SYSTEM OF A DOWN FIGHT FOR THE FORE-FATHERS
by Eve Jenkin

Undercover Music News, Australia
Sept 27 2005

Armenian American band System Of A Down are proud of their heritage,
and have always fought to raise awareness of the Armenian genocide
of 1915-1923, in which approximately 1.5 Armenians were destroyed
by Turkey.

In a bid to gain official acknowledgement of this injustice, SOAD –
along with their fans, the Armenian National Committee of America,
Axis of Justice and the Armenian Youth Federation – will attempt to
sway the pending Armenian Genocide legislation.

By visiting the Batavia office of Representative Dennis Hastert, the
convoy will proceed to ask him to keep his word and hold a vote on
the upcoming legislation. As a member of the House of International
Relations Committee, Hastert has twice prevented the Armenian Genocide
legislation from coming to a full vote in the House despite have
expressed great enthusiasm for the measure since 2000.

If successful and the Speaker votes “Yes” to the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, he will allow the House’s 435 US members to cast their
ballots on the human rights movement. Ultimately, this will repay
for injustices victims of the genocide have suffered.

Serj Tankian, who along with his fellow SOAD members lost family to
the genocide, had this to say on the matter:

“Dennis, do the right thing…I just visited my 97- year-old
grandfather, my only link to the far past, and promised him that I
would go and try to talk to Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the House,
and make sure that he takes this opportunity to bring up the Armenian
Genocide Resolution to the floor of the House of Representatives.

This is a personal issue to me and System.”