Tweet
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
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
? 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