Politics 10:45 29/04/2020 Armenia

Analysis: Trump does not have the guts to call it ‘Armenian Genocide’

By Harut Sassounian

Publisher, The California Courier

Pres. Donald Trump issued on April 24, 2020 another one of his denialist statements on the Armenian Genocide, calling it “Armenian Remembrance Day.” This is the fourth year in a row that as President he has issued the same evasive statement which uses every euphemism for genocide except the one word that truly characterizes the mass crime that Ottoman Turkey committed against Armenians 1915-1923. Hopefully, with the coming presidential elections on Nov. 3, 2020, this will be his last year as President and his last such statement!

Someone close to Pres. Trump has to tell him that his annual meaningless statements on April 24 are not winning him any points with the Armenian-American community. On the contrary, he is offending them by issuing the same denialist statement year after year. He should be told that if he cannot tell the truth, he should not say anything at all. He is in fact offending the Armenian-American community. Pres. Ronald Reagan, a much more popular president than Trump, issued a Presidential Proclamation on April 22, 1981, acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. So, we do not need Pres. Trump’s euphemistic words on the Armenian Genocide!

Instead of Genocide, here are the words that Pres. Trump used in this year’s April 24 statement: “Armenian Remembrance Day,” “the lives lost during the Meds Yeghern,” “one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century,” “1 and a half million Armenians were deported, massacred, or marched to their deaths in the final years of the Ottoman Empire,” “those who suffered and lost their lives,” “tragedy,” “painful history,” and “those who suffered and perished.” Most troubling was Pres. Trump’s use of the Armenian term “Meds Yeghern,” which means “Great Crime,” but is meaningless for most Americans. Yet, there are politically naïve Armenians who are fooled by this term, thinking that Pres. Trump is acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. If that was the case, he would have used the term Armenian Genocide. The only reason he used Meds Yeghern is to avoid saying Armenian Genocide. Meds Yeghern was used by Armenians before Raphael Lemkin coined the term Armenian Genocide in the 1940’s. Meds Yeghern is merely a description of what happened to Armenians in 1915, while genocide is a term of international law that has legal consequences. The two are not the same at all.

Pres. Trump continued his four-year long evasive position on the Armenian Genocide despite the fact that last fall both the House and Senate overwhelmingly adopted a resolution acknowledging the Armenian Genocide against the wishes of the White House. Regrettably, Turkophile Trump is not about to go against the wishes of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Trump’s beloved friend and anti-American dictator.

Justifiably, both Armenian-American organizations in Washington, D.C., criticized Pres. Trump for his unwelcome April 24 statement. The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), in a statement titled, “President Trump Tightens Turkey’s Grip over White House Policy on the Armenian Genocide,” sharply condemned the President by calling him, “the last remaining American enforcer of Ankara’s gag-rule against honest U.S. remembrance of this crime.” ANCA’s Executive Director Aram Hamparian stated: “Armenian Genocide denial is a policy manufactured in Ankara, exported to America, and enforced in Washington by President Trump. Once again, President Trump copied and pasted the transparently euphemistic, patently offensive April 24th evasions issued by Barack Obama and his other predecessors -- essentially isolating his Administration as the last major American co-conspirator in Turkey’s obstruction of justice for the Armenian Genocide…. Having promised an America First presidency, President Trump has pursued a Turkey First policy on the Armenian Genocide.”

The Armenian Assembly of America also criticized Pres. Trump in a press release: “President Donald Trump’s April 24th statement on the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide misses the mark, fosters denial, and does not reflect America’s proud record of genocide affirmation.... The Administration’s departure from the norms of human rights, established over a century ago, diminishes the standing of the U.S. government in the world community. It remains for the Administration to unequivocally affirm the Armenian Genocide.”

On the other hand, Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden issued a statement on April 24, titled: “Statement by Vice President Joe Biden on Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day.” Candidate Biden said all the right things in his statement, except for two key points:

1) He also used the Armenian term Meds Yeghern, following in the footsteps of Pres. Barack Obama. Fortunately, he also used the term Armenian Genocide which Pres. Trump did not do.

