Do Not Deny, Do Not Forget

Do Not Deny, Do Not Forget April 24, 2015

armenian-genocide-AB

Today the Armenian community marks the one hundredth anniversary of the beginning of the terrible events that the world now calls the first genocide of the twentieth century. Somewhere between a million and a million and a half people were killed, as the Ottoman Empire collapsed and Turkey began the journey to what would become a nation state.

The horror has been compounded by the denial of the Turkish state that the event happened, or, when pressed with endless evidence starting with the disappearance of Armenian people from Turkey, denying that it was anywhere near a million people killed, and besides, it is added, they fought back. Shameful.

The realpolitik of our times has forced many people into complicity, including our own government. I’m a supporter of our president, but I think even within the balance of current events it was a terrible mistake not to say the word genocide out loud. I’m grateful the pope said what needed saying, and that he has been joined by Germany and Austria, two nations that know what genocide is, and, it seems also understand that to deny is to cultivate a cancer.

May the world hear the truth.

May we never forget…


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