bobquasit | Genocide

The Armenian Genocide was Anti-love

In 1915 the Ottoman Empire decided to commit the first modern genocide. Approximately one and a half million men, women, and children were killed for the crime of being a different ethnicity and religion. They did not have easy deaths.

Most of my grandparents' generation were killed, as were older generations who had the misfortune to be Armenian and living in Turkey. My family (on both sides) lost dozens.

Children were taken from their parents and given to Turkish families to raise. As a result, I have blood relatives in Turkey who believe themselves to be a part of the people that murdered their parents.

The amount of contemporary documentation of the Genocide was massive, including many photographs as well as letters sent by the then-US Ambassador to Turkey, Henry Morgenthau, Sr. Survivors recorded testimony of what they went through.

The Turkish government continues to deny that the Genocide ever happened, despite overwhelming evidence and general agreement by historians. They've pressured the US government to cooperate in that denial. They've funded chairs at major colleges and universities with the sole purpose of sowing misinformation about the events of 1915. They've threatened Microsoft over data in Encarta, and intimidated other publications as well.

The amount of money and influence they've used to cover up the Genocide is simply amazing. In Turkey it is actually a crime to suggest that the Genocide occurred.

April 24th is the official day of remembrance for the Genocide. This year will be the 90th anniversary. I'd like to think that the people who were murdered in the Genocide will not be forgotten by history. And that somehow, the time will come when the human race will not allow genocide to happen - in any part of the world.

Thanks to

zarhooie for creating the colorbar and reminding me that it was time to say something about this.

Some other informative links:
http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Armenian_Genocide
http://www.theforgotten.org/intro.html (includes sound)