2) Amazingly, never once in his lengthy statement Mr. Biden mentions the name of the country that perpetrated the Genocide. He mentions neither the Ottoman Empire nor Turkey. This is a very serious issue that goes far beyond mere negligence. It must be an intentional avoidance for political purposes which raises the concern that if Biden is this sensitive about Turkey now as a candidate, how sensitive would he be if elected President?

Of course, many Armenian-Americans will not forget that as Pres. Obama’s Vice President, Biden did not try to convince the President to keep his multiple promises on the Armenian Genocide, unless he did it quietly behind closed doors. In his defense, Vice Presidents do not decide policy; Presidents do. I agree with all those who do not trust promises made during presidential campaigns which are forgotten soon after assuming the presidency, since the Armenian-American community was deceived many times during previous presidential campaigns by candidates from both parties. At least in the case of Pres. Trump he did not make any campaign promises on the Armenian Genocide, but he did not recognize it either.

In conclusion, Pres. Trump and his predecessors since Pres. Reagan  have no valid reason to be concerned about Turkey’s negative reaction to US recognition of the Armenian Genocide. As we saw last fall, after the House and Senate adopted resolutions on the Armenian Genocide, there was hardly any reaction from the Turkish government, except for a brief and mild expression of its unhappiness which was soon forgotten. Therefore, the obsessive fear of a harsh reaction from Turkey is pure fantasy and not a valid concern!

Those who think I am criticizing Pres. Trump for partisan political reasons, I would like to remind everyone that I have written many articles harshly critical of Pres. Bill Clinton and Pres. Barack Obama, both Democrats.

Update on April 24 virtual march

As a follow-up to my last week’s note urging everyone to join the April24.HyeID.org’s virtual march, I am pleased to report that over 340,000 Armenians and others from around the world clicked on the link demanding justice for Turkey’s Genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in 1915. This initiative was organized by the HyeID non-profit organization that will announce shortly its initiative of setting up a network that will enable Armenians worldwide to elect local Armenian representatives from throughout the Diaspora who will form the Diaspora Armenian Parliament.



