do not sympathise with the PKK. Some of the reasons is because they are a Marxist organisation and denounce religion - abhorrred by the many devout Muslim Kurds, they do not have a clear agenda since it is not clear whether they want an independant Kurdish state which they deny aspirations for or if they really do want to carve out a state from Turkey, and many who think that the PKK wants an independant Kurdistan in SE Turkey do not want to be a part of that state because it would probably be the most problematic country in the region. Kurds have huge businesses in Turkey and they live in every single town in the country.Turkey cannot eradicate Kurds beacaue they are well integrated into Turkish society, there is a big number of Kurdish PM's in AKP and CHP and they fiercly curse the PKK for what they do, I would like to think that at least some of them should be sincere. Hell there are even PKK supporters in parliament (DTP) and they quite openly support them. If the PKK was so strong in Turkey then DTP would have had a lot more seats in parliament but they only have a group of 19. Imagine Al-Qaida having seats in congress or Azeri terrorist reps in the Armenian parliament????? If we wanted to eradicate Kurds why would we let them in our own freaking parliament? Is it all part of a huge conspiracy to wipe Kurds off this planet?

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by hitite View Post
                  Today however the Kurdish identity is recognised, they have their own radio-TV channels, their music is sold everywhere etc.
                  Are you for real? wow that's awesome! Don't you with YOU were a Kurd living in Turkey with your radio channel and CDs in stores?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by hitite View Post
                    If we wanted to eradicate Kurds why would we let them in our own freaking parliament?
                    Umm I don't know, maybe because there are over 17 million Kurds living in Turkey ? Also, weren't kurdish representatives give seats for the first time in 13 years in August of 2007? That's kinda sad knowing that they have a huge population in Turkey.

                    Comment

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