PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Natoinal Committee of Illinois
1701 North Greenwood Road
Glenview, IL 60026
Date: September 27, 2005
Contact: Greg Bedian
Email: anc_il@yahoo.com
SYSTEM OF A DOWN, ANC, AYF LEAD RALLY TO DEMAND VOTE ON GENOCIDE
LEGISLATION
Batavia, IL – System of a Down singer Serj Tankian, leaders of the
Armenian National Committee (ANC) and the Armenian Youth Federation
headed up a rally in front of Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert’s
district office in Batavia, IL, urging the Speaker to `Do the right
thing’ and schedule a vote on Armenian Genocide legislation currently
before the House of Representatives.
With the street in front of Hastert’s office blocked off by a police
cordon, hundreds of people of all ages listened to Tankian and John
Dolmayan and Armenian National Committee representatives Aram
Hamparian and Greg Bedian address the crowd, thanking them for their
support and urging them to continue to build momentum for the
legislation.
System of a Down’s four band members – Serj Tankian, Daron Malakian,
Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan – are of Armenian descent and have
made awareness of the genocide, and genocide around the world, a
central message of the band. All lost family members to the Armenian
Genocide.
Tankian and Armenian American community representatives passed on to
Hastert’s aides a letter urging the Speaker to move the legislation
forward and presented hundreds of letters from community members
calling for a vote. In a personal letter delivered to Speaker
Hastert’s office, Tankian stated `My grandfather, Stepan Haytayan, is
a 97 year-old survivor of the genocide. He’s my only link to this
past. I promised him that I would try to reach you and explain how
important American recognition is to the surviving children of the
first genocide of the 20th century.’
Greg Bedian, Chair of the ANC of IL, told the crowd, `You’ve taken the
time to stand up for justice about Turkey’s denial of the Armenian
Genocide, the precursor to the Holocaust and many other instances of
mass slaughter. The U.S. government today must set its record
straight by reaffirming the fact that Turkey committed genocide when
it exterminated 1.5 million Armenians. America must send the message
to governments around the world that the crime of genocide will
neither be forgotten nor treated with impunity.’
The rally was organized by the popular rock band System of a Down,
Axis of Justice, the Armenian National Committee of America and the
Armenian Youth Federation. In addition to members of the
Armenian-American community of Greater Chicago, attendees traveled
from Wisconsin, Indiana, Minnesota, California and Washington, DC to
take part in the event. The numbers of Armenian Americans were buoyed
by the participation of throngs of fans of System of a Down and
supporters of the Axis of Justice.
Demonstrators from the Armenian National Committee of Illinois had
picketed Speaker Hastert’s “Mobile Office Tour 2005” on Wednesday,
July 20, demanding that he honor his five-year-old pledge to move the
Armenian Genocide Resolution forward in the House of Representatives.
Hastert made the pledge to have the full House vote on Armenian
Genocide legislation in August of 2000, but reneged in October of 2000
citing pressure from then President Clinton. He also prevented a
similar resolution from reaching the floor in 2004. Staffers committed
to provide the Speaker’s feedback to the constituents very soon
regarding the current bill.
The Armenian National Committee of Illinois is a grassroots public
affairs organization serving to inform, educate, and act on a wide
range of issues concerning Armenian Americans throughout the state of
Illinois.