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

17:13
Public figure accuses Armenian authorities of attempting to intimidate him
Public figure Hovhannes Avetisyan, an expert in public finance management, accused the Armenian authorities of repression and crackdown on their...
16:34
Iran's supreme leader threatens Israel and US with 'crushing response'
Iran’s supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with “a crushing response” over attacks on Iran and its...
16:15
Armenia offers condolences to Serbia over tragic collapse at railway station
Armenia has extended condolences to Serbia following the tragic collapse at a railway station, which killed at least 14 people and...
16:00
Armenian lifter Alexander Lazaryan crowned junior European champion
Armenian weightlifter Alexander Lazaryan bagged a gold medal at the European Junior and U23 Championships being held in Raszyn, Poland, from...
15:36
Spiritual leaders urged to raise awareness on injustice against Artsakh Armenians ahead of COP29
His Holiness Catholicos Aram I of the Holy See of Cilicia, His Beatitude Catholicos-Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI of the Armenian Catholic...
15:00
Showers possible in Yerevan on Sunday
Clear weather is expected in Armenia on Saturday and later next week. Rain is forecast for some parts of the country on Sunday and Monday,...
14:35
Catholicos Aram I, Ocampo discuss issues related to Artsakh
Luis Moreno Ocampo, the first prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), on Friday contacted His Holiness Catholicos Aram I by...
13:53
Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan reportedly targeted for UFC 311 on January 18
Islam Makhachev vs. Arman Tsarukyan rematch is the only fight that makes sense in the lightweight division at the moment. The champ is running...
13:27
Armenian Genocide denial risks new tragedies, MP warns
Opposition lawmaker Tigran Abrahamyan blasted Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan’s latest genocide remarks as dangerous for Armenia’s...
12:46
Urgent action needed to safeguard integrity of COP29 as fossil fuel influence looms large in Baku, report warns
We are days away from the start of COP29 in Azerbaijan. After previous hosts Egypt and the UAE, many had hoped for a more promising (and less...
12:30
Armenian church marks Feast of All Saints
The Armenian Apostolic Church on Saturday celebrates the Feast of All Saints, also called All Saints' Day. The day...
12:01
Paris Masters: Khachanov through to semi-finals
Russian-Armenian Karen Khachanov won against Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, the No 8 seed, 6-2, 6-3 to move into the last four of Paris Masters at...
11:30
Analysis: Aliyev's daughters reportedly control business empire worth over $13 billion
Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East...
11:00
Armenia's Milena Khachatryan wins silver at U23 European Championships
Armenian weightlifter Milena Khachatryan grabbed a silver medal at the European Junior and U23 Championships being held in Raszyn, Poland, from...
17:23
Russia urged to press for release of Armenian prisoners held by Baku
Opposition MP Artsvik Minasyan urged Russia to press for the release of Armenian prisoners, including Artsakh’s military and political...
16:45
Opposition MP: Armenian leadership 'legitimizes' Azeri crimes
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) staged a protest outside the UN office in Yerevan on Friday, demanding immediate action to secure...
16:04
Temperatures to drop in Armenia from Sunday
Clear weather is expected in Armenia on Friday, Saturday and later next week. Rain and snow are forecast for some parts of the country on...
15:36
FC Urartu joins calls for Armenian football chief's resignation
FC Urartu has joined the Armenian national team and Premier League fan movements and clubs in demanding the resignation of the current...
15:21
Protesters outside UN office demand release of Armenian prisoners in Baku
Protesters gathered outside the UN office in Yerevan on Friday to demand the immediate release of Armenian prisoners of war and...
14:45
'Brat' is Collins Dictionary's word of the year
Collins Dictionary has declared “brat” – the album title that became a summer-living ideal – its 2024 word of the...
14:21
Armenian Genocide Museum head blasts Mirzoyan's remarks
Historian Hayk Demoyan, Director of the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute in Yerevan, lambasted Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan for...
13:36
World Youth Chess Championships underway in Brazil
The FIDE World Youth Chess Championships 2024 are being held in Florianopolis, Brazil, from October 29 to November 9. After the third round,...
13:04
Russia says it is unhappy with Turkey's arms supplies to Ukraine
Russia is "surprised" that Turkey continues to supply Ukraine with weapons while trying to act as a mediator in the conflict between...
12:36
Spain floods death toll rises to 158
At least 158 people have died in Spain's worst flooding disaster in generations as rescuers battle odds to find survivors, BBC News...
12:17
Yerevan subway overcrowded in morning rush hour
The Yerevan Metro was overcrowded on Friday morning as passengers struggled to reach work and classes from the Garegin Nzhdeh station. The...
11:35
Armenia to host UN Biodiversity Conference in 2026
Armenia will host the next UN Biodiversity Conference of the Parties in 2026, the Ministry of Envionment reported. "In 2026,...
11:16
Lifter Emma Poghosyan crowned junior European champion
Armenian weightlifter Emma Poghosyan has clinched a gold medal at the European Junior and U23 Championships being held in Raszyn, Poland,...
11:01
Paris Masters: Khachanov edges out Popyrin to move into quarter-finals
Karen Khachanov moved into the quarter-finals of Paris Masters by defeating Australian Alexei Popyrin 7-6 (5), 6-4 at the Accor...
17:12
Biden bites baby dressed as chicken at Halloween event
U.S. President Joe Biden playfully bit a stable of adorable, dressed-up tots during a Halloween celebration at the White House on...
16:57
Opposition factions seek parliament debate on Armenian prisoners
The opposition Hayastan and Pativ Unem factions have initiated an emergency parliament debate on a draft statement calling for the release of...

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}